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Sharks are officially in crisis as they go down to their 6th consecutive defeat with only 6 games to go and in 7th place after they go down 1-3 to the Singapore Vikings at Temasek Secondary. Harold put the team in front as Sharks go into the break with a solid first half. Singapore Vikings leveled the game shortly after the restart and with both teams having a go at each other, Charlson conceded yet another penalty at a crucial point in a match which they duly dispatched. Just before the end of the game, Sharks again had a penalty awarded against them, this time round, Anuar was adjudged to bring down his man in the box unfairly. Though Aaron managed to save the spot kick this time round, Sharks were too slow on the rebound as Vikings dispatch it easily past the stranded Aaron.
The manager rung the changes in this game with Charlson and Zhuoneng finding their place on the bench. Sharks started with Anuar, Shahril, Vinc and trialist Shaoyong while in the middle, we saw Chris making it back to the starting eleven while Jason found himself leading the line with Heng Li. Sharks started the better of the two teams with a compact formation and they put the opposition on the back-foot on a couple of occasions. Both teams were battling each other in the middle of the park before Steven had to be substituted after his boot gave way with Eddie coming on to take his place. That seemed to add a little more bite in the centre of the park and in one rare foray, Heng Li found himself with space as he turned his marker but his cross found no one in the box. Just when both teams look set to finish the half level, Heng Li took full advantage of a defensive mix-up to release Harold who beat two defenders and put coolly past the stranded custodian from the narrowest of angle. Sharks do have a scare at the other end when a mistake by Aaron almost set the opposition in front just before the goal.
Sharks started the second half with an unchanged line-up, something which was quite unusual but just 10 minutes into the game, Sharks goal-scorer was carried off the pitch with a swollen ankle and despite attempts to get back into the field, a substitution was in order as Chris came back in to take his place. Just before Sharks could make the change, the opposition level the score after some bad mix-up between Aaron and his defenders. With the score tied at 1-1, the pattern of play became open as both team had chances to take the lead. Midway into the second-half, Sharks were finding themselves in familiar position, chasing a game after Charlson brought down his man in the box. Despite vehemently denying his attempt to foul his marker, the decision were made as Vikings took the lead for the first time in the game. The manager which was incensed took Charlson off almost immediately.
As Sharks tried to claw back into the game, Heng Li and Chris found themselves with half-chances but were unable to trouble the custodian while at the other end, Sharks bad luck in the last few games continued again when they were awarded another penalty against them. Despite Aaron attempt in saving the intial spot-kick, Vikings took full advantage of the slow reaction of Sharks to seal the game with a 3rd. At the end of the game, Chris and Shahril saw red though the former's red card was later rescinded by the referee.
The manager commented, 'We played really well today but somehow, we just lack the edge. We lack the bite in attack and besides Li, we just lack a partner for him today to cause any damage.
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