Photograph by Ismadi Hussain

By Song Sung Hai

Harimau Muda 1-2 Tanjong Pagar United
Akhir Bahari 23′, Masrezwan Masturi ’30, OG ’65
24 February 2014
Pasir Gudang Stadium

The Jaguars kicked off our S.League season earlier with a hard fought 2-1 win over Harimau Muda B.

The game flew off at high pace immediately with both sides signaling their intentions to take home all three points of their opening game.

Harimau Muda B may be outfitted with mostly new players to the S-League but they showed no raw nerves, choosing instead to channel any nerves into aggressiveness on the pitch.

The Jaguars midfielders and forwards soon found themselves on the receiving end of some very hard tackles from the young Malaysian side. It was the Jaguars though who threatened as early as the first minute when a through ball found a free Masrezwan Masturi but his shot went wide of goal.

It was in the 23rd minute, when Anthony Aymard took some studs to his feet and was out for treatment that the Young Tigers struck. Anthony’s temporary absence revealed a gap in defence which was exploited by Akhir Bakari. A through ball found Akhir in the gap and he drilled his shot into the bottom right corner of goal leaving Aurelien stunned on the turf.

Only seven minutes were needed though for the Jaguars to cancel the deficit. An inch perfect lob down the middle by Kamel Ramdani was hounded down by Masrezwan Masturi who left his markers eating dust behind his heels.

What followed after was a definite candidate for the ‘Goal of the Year’. Without breaking a stride, Masrezwan hoofed the ball over the onrushing goalie and into goal to bring the Jaguars back into the game.

The two sides did not cease their tempo and took turns to attack each other’s goals for the remainder of the half. Sebastien Etiemble came close to taking the lead for the Jaguars in the 36th minute.

A fantastic corner-kick drilled in by Asraf Rashid evaded everyone in the box and a sliding challenge did just enough to put Sebastien off. His shot swung just off the left post with only the keeper to beat.

The second half kicked off with Patrick Vallee choosing not to make any changes to his line-up. It was the Young Tigers from Malaysia, however, who threatened early and once again, through Faris Shah, who had been a threat all night.

A through ball found Faris unmarked in the 47th minute but with only Aurelien to beat, he directed his shot into the sky. Four minutes later, Faris Shah once again came close. Receiving the ball just outside the box, Faris spied Aurelien off his line and sent a delightful chip in. Aurelien had to back-pedal fast and his outstretched fingertips directed the ball just over.

The close shave sprung the Jaguars into action and the profuse attacking finally paid dividends in the 65th minute. Again the creator was Kamel Ramdani. Sprinting down the left flank and past everyone, Kamel swung in such a delectable cross in that anyone would fight just to have a bite of it.

It was Masrezwan Masturi though who got to the end of it. He nodded the ball down and it hit Harimau Muda’s Azrul Nizam before rolling into goal with the Young Tiger’s custodian unable to do anything about it.

The joy soon turned into panic for the Jaguars when the referee flashed a red card to Ruzaini Zainal which miffed everyone watching but for the Malaysian fans. Down to ten men, Patrick was forced to use Masrezwan as a Right-Back to shore up the defence.

One final scare came n the 89th minute when Naim Zakaria attempted another lob from just ouside the box with Aurelien off his line. Tracking back wonderfully, Aurelien once again stretched and tipped the ball over the bar to keep the scoreline as it was.

Nor Azli Yusoff received his second yellow card along with the mandatory marching orders in injury time but the depleted Jaguars side held on tough to secure the win.

It was by no means an easy victory with several Jaguars players getting themselves into the referee’s book even though several of those calls seemed rather callous. Kamel Ramdani also picked up a knock just before the final whistle and was replaced by Shafiq Noh.

Hafiz Osman, Sebastien Etiemble and Zahid Ahmad, who came in for Tengku Mushadad, were the other players who got booked.

Head Coach Parick Vallee was once again impressed by the resilience shown by his team and he could not stop praising the team spirit and esprit de corps the players had for one another.

“It was not an easy victory to be sure, even with 11 players on the pitch. The Harimau Muda team are a good team and I am heartened to see the attitude my players showed when we were reduced to ten men and then to nine.”

Acknowledging that it was a good start to the season, Patrick maintained that the league remained his priority and the next game was already on his mind.

“It is good to win here in Pasir Gudang and I am happy with the win. Maybe not so happy with the cards but happier with the win. What happened in the game with the cards is part of football and it is not my place to comment.”

Patrick Vallee also mentioned that Kamel Ramdani’s injury, which did not look to be serious, will have to be looked at and he will be adjusting his plans for the next game accordingly.

So it was, that the Jaguars came away from this exciting clash with a victory even though they will now have only two days to prepare for the next game.

It is also interesting to note that our Man of the Match, Masrezwan Masturi, put in an impressive display that should be of interest to National Coach Bernd Stange for his National Team. Masrezwan Masturi showed everyone present that he still has it in him to don the national colours.

Three points secured, mission accomplished. See you at the next game!

Lineups:

Harimau Muda: Ramdhan Hamid, Ashmawi Yakin (C), Shahrul Igwan, Azrul Nizam Muhammad, Abdullah Suleiman, Syawal Nordin, Nurshamil Abd Ghani, Akhir Bahari, Faris Shah, Irfan Zakaria, Afiq Fazail
Substitutes: Ahmad Solehin Mamat, Akmal Chin, Afiq Azuan, Syafwan Syahlan, Ramzi Haziq, Naim Zakaria, Annas Rahmat
Head Coach: Razip Ismail

Tanjong Pagar United: Aurelien Herisson, Anthony Aymard, Hafiz Osman (C), Sebastien Etiemble, Asraf Rashid, Kamel Ramdani (Shafiq Noh 91′), Firdaus Idros, Ruzaini Zainal, Tengku Mushadad (Zahid Ahmad 84′), Masrezwan Masturi, Nor Azli Yusoff
Substitutes: Chua Lye Heng, Sazali Salleh, Zahid Ahmad, Shafiq Noh, K Selvendhran, Jasvinderpal Singh, M Arvin
Head Coach: Patrick Vallee

Referee: Mohd Irwan S
Assistant Referees: Ronnie Koh, Manoj Kalwani
Fourth Official: Jansen Foo