Manila: Tampines Rovers FC made a winning start to Group A of the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ 2025/26 on Wednesday as Akbar Nawas’ tournament debutants handed hosts Dynamic Herb Cebu FC a 3-1 defeat at Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Hide Higashikawa put the Singapore Premier League side in front in the second minute and Dylan Fox added a second 17 minutes later before Abou Sy reduced the deficit for the hosts two minutes later.
But Tampines Rovers closed out the game when substitute Trent Buhagiar netted deep into stoppage time to take the three points in the club’s first appearance in the competition.
The Singaporeans took the lead with less than two minutes on the clock as Shuya Yamashita’s long ball from deep released Taufik Suparno and, while he saw his shot saved by Rami Jeridi, Higashikawa slid in to slam the rebound into the roof of the net.
Another ball over the top of the home defence set Saifullah Akbar in on goal 11 minutes later but Jeridi was able to deny the Tampines Rovers forward with a sharp save to his right.
Cebu’s resistance lasted for another eight minutes, Fox rising highest to meet Joel Chew’s corner from the left with a powerful header from eight yards out that gave Jeridi little chance.
The Filipinos responded almost immediately, however. Esrom Paulos’ perfectly flighted corner found Sy at the far side of the six-yard box and the Senegalese forward outleapt everyone to head home his side’s first opportunity of note.
Paulos then forced Syazwan Buhari into action, the Tampines Rovers goalkeeper dropping to his left to keep out a shot that was destined for the bottom corner, while at the other end Jeridi had to be at his sharpest to punch Shah Shahiran’s well-struck free kick to safety.
Kohya Kazama threatened to score a third for Tampines Rovers with 13 minutes remaining when he thumped his long-range attempt towards goal and it was Buhagiar who put the outcome beyond doubt seven minutes into added time with a clinical finish at the end of a rapid break.
Shopee Star of the Match - Dylan Fox (#16), Tampines Rovers FC
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