The long-awaited Singapore Cup opener has finally arrived. The opponent was Geylang International FC, whom Albirex Niigata FC (S) had already faced once in the league this season. Although Albirex had claimed victory in that league encounter, cup competitions leave no room for complacency — one moment of carelessness can change everything. It was therefore a crucial match that demanded full focus.

From the start, Albirex pressed high up the pitch effectively, taking control of the game. In the 6th minute, they forced an error from the opponent through their pressing and created a chance, but couldn’t convert it into a shot. In the 7th minute, a careless back pass nearly led to danger, but the defense stayed alert to avert the threat.



As the tightly contested battle continued, in the 17th minute a misplaced pass in Albirex’s own half led to a shot by Geylang, but goalkeeper Hassan Sunny calmly dealt with it. On the attacking end, Cho Eun Soo’s vertical pass allowed forward Shingo Nakano to turn and feed a through ball to Katsuyuki Ishibashi, who broke into space. However, his effort was blocked by the covering defender.

The match shifted dramatically in the 22nd minute. During a scramble following a corner kick, an opposing defender was sent off for violent conduct. From the resulting penalty, Albirex took the lead as Nakano calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner.

Even after gaining a numerical advantage, Albirex continued to dominate. In the 32nd minute, Sim Jun Yean broke through on the left and delivered a cross to Nakano in the center. Nakano turned and shot but narrowly missed the target. In the 39th minute, after a pass from Ishibashi, Jun Yean unleashed a sharp strike that was denied by a fine save from the opposing goalkeeper. In the 43rd minute, Ishibashi had another big chance from Cho Eunsu’s cross, but once again the defense blocked it bravely. The first half ended with Albirex leading 1–0.



In the second half, Albirex continued to control possession and dictate the tempo, but struggled to break down Geylang’s resilient defense as time ticked away. Around the 60th minute, they earned consecutive corner kicks but couldn’t find the back of the net.

However, the attacking substitutes changed the momentum. In the 83rd minute, left-back Cho Eunsu switched play to the right flank, where Nicky Melvin Singh picked it up and delivered a pass into the box. Ishibashi controlled it beautifully and teed up Nakano, whose initial shot was saved, but he reacted quickly to head in the rebound for the much-needed second goal.



As the match entered its final stages, in the 90+4th minute of added time, Danish Qayyum drove down the left wing and whipped in a cross. The goalkeeper spilled it, and Nakano was on hand again to slot it home, completing his hat-trick for the night.

Albirex S remained composed throughout and fully capitalized on their numerical advantage to secure a convincing 3–0 victory. With Nakano’s outstanding hat-trick performance, Albirex Niigata FC (S) wrapped up their Singapore Cup opener in perfect fashion. Next, they will face Balestier Khalsa FC at home. Thank you for your continued support!

【Next Match】
Singapore Cup 2025/26 – Match 2
Thursday, November 6th, 19:30 vs. Balestier Khalsa FC
@Jurong East Stadium (Home)

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