Friday, August 07, 2009
Singapore overcome Cambodians
SINGAPORE, 7 August 2009: The Singapore Under-18 team battled back from a goal down to secure a crucial 3-1 win over Cambodia in their second match of the AFF Under-19 Youth Championship at the Thanh Long Sports Centre in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Thursday 6 August.
The Singapore team found themselves a goal down 17 minutes into the first half after a lapse in concentration allowed Cambodian striker Prak Mony Udom to get on the score-sheet.
Slight changes to the team formation and a half-time pep talk later, Singapore started the second-half of the match with decidedly more focus, evidenced when striker Syafiq Zainal capitalised on a rebound to slot in the equaliser in the 57th minute.
The equaliser rejuvenated the Singapore team, who then raised their game to increase pressure on the Cambodian side. Two corner-kicks in the 79th and 91st minutes were converted into goals by skipper Safuwan Baharudin and midfielder Zulfahmi Arifin respectively to seal the win.
Coach Salim Moin commented after the match, “The first half was difficult for us because Cambodia stayed very compact in their half, making it difficult for us to get through. We changed our tactic at half-time to capitalise on Khairul Nizam’s height in the attacking third, and using two other players to collect the loose balls. That was how our three goals came about.”
While happy with the result, Coach Salim Moin warned that the match against Thailand will not be easy, with both teams gunning for all three points to ensure their semi-final berth.
“The Thais are disciplined and strong in technical ability. On our end, we will play our normal game, although with some tactical adjustments to try and nullify the threat from the key Thai players we have identified.”
“Hopefully, Cambodia can also do us a favour by holding Australia to a draw or keeping the deficit to just one goal, and in doing so automatically ensuring the semi-finals berth for Singapore and Thailand. If Cambodia plays Australia the way they did against us during the first half today, I won’t be surprised if they manage to hold the Australians to a draw.”
Singapore will next take on Thailand at the Thong Nhat Stadium tomorrow, 8 August at 5.45pm. (6.45pm Singapore time)
Singapore v Cambodia 3-1 (Syafiq Zainal 57’, Safuwan Baharudin 79’, Zulfahmi Arifin 91’; Prak Mony Udom 17’)
Singapore U-18: Neezam Abdul Aziz (gk), Azfar Zainal Abidin, Fariss Haiqel, Safuwan Baharudin (c), Eugene Luo, Haziq Azman, Nazrul Nazari (Faiz Ronedin 80’), Raihan Abdul Rahman, Safirul Sulaiman, Khairul Nizam (Muhaymin Salim 75’), Syafiq Zainal (Zulfahmi Arifin 88’)
The Singapore team found themselves a goal down 17 minutes into the first half after a lapse in concentration allowed Cambodian striker Prak Mony Udom to get on the score-sheet.
Slight changes to the team formation and a half-time pep talk later, Singapore started the second-half of the match with decidedly more focus, evidenced when striker Syafiq Zainal capitalised on a rebound to slot in the equaliser in the 57th minute.
The equaliser rejuvenated the Singapore team, who then raised their game to increase pressure on the Cambodian side. Two corner-kicks in the 79th and 91st minutes were converted into goals by skipper Safuwan Baharudin and midfielder Zulfahmi Arifin respectively to seal the win.
Coach Salim Moin commented after the match, “The first half was difficult for us because Cambodia stayed very compact in their half, making it difficult for us to get through. We changed our tactic at half-time to capitalise on Khairul Nizam’s height in the attacking third, and using two other players to collect the loose balls. That was how our three goals came about.”
While happy with the result, Coach Salim Moin warned that the match against Thailand will not be easy, with both teams gunning for all three points to ensure their semi-final berth.
“The Thais are disciplined and strong in technical ability. On our end, we will play our normal game, although with some tactical adjustments to try and nullify the threat from the key Thai players we have identified.”
“Hopefully, Cambodia can also do us a favour by holding Australia to a draw or keeping the deficit to just one goal, and in doing so automatically ensuring the semi-finals berth for Singapore and Thailand. If Cambodia plays Australia the way they did against us during the first half today, I won’t be surprised if they manage to hold the Australians to a draw.”
Singapore will next take on Thailand at the Thong Nhat Stadium tomorrow, 8 August at 5.45pm. (6.45pm Singapore time)
Singapore v Cambodia 3-1 (Syafiq Zainal 57’, Safuwan Baharudin 79’, Zulfahmi Arifin 91’; Prak Mony Udom 17’)
Singapore U-18: Neezam Abdul Aziz (gk), Azfar Zainal Abidin, Fariss Haiqel, Safuwan Baharudin (c), Eugene Luo, Haziq Azman, Nazrul Nazari (Faiz Ronedin 80’), Raihan Abdul Rahman, Safirul Sulaiman, Khairul Nizam (Muhaymin Salim 75’), Syafiq Zainal (Zulfahmi Arifin 88’)
# posted by Me @ 5:13 PM 
