Hard Tackle

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 108: SPL title race hots up; United rescue their manager

16:17 mins

Synopsis: Every Tuesday, The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points.

This week, Money FM's Adrian Abraham and ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz talk about the Singapore Premier League (SPL), which has reached its halfway point, as well as a hijacked Zoom session hosted by Singapore Athletics, which led to a police report being made.

They are also joined by ST content producer Zia-ul Raushan and they recap the weekend’s talking points in the English Premier League, as well as in the Spanish La Liga and Italian Serie A. They discuss the following:

1. Could we see a three-horse race develop in the SPL? (2:53)
2. Local football mourns the loss of former national footballer Salim Moin (3:42)
3. Zoom troubles for Singapore Athletics (5:26)
4. Stay of execution for Man United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - but for how long? (10:44)

Produced by: Sazali Abdul Aziz ([email protected]) & Adrian Abraham ([email protected])

Follow Sazali Abdul Aziz on Twitter

Edited by: Adrian Abraham and Muhammad Firmann

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#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 107: New normal for attending live sports events?

15:01

Synopsis: Every Tuesday, The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points.

This week, Money FM's Adrian Abraham and ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz talk about the Inside the Matrix event held by mixed martial arts organisation One Championship on Oct 30, which saw the return of spectators at a live sports event for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, albeit with new procedures - which included a swab test.

They are also joined by ST content producer Zia-ul Raushan and recap the weekend’s talking points in the English Premier League.

They discuss the following:

1. What the future of watching sport events in Singapore could look like (2:24)

2. A big result for Tampines Rovers in the Singapore Premier League (4:37)

3. What next for Solskjaer and Manchester United after the Arsenal defeat? (7:42)

4. Is Diogo Jota the successor to Roberto Firmino at Liverpool? (11:44)

Produced by: Sazali Abdul Aziz ([email protected]) & Adrian Abraham ([email protected])

Follow Sazali Abdul Aziz on Twitter

Edited by: Adrian Abraham and Muhammad Firmann

Follow #GameOfTwoHalves podcast series and rate us on:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

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Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/JX88 

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 106: Fans set to return to live sport

19:26 mins

Synopsis: Every Tuesday, The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points.

This week, Money FM's Rachel Kelly and ST sports correspondents Sazali Abdul Aziz welcome One Championship chief executive officer Chatri Sityodtong to talk about his mixed martial arts (MMA) organisation’s Into The Matrix event taking place on Oct 30, which will herald the return of spectators at live sports events in the Republic.

They discuss the following:

1. When and how the decision was made to include spectators (3:37)

2. Whether being under the microscope as a pilot project is stressful (8:28)

3. What fans can look forward to at Into The Matrix (16:01)

4. This week’s Game of Two Halves Moments of the Week (17:59)

Produced by: Sazali Abdul Aziz ([email protected]) & Rachel Kelly ([email protected])

Follow Sazali on Twitter

Edited by: Nadiah Koh and Muhammad Firmann

Follow #GameOfTwoHalves podcast series and rate us on:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

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#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 105: SPL returns to a palpable buzz; are Man United back in it?

14:33 mins

Synopsis: Every Tuesday, The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points.

This week, Money FM's Howie Lim chats with ST sports correspondent David Lee and Hougang United defender Lionel Tan to talk about what is different about the Singapore Premier League as it resumes from the coronavirus-induced break. They also have differing views about whether their favourite English team Manchester United's fortunes, but agree that the video assistant referee robbed archrivals, Liverpool, the Merseyside derby.

They discuss the following:

1. What has been different about the Singapore Premier League as it resumes from the coronavirus-induced break (0:52)

2. Was it a surprise win for Hougang over favourites Tampines? (5:35)

3. What does the truce between Singapore Athletics and national marathoner Soh Rui Yong mean (7:38)

4. Have Manchester United turned the corner after beating Newcastle 4-1 (10:34)

5. Thoughts about the video assistant referee, which was a key player in the Merseyside derby that ended 2-2(12:27)

Produced by: David Lee ([email protected]) & Howie Lim ([email protected])

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Edited by: Muhammad Firmann

Follow #GameOfTwoHalves podcast series and rate us on:

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#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 104:  It’s Game On in the Singapore Premier League after almost 7 months

14:41 mins

Synopsis: Every Tuesday, The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points.

This week, Money FM's Rachel Kelly and ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz welcome Football Association of Singapore (FAS) general secretary Yazeen Buhari, who talks about how the national football body worked toward a restart of the local professional league - which will resume on Oct 17 after being suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic - and what fans can expect once kickoff arrives.

They discuss the following:

1. How long FAS had been planning the resumption (1:36)
2. Whether there was a point where it seemed the SPL might not return in 2020 (5:52)
3. The new normal: swab tests, where substitutes sit, and are there handshakes (8:36)
4. Could we see fans back at the stadiums for SPL games before 2020 ends? (11:46)
5. Not one, but two Game of Two Halves Moments of the Week (13:04)

Produced by: Sazali Abdul Aziz ([email protected]) & Rachel Kelly ([email protected])

Follow Sazali Abdul Aziz on Twitter

Edited by: Nadiah Koh and Muhammad Firmann

Follow #GameOfTwoHalves podcast series and rate us on:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRa

Spotify: https://str.sg/JW6N

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/JX88 

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 103: Huge defeats for Man Utd, Liverpool; sporting #Covidiots flouting safe distancing

13:51 mins

Synopsis: #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times' weekly sports podcast that is out every Tuesday.

This week, Money FM's Howie Lim chats with ST sports correspondents Sazali Abdul Aziz and David Lee and they try to make sense of one of the most bizarre matchdays in English Premier League history, when both Manchester United and Liverpool were embarrassed by heavy defeats within hours of one another.

They discuss the following:

1. Whether Man United’s and Liverpool’s losses were one-offs or signs of trouble (2:02)
2. A United fan’s brutal assessment of the problems within the club (3:25)
3. Are table-toppers Everton the real deal? (7:35)
4. Why are Singaporeans flouting the ‘rule of five’ at public sports facilities like basketball and street soccer courts? (8:55)
5. Live sport set to return to Singapore for the first time since circuit breaker measures (11:28)

Produced by: Sazali Abdul Aziz ([email protected]) & Howie Lim ([email protected])

Follow Sazali Abdul Aziz on Twitter

Edited by: Nadiah Koh and Muhammad Firmann

Follow #GameOfTwoHalves podcast series and rate us on:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRa

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Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/JX88

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 102: New S’pore Athletics chief Lien Choong Luen describes his vision of “golden era” in the local scene

14:10 mins

Synopsis:  #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times' weekly sports podcast that is out every Tuesday.

This week, Money FM's Rachel Kelly and ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz speak to new Singapore Athletics (SA) president Lien Choong Luen on what lies ahead for his team as they begin their two-year period leading the national track and field body, and what needs to be done for the ailing sport to thrive again.

They discuss the following:

1. What the new SA management committee seeks to achieve in its first 100 days (1:07)
2. What he plans do about the legal issues the SA is embroiled in, that he and his team have inherited (4:04)
3. What the strong mandate given to his team by the local athletics fraternity at the SA elections means (5:03)
4. Whether he believes local track and field can get back to the success of the 60s and 70s, remembered by many as Singapore’s “golden era” in the sport (9:23)
5. Local track and field’s “missed opportunity” in 2015 (10:51)
6. The “travesty” that is this episode’s #GameOfTwoHalves Moment of the Week (12:37)

Produced by: Sazali Abdul Aziz ([email protected]) & Rachel Kelly ([email protected])

Follow Sazali Abdul Aziz on Twitter

Edited by: Nadiah Koh and Muhammad Firmann

Follow #GameOfTwoHalves podcast series and rate us on:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRa

Spotify: https://str.sg/JW6N

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/JX88

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 101: EPL round-up, and success in elite sport with unconventional methods

19:17 mins

Synopsis:  #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times' weekly sports podcast that is out every Tuesday.

This week, Money FM's Howie Lim hosts ST assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath and sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz and the trio talk about the English Premier League action over the weekend, and what the performances of Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and Manchester United mean for each side.

They also look at the 1.85m, 109kg Bryson DeChambeau’s maiden golf major win at the US Open, and delve into athletes who try to seek success in their sport by going against norm or by the traditional playbook. Spanish triathlete Diego Mentriga also gets a mention for his instinctive act of sportsmanship.

They discuss the following:

1. A highlight of the Liverpool-Chelsea clash which wasn’t the red card or either of the two goals (0:49)

2. The disconnect between big clubs’ spending amidst the pandemic (2:46)

3. What Gareth Bale can bring to Spurs, and should Man United fans be concerned? (6:18)

4. Golfers Bryson DeChambeau and Matthew Wolff proving at the US Open that going against the grain can be rewarding (8:28)

5. This week’s Game of Two Halves Moment of the Week (14:33)

Produced by: Sazali Abdul Aziz ([email protected]), Rohit Brijnath ([email protected]) & Howie Lim ([email protected])

Follow Sazali Abdul Aziz on Twitter

Edited by: Nadiah Koh and Muhammad Firmann

Follow #GameOfTwoHalves podcast series and rate us on:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRa

Spotify: https://str.sg/JW6N

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/JX88

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 100: Lions skipper and Liverpool fan Hariss Harun reviews Leeds goal fest

12:20 mins

Synopsis:  #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times' weekly sports podcast that is out every Tuesday.

The English Premier League returned over the weekend, and defending champions Liverpool were given a scare by newly-promoted Leeds United before winning 4-3.

Money FM's Rachel Kelly hosts ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz and national football captain Hariss Harun - a Liverpool fan - to review the action.

They discuss the following:

1. What they think Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds can achieve this season (1:32)

2. What it is like to start a football season as defending champions, and how to handle that pressure and early setbacks (3:00)

3. Hariss on going head to head with Andres Iniesta in the Asian Champions League (5:31)

4. This week’s Game of Two Halves Moment of the Week (10:02)

Produced by: Sazali Abdul Aziz ([email protected]), Rachel Kelly ([email protected]) & Ernest Luis

Follow Sazali Abdul Aziz on Twitter

Edited by: Nadiah Koh & Muhammad Firmann

Follow #GameOfTwoHalves podcast series and rate us on:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRa

Spotify: https://str.sg/JW6N

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/JX88

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 99: The big EPL kickoff: Are Chelsea contenders or pretenders?

14:20 mins 

Synopsis: #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times' weekly sports podcast that is out every Tuesday.

Money FM's Howie Lim calls up ST assistant sports editor Jonathan Wong and sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz to discuss the following topics:

1. The English Premier League kicks off this weekend, and all eyes are on big-spending Chelsea - is their summer shopping spree enough to turn them into genuine title contenders, or will it backfire on Frank Lampard? And which manager will get the sack first this season?

2. There were some surprises over the weekend in Formula One - Lewis Hamilton finished seventh at the Italian Grand Prix after starting on pole - and the US Open - with huge favourite Novak Djokovic being disqualified after a bizarre incident with a line judge. Our podcasters weigh in on the unexpected turn of events.

Produced by: ST Sports Desk

Edited by: Aw Yao Feng, Nadiah Koh & Penelope Lee

Follow #GameOfTwoHalves podcasts every Tuesday and rate us on:

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Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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