Red-hot Home won’t sit back and defend against Global in AFC Cup

SINGAPORE — They have scored in all but one of their last 25 matches in all competitions, a streak that stretches back to last July.

It is a record that Home United are keen to extend tonight against Global Cebu FC of the Philippines in their AFC Cup Asean zonal semi-final second-leg clash at Jalan Besar Stadium.

Even though Stipe Plazibat’s last-gasp equaliser in the 2-2 draw in the first leg in Manila two weeks back gives the Protectors the advantage on away goals — meaning the S.League side only needs a 0-0 or 1-1 result to advance — Home coach Aidil Sharin is adamant that there will be no sitting back against their Filipino opponents.

“I think the game plan is simple — it’s to try to seal it as early as possible,” he told TODAY. “Of course, we want to win this game to qualify, rather than draw and just (defend) because of away goals.

“I think going for a draw is not a good idea, because the more you think (about holding on), the more you are going to sit and defend.

“Our team is not a defending team, it is an attacking one, so definitely we want to go for a good result.”

Home certainly have the attacking weapons to inflict damage, and morale is high among the Protectors after their remarkable 9-3 mauling of Brunei DPMM in the league last Thursday.

Winger Faris Ramli, who grabbed four goals and four assists in that game, has been in red-hot form this season with 11 goals and 12 assists in 17 matches.

Star forward Plazibat, who has recovered from a calf injury, has also hit the ground running in his debut campaign at Home, banging in 21 goals and notching six assists from 15 games.

Other players like Adam Swandi, Song Ui-young, Khairul Nizam and Shamil Sharif have also been in good form and the uniformed giants will be boosted by a near full-strength squad.

The suspended Sirina Camara, injured Aqhari Abdullah, and Hariss Harun, who is not registered for the AFC Cup, are the only unavailable players, with midfielder Izzdin Shafiq fit again.

Aidil also believes that his charges will be able to cope despite it being the month of Ramadan. The first day of fasting started last Saturday.

“This is not the first year they have played with fasting and most of them, they have prepared well, they know how important it is to take care of themselves when it’s the fasting month,” he said. Global goalkeeper Patrick Deyto acknowledged Home’s attacking threat, but warned that they will not have it all their way.

“We were so disappointed in the first leg, I thought we deserved to win that game, but we’ve got over it,” he said at the pre-match press conference.

“We are fresh, we are coming here with a mindset to win.”

Global interim coach Marjo Allado added: “It’s do or die for us … we have quality players and we will give them a quality game.”

Aidil described Global as tough opponents who are “physical” and “experienced”, but has faith that his men can finish the job.

“If the players work really hard for tomorrow… and of course if we don’t concede any silly goals, definitely we will go through.” TEO TENG KIAT

LIVE ON TV: Home United vs Global Cebu (8pm, Singtel Ch115 and StarHub Ch209)

AFC Cup format:

The winner of the Asean zonal final will face a club from either the East Asia, Central Asia or South Asia zones in the Inter-Zonal semi-finals.

The winner of that will meet the West Zone champions in the grand final for the Cup.