Lesson for Stags despite ACL2 last-16 spot: Coach

Even before a ball was kicked at the Bishan Stadium on Nov 27, BG Tampines Rovers had clinched their place in the round of 16 of the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) Champions League Two.

- Melvyn Teoh

South Korean side Pohang Steelers' 2-0 win over Thailand's BG Pathum United earlier in the day meant that the Singapore outfit had secured their ticket to the knockout stages with a game to spare.

The result at the Pohang Steelyard meant that the Thai side, who are third in Group H on six points, could no longer overtake Tampines (10 points) and Pohang (10 points) to finish in the top two.

For good measure, however, the Stags registered a 5-3 win over Philippine side Kaya-Iloilo to clinch top spot on 13 points.

Even if they lose their final group game against Pathum in Thailand on Dec 11 and Pohang defeat bottom team Kaya-Iloilo, the Stags cannot be overtaken due to their superior head-to-head record over the South Korean side.

Stags coach Noh Rahman said: “Some of the players were keeping track of the game on the other side.

“But we go into this game knowing that we control what we can control.

“Yes, the game on the other end has some consequences, but for us, we go into this game to try to win.”

It took the Stags just seven minutes to open the scoring in front of a 1,069-strong crowd.