Stipe Plazibat helps Home United snap Albirex unbeaten streak

Home United got a huge boost in their S.League title hopes after downing 10-man Albirex Niigata (S) 2-0 in a televised game at Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday night.

It meant a first league defeat of the season for the defending champions from Japan, who won an unprecedented quadruple of trophies in 2017.

Croatian forward Stipe Plazibat scored in each half for his 15th and 16th goals of the season. Albirex had tried in vain to come back after Yasutaka Yanagi's sending off midway through the second half.

Home had settled in the better of the two sides and could have opened the scoring on 12 minutes.

Faris Ramli broke free in the box via Plazibat's flick, but his half-volley was pushed to safety by Albirex custodian Yosuke Nozawa.

That woke the White Swans up from their slumber, and they should have scored two minutes later.

Ryota Nakai somehow failed to tap home Naofumi Tanaka's low cross from two yards out, leading to Sirina Camara clearing for a corner.

Home enjoyed the best chances, though, and went close again in the 24th minute. Adam Swandi looked odds-on to score after a Juma'at Jantan half-cleared cross, but his resulting volley went straight to Nozawa.

The Protectors' pressure paid off eight minutes later. Plazibat tapped home from close range after Abdil Qaiyyim had flicked on Izzdin Shafiq's out-swinging corner.

Despite Tomoki Menda's best efforts on the line, the Albirex defender was unable to prevent Home from going 1-0 up.

Both sides were forced to make substitutions just before half time, with Hassan and Tanaka stretchered off and sent to hospital after a heads-on collision.

Home could have doubled their advantage 10 minutes into the second half when Abdil Qaiyyim sent Faris through on goal. But the latter prodded wide with just Nozawa to beat.

A goal down, Albirex then went a man down in the 65th minute as centre-back Yanagi was given a straight red for denying Faris a clear scoring opportunity.

Even so, Kazuaki Yoshinaga's side still carved out opportunities to equalise, but 16-goal man Tsubasa Sano spurned two excellent chances.

The 23-year-old was foiled in a one-on-one opportunity with Home replacement goalie Rudy Khairullah on 68 minutes, before volleying over from Koki Sato's deep cross in the 82nd.

Home would go on to complete the job five minutes into added time, with Plazibat converting from the spot after Faris was fell in the area.

The result means Home are now a point behind Tampines and five adrift of Albirex, with a game in hand.

Albirex Niigata (S): Yosuke Nozawa (GK), Tomoki Menda, Yasutaka Yanagi, Takuya Akiyama, Naofumi Tanaka (Koki Sato 45'), Hiroyoshi Kamata (Shoichiro Sakamoto 57'), Rui Kumada, Shuto Inaba (C), Kento Nagasaki, Ryota Nakai, Tsubasa Sano

Home United: Hassan Sunny (GK, C) (Rudy Khairullah 44'), Juma'at Jantan, Abdil Qaiyyim, Irfan Fandi, Sirina Camara, Amiruldin Asraf (Sufianto Salleh 69'), Hariss Harun, Izzdin Shafiq (Marijan Suto 89'), Adam Swandi, Faris Ramli, Stipe Plazibat