Ho Chi Minh City, Wednesday, August 5, 2009 – Singapore's Under-18 team kicked off their ASEAN Football Federation Under-19 Youth Championship yesterday with a 1-1 draw against favourites Australia in their opening match of the tournament at the Thanh Long Sports Centre in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The team got off to a shaky start against the bigger and more physical Australians and soon found themselves a goal down after 20 minutes through Eli Babalj's header. The goal was just what Singapore needed to jolt them back and the team soon settled down and organised their defence better.

Singapore then created three or four chances in front of goal, but a lack of composure prevented them from finding the equaliser. However, in the 35th minute, some casual defending nearly allowed the Australians to double their lead and it was only the heroics of goalkeeper Neezam Abdul Aziz that Singapore remained only a goal down.

Coach Salim Moin then made a change to his defence to close down the Australian runs from the flanks, which nullified the threat of crosses to their target man Eli Babalj.

Singapore came out from the half-time break stronger and 20 minutes into the second half, a nice through-ball from midfield aided by a defensive mistake from the Australians put Khairul Nizam through one-on-one with the keeper, and the Young Lions striker coolly put the ball between the keeper's legs to bring Singapore back on level terms.

Seven minutes later however, Singapore were down to ten men when defender Shakir Hamzah received his marching orders after collecting his second yellow card.

Singapore still managed to hang on for the remainder of the match, and even nearly stole a late winner in the closing minutes of the match when Muhaymin Salim, who had came on for Khairul just minutes earlier, found himself in a one-on-one situation with the keeper. Unforunately, Singapore were to be denied by the outstretched left leg of the Australian keeper.

Still, it was a satisfying result for the coach, who was quick to caution his chargers against complacency.

“I think we were a match for them in every department. But I have been reminding my players that international matches are a totally different ballgame, so even if we had a good match, it does not guarantee that the next one will be good too," explained Salim.

"The result however is certainly a morale booster to the team and we are looking forward to our next match tomorrow with an open mind and the attitude to go win the game,” added the former Singapore international.

Singapore will next take on Cambodia at the Thanh Long Sport Centre on August 6, at 5.45pm. (6.45pm Singapore time)

Singapore U-18: Neezam Abdul Aziz (gk), Amirrul Kamal (Fariss Haiqel 40′), Safuwan Baharudin (c), Azfar Zainal Abidin, Shakir Hamzah, Eugene Luo, Safirul Sulaiman, Haziq Azman, Raihan Abdul Rahman, Syafiq Zainal (Nazrul Nazari 80′), Khairul Nizam (Muhaymin Salim 75′)