Contributed by Lee Tien Sin
Xianghe, China, September 26, 2009 - Singapore's winning streak in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-16 qualifiers was halted by a 0-3 defeat at the hands of dark-horse Timor Leste at the NFTC Stadium in Xianghe, China, today.
Two early goals by Timor Leste set the pace for the first half of the match. Though a determined Singapore side emerged after the break to keep the second-half score sheet clean for the next forty minutes, the sending-off of Singapore skipper Tejeli Bin Salamat five minutes before the final whistle allowed Timor Leste to capitalise on the numerical advantage to slot in their third goal, and hand the Singapore team their first defeat in this tournament.
Timor Leste have made an impression in this tournament after holding favourites China to a draw in the opening game and followed that up with a 3-0 victory over Hong Kong. But Singapore coach K Balagumaran is not at all surprised at the results.
"We've seen the skills of the Timor Leste players during one of the Singapore Sports School tournament that they participated in and won, and we very well know that it would be a mistake to underestimate them."
"We've done our homework before the game, and our boys played well today, but the Timor Leste players are just much bigger and faster than our boys. We lost to a technically superior team today," said a rueful coach K Balagumaran after the game.
With the top two in the group qualifying for the finals automatically, coach Balagumaran knows it is imperative to perform well in their remaining matches against Hong Kong and China P.R.
"The team's morale is slightly low after the loss today, but we will bounce back and hopefully, get good result from our next match against Hong Kong who also lost to Timor Leste by the same scoreline."
Singapore Lineup
1 Khairul Karim Bin Zulhanif (GK), 2 Tajeli Bin Salamat, 3 Muhd Syafiq Bin Iderus, 7 Muhd Zakir Bin Samsudin, 8 Anumanthan Mohan Kumar, 9 Muhd Raushyan Bin Mazlan, 12 Muhd Faris Azienudin Bin Khaeri, 14 Muhd Nur Ridho Bin Ahmad Jafri, 18 Jasvinderpal Singh, 20 Muhd Ashrul Syafeeq Bin Mod Amin, 24 Muhd Fuad Bin Ramli
Match Statistics
Singapore - 0
Timor Leste - 3
Olegario Barreto Hornai Pereira Boavida 11'
Efrem Marianus Almeida Santos Jeronimo 16'
Fidel Dos Santos De Araujo 89'
wahhhhh kacian indo, katanya latihan di uruguay malahan keboblan ama timor leste yang baru bagkit. go timor leste, australia will be the next victim.
kasian yah . main dikandang sendiri, setahun latihan di Urugay malah kebobola 7-0. Jepan kalo hadapi Timor Leste belum tentu menang. makanya jangan sok komentar. lihat keadan dilapangan donk
AFC U 19 group F in Host Indonesia. Indonesia is the weakest Team. though the player were one year training in Urugay but it seesm like no improvement. I sugest the Indonesia U 19 need to Face east Timor U 16 first and then will sufer for 4-1
Bravo Timor-Leste, stand up, speak up, You will will be counted.
Thanks for good and fair comment from Singapore’s coach. I think this is not the first time Singapore U16 loose to Timor Leste. I am agree that it was a mistake to understimate Timor Leste U16 team. they have now good coach, and they are like new era for Timor Leste. they strong because Situation that they face in their daily life. I think Macan and Guam will be next victim.