KEEN FIGHT AT TOP OF S-LEAGUE

After 27 matches in the S-League, Home United are now on level 65 points against league leaders Singapore Armed Forces FC (SAFFC) with the former occupying the second spot on lesser goal difference.

In the match which was played at the Hougang Stadium, Shahril Ishak gave Home United a 1-0 lead at the break with a close range effort in the 19th minute.

Further goals from Shi Jiayi (54th minute), international Indra Sahdan Daud (57th and 80th minute) and Diakite Fode Bangaly (72nd) gave Home United the well-deserved victory and the three points.

For Sengkang, they had only Farhan Farook to thank as he scored both goals to give them some measure of respectability.

“We will have just the bare eleven for our next game, with the others away on national duty,” said Home United head coach Vincent Subramaniam.

“We won well against Sengkang as we had hoped we would.”

In the meantime, league leaders SAFFC showed no sign of slowing down either when they blasted Balestier Khalsa 5-1 in the match which was played at the Toa Payoh Stadium.

A hat-trick (14th, 38th and 53rd minute) from the league’s top scorer Aleksandar Duric – his third in five league matches – were enough to see off Balestier even without the additional goals from Therdsak Chaiman in the 24th minute and Murakami in the 45th minute.

With the three goals against Balestier, Duric has extended his total goal haul to 35.

The only goal from Balestier came in the 75th minute when Nawfal Shahib fired in from outside the penalty box.

CURRENT S-LEAGUE STANDINGS

1. SAF 65pts

2. Home 65pts

3. Tampines 63pts

4. Gombak 35pts

5. Young Lions 34pts

6. Woodlands 29pts

7. Albirex 28pts

8. Geylang 28pts

9. Balestier 25pts

10. Liaoning 24pts

11. Sengkang 19pts

12. Super Reds 16pts