ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE @ S-LEAGUE MATCH, S’PORE FOOTBALL IS HOPELESS?

Facebook post by Suresh Nair

UGLY FOOTBALL AT JALAN BESAR:

SOMETIMES, if not most times, the media don't cover crucial S-League matches. I wish I had the real answer why they're not interested. Monday night's THE NEW PAPER League Cup match between arch-rivals Home United and Hougang United, which ended 1-1, was a very acrimonious affair. Disgraceful, to say the least!

Poor sportsmanship and lowest levels of gamesmanship were shown and this video clip clearly shows in the final stages of the match, where all hell broke loose, with little respect for the match-officials.

Eyewitness accounts say Afiq Yunos (No 3 of Home United) was cautioned for a reckless challenge. He then went on to show dissent to the match officials. He was later shown the red card for a second caution. Even after being red-carded, Afiq did not leave the field and reportedly continued to protest against the decision.

PUSH THE REFEREE?

Eyewitnesses say he allegedly used his hand to push the referee and had to be escorted off the field by security personnel. More to come: Khairul Nizam (No 12 of Home United), according to eyewitnesses, who was on at the HUFC technical area, later abused the referee, with loud abusive Malay words like "Butoh lah referee…fuck you, fuck you”, which could be clearly heard from the grandstand. The red card was dispensed to Khairul Nizam, who according to eyewitnesses, later tried to confront the referee.

Two match-marshalls at the tunnel noted that Afiq Yunos continued to abuse the match officials as they walked past the tunnel. This was confirmed by eyewitnesses. He allegedly said in a loud voice that the men-in-black held personal grudges against him. In total, as I understand from eyewitnesses, three from Home and four from Hougang, were yellow-carded. Two from Home were red-carded.

SHAMEFUL HOME UNITED

Oops, I forgot to ask the eyewitnesses if the two head coaches shook hands as it appears to be an unceremonious post-match gesture not to do the traditional exchange of hand-greetings! (CORRECTION: Both Phillipe Aw (Hougang) and Aidil Sharin (Home) SMSed me to say they shook hands at Jalan Besar — after not doing so in an earlier match at Hougang Stadium)

Let me repeat: There's no sense of "Home" in the S-League. I feel very, very sad at such discreditable, disreputable and detestable football from Home United, which is the football branch of the Singapore Police Force. If they resort to such disastrous, disgraceful and distressing sportsmanship, where is Singapore professional football headed? Oh, what a League Cup bummer thriller at Jalan Bear Stadium, how I wish the media wrote something…thankfully, a few eyewitnesses send me a clip of the rip-roaring action in the final minutes of the match.

The FAS Competitions Department must act hard and take immediate action against the errant players, some of whom dare lay hands on the match-officials. Pray tell me, FAS: Where's the "law and order" in top football matches?