National Team - Lions ● Jul 11, 2018
OVERSEAS WATCH: Trophies galore for Hariss and Safuwan in Malaysia, red-hot Gabriel nets again in Thailand
Hariss Harun won his fifth Malaysia Super League title, while Safuwan Baharudin triumphed in the Malaysia FA Cup for the second time
Hariss Harun of JDT celebrates after scoring the equaliser against Perak on 10 July. (PHOTO: JDT)
Hariss Harun (Johor Darul Ta’zim) – Malaysia Super League (MSL)
Singapore National Team skipper Hariss Harun won his fifth Malaysia Super League (MSL) crown on Monday night after Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) defeated nearest challengers Perak to clinch the league title with four games remaining.
Perak were up 1-0 when Hariss struck an equaliser on the 75th minute, before Safawi Rasid netted an 83rd-minute winner to complete the comeback and hand the Southern Tigers their fifth league title in a row.
With the win, the Southern Tigers also qualified for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Group Stage in 2019.
Recent fixtures
26/6/18: Melaka United 0-4 JDT (MSL)
10/7/18: Perak 1-2 JDT (MSL)
Safuwan Baharudin puts his body on the line in the 2018 Malaysia FA Cup final. (PHOTO: Pahang FA)
Safuwan Baharudin (Pahang FA) – MSL
Pahang FA clinched the 2018 Malaysia FA Cup last Saturday at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, defeating Selangor FA 2-0 with a goal in each half.
Singaporean midfielder Safuwan Baharudin played a key role in defensive midfield to help Pahang win the FA Cup for the third time in club history.
Safuwan claimed the winner’s medal for the second time in this competition, which he first won back in 2015 as part of the Lions XII squad that defeated Kelantan FA 3-1 in the final that year.
Recent Fixtures
26/6/18: Pahang FA 1-1 Selangor (MSL)
1/7/18: PKNP 1-2 Pahang FA (Malaysia FA Cup Semi-Final)
7/7/18: Selangor 0-2 Pahang FA (Malaysia FA Cup Final)
Faris Ramli in action for PKNS against Kedah. (PHOTO: PKNS)
Faris Ramli (PKNS) – MSL
Faris Ramli came on as a 60th-minute substitute against Kedah FA on 26 June in a 2-0 defeat that left PKNS seven points behind Kedah in the chase for a top-four finish.
Faris did not feature when PKNS drew 1-1 Selangor in the Malaysia FA Cup Semi-Final Second Leg on 30 June, a tie that PKNS lost 5-1 on aggregate.
PKNS remain sixth in the MSL standings with 23 points, but their form in the last five games of the season will go a long way in deciding their final league position. Finishing in the top four or falling further down the table are both possibilities, with Melaka United — who are also on 23 points — hot on the heels of PKNS.
Recent Fixtures
26/6/18: Kedah FA 2-0 PKNS (MSL)
30/6/18: PKNS 1-1 Selangor (Malaysia FA Cup Semi-Final)
Shahdan Sulaiman (left) with his Melaka United teammates. (PHOTO: Melaka United)
Shahdan Sulaiman (Melaka United) – MSL
Shahdan Sulaiman faced Hariss Harun on 26 June when their clubs faced off in the MSL, with Hariss’ JDT coming out on top 4-0.
Melaka United made amends on 10 July by defeating fourth-placed Kedah FA 4-1 to climb up the table.
Seventh-placed Melaka United are currently behind PKNS on goal difference with both clubs on 23 points and could very well finish in a higher position with a few wins in the last four games of the season.
Recent Fixtures
26/6/18: Melaka United 0-4 JDT (MSL)
10/7/18: Melaka United 4-1 Kedah FA (MSL)
Gabriel Quak (Royal Thai Navy FC) – Thai League 1
Gabriel Quak scored a stoppage-time goal in Royal Thai Navy’s 2-0 Thai FA Cup first-round win on 27 June and his club went on to reach the third round of the competition which will be played at a later date. It was his fourth strike in his debut season at the club.
Royal Thai Navy FC are still lying in 16th spot in Thai League 1 following back-to-back defeats.
Recent Fixtures
27/6/18: Royal Thai Navy FC 2-0 Muang Loei United (Thai FA Cup 1st Round)
1/7/18: Suphanburi FC 3-1 Royal Thai Navy FC (Thai League 1)
4/7/18: Sakaeo FC 1-2 Royal Thai Navy FC (Thai FA Cup 2nd Round)
7/7/18: Royal Thai Navy FC 0-4 Buriram United (Thai League 1)
Zulfahmi Arifin of Chonburi FC in-action in the Thai FA Cup second round. (PHOTO: Chonburi FC)
Zulfahmi Arifin (Chonburi FC) – Thai League 1
Zulfahmi Arifin started in both of Chonburi FC’s recent Thai FA Cup matches, helping his club reach the third round of the competition with convincing 5-1 and 7-0 victories in the first and second rounds respectively.
Chonburi still currently lie seventh in the league standings on 33 points and are seven points behind fourth-placed Muangthong United, though they are in good form having won six of their last seven matches in all competitions.
Recent Fixtures
27/6/18: Chonburi 5-1 PSRU FC (Thai FA Cup 1st Round)
1/7/18: Bangkok Glass 7-4 Chonburi (Thai League 1)
4/7/18: Chonburi 7-0 Uttaradit (Thai FA Cup 2nd Round)
8/7/18: Chonburi 3-1 BEC Tero Sasana (Thai League 1)
Baihakki Khaizan (Udon Thani FC) – Thai League 2
Baihakki Khaizan played the full 90 minutes in Udon Thani’s Thai FA Cup first round encounter and made a 61st-minute substitute appearance in his club’s most recent outing against Nong Bua Pitchaya, whom fellow Singaporean International Izwan Mahbud represents at club level.
Udon Thani are still currently seventh in Thai League 2 with 24 points, a point behind a fast-improving Army United.
Recent Fixtures
27/6/18: Army FC 3-1 Udon Thani FC (Thai FA Cup 1st Round)
30/6/18: Udon Thani FC 0-1 PTT (Thai League 2)
8/7/18: Nong Bua Pitchaya 1-0 Udon Thani FC (Thai League 2)
Izwan Mahbud during practice with Nong Bua Pitchaya FC. (PHOTO: Nong Bua Pitchaya FC)
Izwan Mahbud (Nong Bua Pitchaya) – Thai League 2
Izwan Mahbud played the full 90 minutes in Nong Bua Pitchaya’s three most recent matches and kept two clean sheets, both coming in the league.
Izwan received an 11th-minute yellow card against Udon Thani FC but that did not prevent him from getting one over fellow Singaporean Baihakki Khaizan, who made a substitute appearance for Udon Thani.
Nong Bua Pitchaya are currently second in Thai League 2 with 37 points and are only trailing league leaders PTT courtesy of having scored fewer goals.
Recent Fixtures
27/6/18: Muangthong United 1-0 Nong Bua Pitchaya (Thai FA Cup 1st Round)
1/7/18: Trat FC 0-0 Nong Bua Pitchaya (Thai League 2)
8/7/18: Nong Bua Pitchaya 1-0 Udon Thani FC (Thai League 2)
Hassan Sunny marches onto the pitch with Army United FC against Krabi FC. (PHOTO: Army United FC Fan club)
Hassan Sunny (Army United) – Thai League 2
Hassan Sunny has been part of a resurgent Army United side that have gone unbeaten in their past four games in the league, having played the full 90 minutes in their three most recent matches.
Army United’s good form has seen them rise to sixth in the Thai League 2 standings on 25 points. The club also made progress into the second round of the Thai FA Cup but exited the competition after losing 2-0 to Muangthong United on 4 July.
Recent Fixtures
27/6/18: Samut Songkhram 0-5 Army United (Thai FA Cup 1st Round)
30/6/18: Army United 1-0 Thai Honda FC (Thai League 2)
4/7/18: Muangthong United 2-0 Army United (Thai FA Cup 2nd Round)
8/7/18: Army United 1-1 Krabi FC (Thai League 2)
