Kunming, Friday, September 2, 2011 — China beat Singapore 2-1 in a controversial Round 3 Group A World Cup qualifier this evening.

Aleksandar Duric had given Singapore a shock 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute after taking advantage of sloppy passing by the Chinese backline.

Singapore took the 1-0 lead into the half-time break but were undone by a very generous Lebanese referee who gave China two dubious penalties in the second half.

Substitute goalkeeper Lionel Lewis saved the first penalty in the 56th minute but could not stop the second in the 69th minute which tied it up 1-1.

Three minutes later, Lewis made another fine save but the loose ball was bundled over for a Chinese winner.

Singapore had a legitimate claim for a penalty themselves when Duric was fouled inside the penalty box. A furious Singapore head coach Raddy Avramovic was banished to the stands for his vehement protest on the sidelines.

At full time, Singapore striker Qiu Li was shown the yellow card for a heated argument with the Lebanese referee.

Singapore take on Iraq in their next World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, September 6th at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

China Starting Lineup
Yang Zhi, Sun Xiang, Li Weifeng (C), Zhao Xuri, Yang Xu, Qu Bo (Yu Dabao 66’), Liu Jianye, Huang Bowen (Zheng Zhi 67’), Du Wei, Chen Tao, Yu Hai (Hao Junmin 91’)

Substitutes: Zeng Cheng, Li Xue Peng, Wu Xi, Feng Xiaoting, Hao Junmin, Zhang Wen Zhao, Zhang Lie, Feng Ren Liang, Huang Xi Yang, Yu Dabao, Yang Hao, Zheng Zhi

Singapore Starting Lineup
Izwan Mahbud (Lionel Lewis 54’), Daniel Bennett, Safuwan Baharudin, Shaiful Esah, Juma’at Jantan, Mustafic Fahrudin, Isa Halim (Shahdan Sulaiman 84’), Shahril Ishak(C), Shi Jiayi (Hafiz Rahim 64’), Aleksandar Duric, Qiu Li

Substitutes: Lionel Lewis, Afiq Yunos, Delwinder Singh, Sevki Sha’ban, Hamqaamal Shah, Shukor Zailan, Shahdan Sulaiman, Zulfahmi Arifin, Ruzaini Zainal, Hafiz Rahim