2018 Albirex Niigata Singapore FC season

The 2018 season is Albirex Niigata Singapore FC's 15th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football [1] and in the S.League, having joined the S.League in 2004. Along with the S.League, the club will also compete in the Singapore Cup and the Singapore League Cup. They are the defending champions in 2018. [2]

Albirex Niigata (S)

2018 season
Chairman	Daisuke Korenaga
Head coach	Kazuaki Yoshinaga
Stadium	Jurong East Stadium
Singapore Cup	TBA
Charity Shield	Winners

Key Events

Pre-season

1. On 28/11/2017, the team announced that they had renewed contract with Head Coach Kazuaki YOSHINAGA for the S.League 2018 season. [3]
2. On 15/12/2017, the team announced that they has age restrictions imposed by the FAS for the new season. Depending on the squad size (minimum of 19 players), they will have to make do with eight U-21 players, eight U-23 players and one player of any age. This is excluding 2 Singapore U-23 players which they can sign. [4]

Squad

S.League squad

As of 14 December 2017.

Squad No.	Name	Nationality	Date of Birth (Age)	Previous Club
Goalkeepers
1	Shahul Rayyan		12 February 1995	SAFSA (NFL D1)
21	Yosuke Nozawa		9 November 1979	Matsumoto Yamaga FC
22	Taiki Itsukaichi		27 April 1998	Japan Soccer College
Defenders
2	Kazuki Sumiishi		12 May 1997	SG Eintracht Mendig-Bell
3	Shuhei Sasahara		22 November 1996	Tokai University
4	Shun Kumagai		7 August 1996	Ventforet Kofu
5	Kaishu Yamazaki		12 July 1997	Iwaki FC
7	Riku Moriyasu		21 June 1995	Kyoto Sangyo University
15	Kodai Sumikawa		9 April 1999	Teikyo Nagaoka High School
17	Ryujiro Yamanaka		24 September 1995	Osaka Sangyo University
Midfielders
6	Daiki Asaoka		21 April 1995	University of Tsukuba
8	Wataru Murofushi (Captain)		13 June 1995	Juntendo University
10	Adam Swandi		12 January 1996	Home United
16	Ryuji Yamauchi		20 May 1995	Japan Soccer College
19	Kazuya Kojima		7 July 1997	Japan Soccer College
20	Ryutaro Shibanoki		29 October 1998	Japan Soccer College
Strikers
9	Shuhei Hoshino		19 December 1995	Ryutsu Keizai University
11	Kenya Takahashi		22 August 1995	Yamanashi Gakuin University
13	Hiroyoshi Kamata		4 April 1997	Albirex Niigata U18
14	Taku Morinaga		18 May 1995	Ryutsu Keizai University
18	Ibuki Inoue		6 June 1999	Daisho Gakuen High School

Coaching staff

Position	Name
Head Coach	Kazuaki Yoshinaga
Coach	Keiji Shigetomi
Coach	Yuto Inabe
Coach	Kouichi Morinaga
Team Manager	Koh Mui Tee
Physiotherapist
Kitman	Roy Krishnan

[5]

Transfer

In

Position	Player	Transferred From	Ref
GK	Shahul Rayyan	SAFSA (NFL D1)	[6]
DF	Daiki Asaoka	University of Tsukuba	[7]
DF	Riku Moriyasu	Kyoto Sangyo University	[8]
DF	Shuhei Sasahara	Tokai University	[9]
DF	Kodai Sumikawa	Teikyo Nagaoka High School	[10]
DF	Kaishu Yamazaki	Iwaki FC	[11]
DF	Kazuki Sumiishi	SG Eintracht Mendig-Bell	[12]
MF	Wataru Murofushi	Juntendo University	[13]
MF	Ryujiro Yamanaka	Osaka Sangyo University	[14]
MF	Adam Swandi	Home United	[15]
FW/DF	Shun Kumagai	Ventforet Kofu (J2)	[16]
FW	Taku Morinaga	Ryutsu Keizai University	[17]
FW	Shuhei Hoshino	Ryutsu Keizai University	[18]
FW	Kenya Takahashi	Yamanashi Gakuin University	[19]
FW	Ibuki Inoue	Daisho Gakuen High School	[20]

Out

Position	Player	Transferred To	Ref
GK	Shuhei Yamada	Briobecca Urayasu (J4)	Free Transfer
GK	Junpei Yamada	Retired	Free Transfer
DF	Tomoki Menda		Free Transfer
DF	Takuya Akiyama	Ventforet Kofu (J2)	Free Transfer [21]
DF	Yuki Yamanouchi	Retired	Free Transfer
DF	Naofumi Tanaka		Free Transfer
DF	Yasutaka Yanagi	Albirex Niigata (J2)	Free Transfer [22]
DF	Rui Kumada	Khon Kaen United (T4)	Free Transfer
DF	Seiya Kato		Free Transfer
MF	Shuto Inaba	Kataller Toyama (J3)	Free Transfer [23]
MF	Ryuya Motoda	Mito Hollyhock (J2)	Loan return [24]
MF	Kento Nagasaki	Thai Honda Ladkrabang F.C. (T2)	Free Transfer [25]
FW	Tsubasa Sano	Roasso Kumamoto (J2)	Free Transfer [26]

Extension

Position	Player	Ref
GK	Yosuke Nozawa	[27] 1 Year Extension
MF	Hiroyoshi Kamata	[28] 1 Year Extension

Mid-season transfers

[29]

Trial

Position	Player	Trial At	Ref
MF	Adam Swandi	Albirex Niigata	[30]
MF	Hiroyoshi Kamata	Albirex Niigata	[31]

Friendly

Pre-Season Friendly

  Win   Draw   Loss

24 February 2018 1	Saint Andrew's Junior College	0-5	Albirex Niigata (S)	Jurong East Stadium
1800 hours			Wataru Murofushi Shuhei Hoshino Hiroyoshi Kamata Taku Morinaga

4 March 2018 2	SAFSA	0-8	Albirex Niigata (S)	Jurong East Stadium
1700 hours		Report	Hiroyoshi Kamata 5' Kenya Takahashi 16, 65' Wataru Murofushi 20, 40' Taku Morinaga 47' Adam Swandi 53, 69'

7 March 2018 3	Young Lions	1-1	Albirex Niigata (S)	Jurong East Stadium
1700 hours		Report	Adam Swandi 54'

10 March 2018 4	Warriors FC	cancelled	Albirex Niigata (S)	Choa Chu Kang Stadium
1700 hours

10 March 2018 4	Police SA	0-14	Albirex Niigata (S)	Jurong East Stadium
1700 hours		Report	Shuhei Hoshino 25,31,34,57,64,81' Taku Morinaga 36,39' Ryujiro Yamanaka 51' Kenya Takahashi 56,69,82' Ryutaro Shibanoki 60' Ibuki Inoue 89'

14 March 2018 5	Singapore Cricket Club	0-2	Albirex Niigata (S)	Jurong East Stadium
2000 hours		Report	Hiroyoshi Kamata 42' Shuhei Sasahara 61'

17 March 2018 6	Geylang International	0-2	Albirex Niigata (S)	Bedok Stadium
1700 hours		Report	Taku Morinaga 11' Wataru Murofushi 42'

21 March 2018 7	NFA U18	0-4	Albirex Niigata (S)	Jurong East Stadium
1930 hours		Report	Kenya Takahashi 26' Hiroyoshi Kamata 72' Shuhei Hoshino 87,90'

24 March 2018 8	Hougang United	cancelled	Albirex Niigata (S)	Hougang Stadium
1700 hours

24 March 2018 9	Warriors FC	0-4	Albirex Niigata (S)	Choa Chu Kang Stadium
1700 hours

In-Season Friendly

18 June 2018 1	Myanmar National U23 team	1-4	Albirex Niigata (S)	Choa Chu Kang Stadium
1700 hours		Report

25 August 2018 2	Singapore National U18 team	3-5	Albirex Niigata (S)	Jurong East Stadium
	5'  39'  61'	Report	Ryutaro Shibanoki 10' Taku Morinaga 15,31,41,48'

Team statistics

Appearances and goals

As of 29 September 2018

No.	Pos.	Player	Sleague		Singapore Cup		Total
			Apps.	Goals	Apps.	Goals	Apps.	Goals
1	GK	Shahul Rayyan	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	DF	Kazuki Sumiishi	1(9)	0	0	0	10	0
3	DF	Shuhei Sasahara	21(2)	1	5	0	28	1
4	DF	Shun Kumagai	11(1)	4	5	0	17	4
5	DF	Kaishu Yamazaki	15	0	3	0	18	0
6	MF	Daiki Asaoka	24	3	5	0	29	3
7	DF	Riku Moriyasu	24	1	5	0	29	1
8	MF	Wataru Murofushi	22	9	5	4	27	13
9	FW	Shuhei Hoshino	23	19	2(1)	0	26	19
10	MF	Adam Swandi	19(3)	2	4(1)	2	27	4
11	FW	Kenya Takahashi	24	6	4	2	28	8
13	FW	Hiroyoshi Kamata	24	5	5	1	29	6
14	FW	Taku Morinaga	24	11	3	2	27	13
15	DF	Kodai Sumikawa	0(7)	1	0	0	7	1
16	MF	Ryuji Yamauchi	0(1)	0	0	0	1	0
17	DF	Ryujiro Yamanaka	11(13)	4	4(1)	0	29	4
18	FW	Ibuki Inoue	0(2)	0	0	0	2	0
19	MF	Kazuya Kojima	0	0	0	0	0	0
20	MF	Ryutaro Shibanoki	0(4)	0	0(2)	0	6	0
21	GK	Yosuke Nozawa	24	0	5	0	29	0
22	GK	Taiki Itsukaichi	0	0	0	0	0	0

Competitions

Overview

Competition	Record
	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
S.League	24	21	3	0	69	17	+52	087.50
Singapore Cup	5	5	0	0	11	2	+9	100.00
Total	29	26	3	0	80	19	+61	089.66

Singapore Premier League

  Win   Draw   Loss

31 March 2018 Round 1	Albirex Niigata (S)	2 - 1	Tampines Rovers	Singapore Sports Hub
	Taku Morinaga  59' Shuhei Hoshino 89'		Mustafic Fahrudin  77'	Stadium: Singapore Sports Hub Attendance: 18942 Referee: W. Ravisanthiran (Singapore)

8 April 2018 Round 2	Balestier Khalsa	0-1	Albirex Niigata (S)	Toa Payoh Stadium
			Sheikh Abdul Hadi 76' (o.g)

14 April 2018 Round 3	Albirex Niigata (S)	2-0	DPMM FC	Jurong East Stadium
	Adam Swandi 1' Wataru Murofushi 4'

18 April 2018 Round 4	Home United	1-6	Albirex Niigata (S)	Bishan Stadium
	Shahril Ishak 90' (pen)		Shuhei Hoshino 8,20' Taku Morinaga 53' Wataru Murofushi 69' Daiki Asaoka 72' Adam Swandi 90+4'

28 April 2018 Round 5	Albirex Niigata (S)	5-0	Geylang International	Jurong East Stadium
	Wataru Murofushi 17' Kenya Takahashi 30' Taku Morinaga 71' Shuhei Hoshino 82' Ryujiro Yamanaka 85'		Shawal Anuar 62'

6 May 2018 Round 6	Albirex Niigata (S)	1-0	Hougang United	Jurong East Stadium
	Kenya Takahashi 75'

13 May 2018 Round 7	Warriors FC	1-2	Albirex Niigata (S)	Choa Chu Kang Stadium
	Jonathan Béhé 79'		Shuhei Hoshino 20,71'

16 May 2018 Round 8	Garena Young Lions	1-3	Albirex Niigata (S)	Jalan Besar Stadium
	Naufal Azman 90+4'		Shuhei Hoshino 8' (pen) 49' Kodai Sumikawa 90+3'	Referee: Nathan Chan (Singapore)

20 May 2018 Round 9	Tampines Rovers	3-4	Albirex Niigata (S)	Our Tampines Hub
	Fazrul Nawaz 24' Ryutaro Megumi 63' Zulfadhmi Suzliman 76'		Ryujiro Yamanaka 8,65' Shuhei Hoshino 47' Daiki Asaoka 90+1'

27 May 2018 Round 10	Albirex Niigata (S)	5-0	Balestier Khalsa	Jurong East Stadium
	Shuhei Hoshino 9' Taku Morinaga 50,71,73' Hiroyoshi Kamata 67'			Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah (Singapore)

3 June 2018 Round 11	Albirex Niigata (S)	5-0	Brunei DPMM	Jurong East Stadium
	Taku Morinaga 9' Shuhei Hoshino 36' Wataru Murofushi 40,92' Ryujiro Yamanaka 78'

9 June 2018 Round 12	Albirex Niigata (S)	3-0	Home United	Jurong East Stadium
	Shuhei Hoshino 52,84' Kenya Takahashi 58'			Referee: Jansen Foo (Singapore)

24 June 2018 Round 13	Geylang International	0-3	Albirex Niigata (S)	Bedok Stadium
	Fairoz Hasan 45'		Shuhei Sasahara 27' Wataru Murofushi 48' Hiroyoshi Kamata 59'	Referee: Muhammad Taqi Aljaafari Bin Jahari (Singapore)

4 July 2018 Round 14	Hougang United	1-2	Albirex Niigata (S)	Hougang Stadium
	Amir Zalani 88' Syaqir Sulaiman 23' Ashrul Syafeeq 57' Nurhilmi Jasni 59'		Hiroyoshi Kamata 38' Shuhei Hoshino 69' Kenya Takahashi 41' Adam Swandi 90+3'

8 July 2018 Round 15	Albirex Niigata (S)	2-0	Warriors FC	Jurong East Stadium
	Wataru Murofushi 45+1' Shuhei Hoshino 72'		Ho Wai Loon 78'	Referee: W. Ravisanthiran (Singapore)

14 July 2018 Round 16	Albirex Niigata (S)	2-1	Tampines Rovers	Jurong East Stadium
	Shuhei Hoshino 1,50'		Khairul Amri 87'	Referee: Jansen Foo

18 July 2018 Round 17	Albirex Niigata (S)	5-1	Garena Young Lions	Jurong East Stadium
	Kenya Takahashi 34' Taku Morinaga 38, 80' Shuhei Hoshino 69' Daiki Asaoka 90'		Hami Syahin 32'	Referee: Y.Sathyakumar (Singapore)

22 July 2018 Round 18	Balestier Khalsa	1-1	Albirex Niigata (S)	Toa Payoh Stadium
	Kenya Takahashi 32'		Hazzuwan Halim 47'

7 August 2018 Round 19 (Rescheduled)	Brunei DPMM	1-3	Albirex Niigata (S)	Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium
	Priyomov  12' (pen) 90+3' Nur Ikhwan Othman 35'		Shuhei Hoshino 26' Riku Moriyasu 72' Taku Morinaga 90+2'

12 August 2018 Round 20 (Rescheduled)	Home United	1-1	Albirex Niigata (S)	Bishan Stadium
	Shahril Ishak 48'		Taku Morinaga10 Wataru Murofushi 90+4' Shuhei Sasahara 76'	Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah (Singapore)

18 August 2018 Round 21	Albirex Niigata (S)	4-0	Geylang International	Jurong East Stadium
	Shun Kumagai 8' 42' Taku Morinaga 65' Hiroyoshi Kamata 69' Darren Teh 87' (o.g.) Shuhei Hoshino82		Azhar Sairudin 23' 32'  Yeo Hai Ngee 75' Ahmad Zaki 42' Fairoz Hassan 85' Jufri Taha 90+1' Danish Irfan 90+4' Fuad Ramli 86'	Referee: Y.Sathyakumar (Singapore)

15 September 2018 Round 22	Garena Young Lions	1-3	Albirex Niigata (S)	Jalan Besar Stadium
	Yosuke Nozawa 21' (o.g) Hami Syahin 13' Syed Firdaus Hassan 39' Irfan Fandi 59'		Kenya Takahashi 1' Shun Kumagai 16' Hiroyoshi Kamata 47' Taku Morinaga 19' Shuhei Sasahara 79'	Referee: Muhammad Zulfiqar (Singapore)

23 September 2018 Round 23	Albirex Niigata (S)	2-2	Hougang United	Jurong East Stadium
	Adam Swandi 62' Shun Kumagai 52' 86' Shuhei Hoshino 74'		Stanley Ng 14' (pen) Shahfiq Ghani 90+2' 25'

29 September 2018 Round 24 (Rescheduled)	Warriors FC	1-2	Albirex Niigata (S)	Choa Chu Kang Stadium
	Kento Fukuda 45' (pen) Ammirul Emmran 30' Shamil Sharif 60'		Wataru Murofushi 24' 60' Shun Kumagai 57' 39' Taku Morinaga 90+1'	Referee: Muhammad Farhan B Abd Rahman (Singapore)

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Albirex Niigata (S)[lower-alpha 1]	24	21	3	0	69	17	+52	66
2	Home United	24	12	7	5	48	36	+12	43	Qualification to AFC Champions League Preliminary Round 1
3	DPMM FC[lower-alpha 1]	24	11	8	5	46	38	+8	41
4	Tampines Rovers	24	12	4	8	43	27	+16	40	Qualification to AFC Cup Group Stage
5	Warriors FC	24	7	7	10	32	35	−3	28

Updated to match(es) played on 29 September 2018. Source: Singapore Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of wins
Notes:

1. The two foreign clubs – Albirex Niigata (S) and DPMM FC – as well as the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) under-21 team, Young Lions, are ineligible for any AFC competition spots.

Singapore Cup

  Win   Draw   Loss

29 August 2018 Quarter Final 1st Leg	Hougang United	0-1	Albirex Niigata (S)	Hougang Stadium
	Illyas Lee 70'		Kenya Takahashi 74' 42' Shuhei Hoshino 80'	Referee: G.Letchman (Singapore)

1 September 2018 Quarter Final 2nd Leg	Albirex Niigata (S)	2-0 (3–0 agg.)	Hougang United	Jurong East Stadium
	Taku Morinaga 42' 71' Shuhei Hoshino 55' Kenya Takahashi 76'		Jordan Vestering 23' Fazrul Nawaz 30' Illyas Lee 40' Muhaimin Suhaimi 72' Fabian Kwok 76' Iqbal Hussain 90+2'	Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah (Singapore)

Albirex Niigata won 3-0 on aggregate.

---

26 September 2018 Semi Final 1st Leg	Albirex Niigata (S)	3-2	Home United	Jurong East Stadium
	Adam Swandi 12' Wataru Murofushi 57' 75' (pen) Daiki Asaoka 45+1' Taku Morinaga 66' 90+4'	Report	Hafiz Nor 2' Shuhei Sasahara 36' (o.g) M. Anumanthan 19' Izzdin Shafiq 71' Shakir Hamzah 84' Fazli Ayob 90+4'	Referee: Muhammad Zulfiqar (Singapore)

3 October 2018 Semi Final 2nd Leg	Home United	0-1 (2-4 agg.)	Albirex Niigata (S)	Bishan Stadium
	Aqhari Abdullah 32' Isaka Cernak 74' Amy Recha 87'		Kenya Takahashi 63' Shuhei Sasahara 27' Shun Kumagai 57' Adam Swandi 67'	Referee: Muhammad Taqi Aljaafari Bin Jahari (Singapore)

Albirex Niigata won 4-2 on aggregate.

---

6 October 2018 Final	Albirex Niigata (S)	4-0	Brunei DPMM	Jalan Besar Stadium
	Wataru Murofushi 10' 64' Adam Swandi 33' Hiroyoshi Kamata 72' Kenya Takahashi 90'		Azwan Ali Rahman 87' 38'	Referee: Nathan Chan (Singapore)

See also

• 2017 Albirex Niigata Singapore FC season
• List of unbeaten football club seasons

References

1. "Albirex to play in 2018".
2. "Albirex won 2nd title in a row".
3. "Coach extend stay for 2018".
4. "Albirex hit with age restrictions too but Koh's calm".
5. "Players & Staff".
6. "Spore keeper signed".
7. "Daiki ASAOKA (University of Tsukuba) joins White Swans for 2018 season".
8. "Riku join White swans".
9. "Sasahara joins from Tokai University team".
10. "Kodai SUMIKAWA (Teikyo Nagaoka High School) joins White Swans for 2018 season".
11. "Kaishu Yamazaki joins from Iwaki FC".
12. "Kazuki SUMIISHI (SG Eintracht Mendig Bell) joins White Swans for 2018 season".
13. "Wataru MUROFUSHI (Juntendo University) joins White Swans for 2018 season".
14. "Ryujiro Yamanaka joins White Swans for 2018 season".
15. "Adams the new swan man".
16. "Shun KUMAGAI (Ventforet Kofu) joins White Swans for 2018 season".
17. "Taku MORINAGA (Ryutsu Keizai University) joins White Swans for 2018 season".
18. "Shuhei Hoshino (Ryutsu Keizai University) joins White Swans for 2018 season".
19. "Kenya Takahashi joins White Swans for 2018 season".
20. "Ibuki Inoue joins White Swans for 2018 season".
21. "Announcement of Takuya AKIYAMA's transfer to Ventforet Kofu (Japan)".
22. "Yanagi go back to parent club".
23. "Announcement of Shuto INABA's transfer to KATALLER TOYAMA (Japan)".
24. "Motoda returns after loan".
25. "The S.League's free-kick master to bid farewell". Archived from the original on 2017-11-23. Retrieved 2017-11-24.
26. "Announcement of Tusbasa SANO's transfer to Roasso Kumamoto (Japan)".
27. "Yosuke NOZAWA renews contract for 2018 season".
28. "Hiroyoshi KAMATA renews contract for 2018 season".
29. "Transfers". Archived from the original on 2017-02-18. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
30. "trial for Adam Swandi".
31. "trial for Hiroyoshi Kamata".