# 2018 Albirex Niigata Singapore FC season

The 2018 season was Albirex Niigata Singapore FC's 15th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the S.League, having joined the S.League in 2004. Along with the S.League, the club also competed in the Singapore Cup and the Singapore League Cup. They were the defending champions in 2018.

## Key Events
### Pre-season

* On 28/11/2017, the team announced that they had renewed Head Coach Kazuaki Yoshinaga's contract for the S.League 2018 season.
* On 15/12/2017, the team announced that age restrictions had been 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.

## Squad
### S.League squad

    As of 14 December 2017.
| Squad No. | Name | Date of Birth (Age) | Previous Club |
| Goalkeepers |||||
| 1 | Shahul Rayyan | (1995-02-12) 12 February 1995 (age 29) | SAFSA (NFL D1) |
| 21 | Yosuke Nozawa | (1979-11-09) 9 November 1979 (age 44) | Matsumoto Yamaga FC |
| 22 | Taiki Itsukaichi | (1998-04-27) 27 April 1998 (age 26) | Japan Soccer College |
| Defenders |||||
| 2 | Kazuki Sumiishi | (1997-05-12) 12 May 1997 (age 27) | SG Eintracht Mendig-Bell |
| 3 | Shuhei Sasahara | (1996-11-22) 22 November 1996 (age 27) | Tokai University |
| 4 | Shun Kumagai | (1996-08-07) 7 August 1996 (age 28) | Ventforet Kofu |
| 5 | Kaishu Yamazaki | (1997-07-12) 12 July 1997 (age 27) | Iwaki FC |
| 7 | Riku Moriyasu | (1995-06-21) 21 June 1995 (age 29) | Kyoto Sangyo University |
| 15 | Kodai Sumikawa | (1999-04-09) 9 April 1999 (age 25) | Teikyo Nagaoka High School |
| 17 | Ryujiro Yamanaka | (1995-09-24) 24 September 1995 (age 29) | Osaka Sangyo University |
| Midfielders |||||
| 6 | Daiki Asaoka | (1995-04-21) 21 April 1995 (age 29) | University of Tsukuba |
| 8 | Wataru Murofushi (Captain) | (1995-06-13) 13 June 1995 (age 29) | Juntendo University |
| 10 | Adam Swandi | (1996-01-12) 12 January 1996 (age 28) | Home United |
| 16 | Ryuji Yamauchi | (1995-05-20) 20 May 1995 (age 29) | Japan Soccer College |
| 19 | Kazuya Kojima | (1997-07-07) 7 July 1997 (age 27) | Japan Soccer College |
| 20 | Ryutaro Shibanoki | (1998-10-29) 29 October 1998 (age 25) | Japan Soccer College |
| Strikers |||||
| 9 | Shuhei Hoshino | (1995-12-19) 19 December 1995 (age 28) | Ryutsu Keizai University |
| 11 | Kenya Takahashi | (1995-08-22) 22 August 1995 (age 29) | Yamanashi Gakuin University |
| 13 | Hiroyoshi Kamata | (1997-04-04) 4 April 1997 (age 27) | Albirex Niigata U18 |
| 14 | Taku Morinaga | (1995-05-18) 18 May 1995 (age 29) | Ryutsu Keizai University |
| 18 | Ibuki Inoue | (1999-06-06) 6 June 1999 (age 25) | 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 |

## Transfer
### Pre-season transfer
#### In

| Position | Player | Transferred From |
| GK | Shahul Rayyan | SAFSA (NFL D1) |
| DF | Daiki Asaoka | University of Tsukuba |
| DF | Riku Moriyasu | Kyoto Sangyo University |
| DF | Shuhei Sasahara | Tokai University |
| DF | Kodai Sumikawa | Teikyo Nagaoka High School |
| DF | Kaishu Yamazaki | Iwaki FC |
| DF | Kazuki Sumiishi | SG Eintracht Mendig-Bell |
| MF | Wataru Murofushi | Juntendo University |
| MF | Ryujiro Yamanaka | Osaka Sangyo University |
| MF | Adam Swandi | Home United |
| FW/DF | Shun Kumagai | Ventforet Kofu (J2) |
| FW | Taku Morinaga | Ryutsu Keizai University |
| FW | Shuhei Hoshino | Ryutsu Keizai University |
| FW | Kenya Takahashi | Yamanashi Gakuin University |
| FW | Ibuki Inoue | Daisho Gakuen High School |

#### 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 |
| DF | Yuki Yamanouchi | Retired | Free Transfer |
| DF | Naofumi Tanaka | | Free Transfer |
| DF | Yasutaka Yanagi | Albirex Niigata (J2) | Free Transfer |
| DF | Rui Kumada | Khon Kaen United (T4) | Free Transfer |
| DF | Seiya Kato | | Free Transfer |
| MF | Shuto Inaba | Kataller Toyama (J3) | Free Transfer |
| MF | Ryuya Motoda | Mito Hollyhock (J2) | Loan return |
| MF | Kento Nagasaki | Thai Honda Ladkrabang F.C. (T2) | Free Transfer |
| FW | Tsubasa Sano | Roasso Kumamoto (J2) | Free Transfer |

#### Extension

| Position | Player | Ref |
| GK | Yosuke Nozawa | 1 Year Extension |
| MF | Hiroyoshi Kamata | 1 Year Extension |

### Mid-season transfers
#### Trial

| Position | Player | Trial At | Ref |
| MF | Adam Swandi | Albirex Niigata | |
| MF | Hiroyoshi Kamata | Albirex Niigata | |

## Friendly
### Pre-Season Friendly

Win  Draw  Loss

### In-Season Friendly
## Team statistics
### Appearances and goals

    As of 29 September 2018
| No. | Pos. | Player | Sleague | Sleague | Singapore Cup | Singapore Cup | Total | Total |
| No. | Pos. | Player | 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 | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Competition | 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
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Albirex Niigata (S) (C) | 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 | 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 | |
* 1 2 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
Albirex Niigata won 3-0 on aggregate.
Albirex Niigata won 4-2 on aggregate.