S.League

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Atsushi Kawata scored a hat trick of headers to help Albirex Niigata (S) to a 3-0 victory over Home United in a televised clash at Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday night.

The win allowed the White Swans to wrestle back the S.League from Tampines Rovers as Kawata took over at the top of the 2016 scoring charts with seven goals.

Home had defensive lynchpin Abdil Qaiyyim absent through injury, with coach Philippe Aw admitting that his side missed the aerial presence of the 27-year-old.

"Abdil's the leader in our defence. If he was around, he perhaps could have stopped those goals," Aw said. "It all boils down to individual errors. When the ball comes into the six-yard box, we have to deal with it. 

"All three headers were free headers. We definitely can do much better than this."

Both sides pride themselves on playing attractive attacking football, but that did not show in a drab, first 45 minutes.

Chances were at a premium with Home's Aqhari Abdullah seeing his close-range shot blocked by Kento Fujihara and Khairul Nizam heading over from Zulfahmi Arifin's corner. For Albirex, Hiroyoshi Kamata volleyed over after being teed up by Rui Kamada.

It was a much different second half, with the Japanese outfit breaking the deadlock just two minutes after the restart. Tanaka held off the attentions of Juma'at Jantan on the left byline, before putting it on a platter for Kawata. He planted home a bullet header beyond Home goalkeeper Zulfairuuz Rudy.

Home tried to find a quick response, but Song Uiyong could only scuff wide from close range after being put through by Syahiran Miswan.

Aw threw on Irfan Fandi for his final match before his National Service (NS) duties, but the 19-year-old was unable to impose himself on the resilient Albirex backline.

Instead, it was the Japanese side who extended their lead in the 71st minute. Kento Nagasaki's inswinging corner evaded everyone in the Home box including Zulfairuuz, but not Kawata, who had the simplest of tasks to nod home into an empty net.

It was the same scenario a minute from time with substitute Masaya Jitozono playing in the perfect corner for Kawata. The talented attacker directed home a stunning header that flew past a rooted Zulfairuuz, completing his hat trick.

"We believe in Kawata, although he was playing on the right wing," said Albirex coach Naoki Naruo.

"Our style of football has our wingers pressing inwards, that's why he could score."

Albirex will host Tampines at Jurong East Stadium next Saturday in a top-of-the-table clash, while Home will look to bounce back a day earlier when they take on Geylang International back at Jalan Besar.

Home United: Zulfairuuz Rudy (GK), Juma'at Jantan (C), Shahrin Saberin, Sim Teck Yi, Sirina Camara, Song Uiyong, Aqhari Abdullah (Irfan Fandi 59'), Syahiran Miswan (Amir Zailani 74'), Khairul Nizam (Azhar Sairudin 83'), Zulfahmi Arifin, Ken Ilso

Albirex Niigata (S): Yosuke Nozawa (GK, C), Mikiya Yamada, Atsushi Shirota, Kento Fujihara, Daichi Ishiyama, Shuto Inaba (Tatsuro Inui 85'), Kento Nagasaki, Naofumi Tanaka, Atsushi Kawata, Hiroyoshi Kamata (Masaya Jitozono 53'), Rui Kumada (Kazuki Mine 64')