Tampines Rovers vs Lion City Sailors Predictions

• Tampines have lost just one of their last 18 league matches in front of a home crowd.
• Since the middle of 2018, there have been seven renewals of this fixture. Six have contained three or more goals.
• Tampines have won each of their four matches against Lion City since the start of 2019. Winning by at least two goals in each of those four.

Hosts off to a good start

Having missed out on the title last season, Tampines will be looking to do better this time around, and it’s to say that they’ve made a positive start. An early win was followed by defeat away against the reigning champions, but they’ve since recovered. Last time out, they were convincing winners at this venue. As a result, Wednesday’s hosts find themselves sitting at the top of the table.

Home is certainly where the heart is for Tampines, whose two victories this term have come in front of a home crowd. Not only have they won two out of two at home, but they’ve done so without conceding. If we include last season, Tampines are unbeaten at home in six league matches, while they’ve only lost one of their last 18 at Tampines Stadium. Such a record is encouraging.

Visitors look to pick up

By drawing away from home on match-day one, Lion City made a reasonable respectable start to the season. They may not have won the game, but they did at least dominate proceedings, easily bettering their opposition in terms of possession, shots and shots on target. They’ll be looking build on the positives of that first effort, though doing so against a side of Tampines quality won’t be easy.

If Lion City are to remain unbeaten then they’re going to need to do something that has proven to be beyond them in recent times. That is avoid defeat at this venue. In 2019, Lion City lost three times at Tampines Stadium, conceding at least three goals in each of those three games, shipping a total of 11. They also lost their last home match against Wednesday’s hosts, losing by four goals to two, while they’re now without a win against them in five matches.

Tampines hard to oppose

Given their form at home at the start of this campaign, coupled with the fact that this is a fixture that they’ve made a habit of thriving in, those interested in this fixture will be hard pushed to avoid siding with a home win. The visitors performed well against one of the lesser teams last time out, but recent history tells us that they’re likely to struggle against one of the best sides in the division.

Those braving the ‘Correct Score’ market could try a 3-0 Tampines win. Each of the last two renewals of this fixture have ended 3-0 to the hosts, who’ve often scored three at home. They’ve also kept a clean sheet in three of their last five home matches against Lion City.