Singapore’s Asian Cup football hopes look bleak after home loss to Thailand

Story by Koh Yizhe/Red Sports. Photos by Vanessa Lim/Red Sports.

National Stadium, Saturday, November 14, 2009 – Singapore's hopes of qualification for the Asian Cup final took a major blow when they fell to an organised Thailand side 3-1 at home in a Group E match.

A Sutee Suksomkit brace sandwiched around Therdsak Chaiman's volley gave Thailand a 3-0 lead before Mustafic Fahrudin pull one back for Singapore from the penalty spot in the 84th minute.

Thailand found the breakthrough in the 12th minute when Noh Alam Shah was judged to have handled the ball in the area. He was given a yellow card for his troubles and Suksomkit sent Hassan Sunny the wrong way to give Thailand the lead.

The Thais were content to sit back after taking the lead as Singapore employed a long ball tactic in vain. Their first shot only came in the 33rd minute when Mustafic Fahrudin fired a long range effort over the bar. Muhammad Ridhuan and Shaiful Esah also sent efforts wide as Singapore failed to trouble Thailand's goal.

Instead, it was the Thais who had the last opportunity of the half. They were unlucky not to double their lead when Nutnum Suchao's stinging shot from outside the box forced Hassan Sunny into a brilliant reflex save.

Thriteen minutes into the second half, Khairul Amri was brought on for the ineffective Noh Alam Shah who couldn't find his edge after receiving his yellow card.

The 24-year-old forward was the spark that Singapore needed and it took Amri just seven minutes to carve Singapore’s first chance of the half. The ball was threaded through to him in the penalty box but instead of shooting, he opted to past to the on-rushing Duric, who couldn't reach the ball in time.

From the resulting corner, Singapore had a penalty appeal turned down. The corner was sent to the lurking John Wilkinson outside the box who sent a shot crashing against what looked to be the arm of a Thai defender, but the referee waved play on.

The incident was very similar to Thailand's penalty and despite the Singapore players' protest, the referee stuck to his decision.

In the 76th minute, Thailand doubled their lead. With Singapore pushing players forward, Nutnum Suchao was able to received the ball on the left before crossing to substitute Therdsak Chaiman who volleyed past Hassan Sunny.

Five minutes later, it was 3-0. Once again a Thai counter-attack resulted in the ball being threaded through to Suksomkit who easily beat Hassan Sunny on the one-on-one for his second and Thailand's third.

Mustafic Fahrudin gave Singapore a consolation goal in the 86th minute when he fired home a penalty after Khairul Amri was brought down in the penalty area.

"My players kept the shape of the team very well in the first half and this gave them the platform to create chances," said Thailand's coach Bryan Robson. "Apart from the penalty, we created two or three other good chances in the first half, which is very pleasing. We got stretched the in second half and there were times when we were fortunate as ball bounced kindly. Singapore could have came back into the match."

But he admits there are still areas to work on.

“We manage to take a 3-0 lead, but after that, we lost concentration. I believe this is one of our weakness - we tend to lose concentration after playing well. No matter what the score, we shouldn't lose concentration."

"This is definitely a good result, but we are preparing for Wednesday's game because it is a match for us and we have to keep our concentration. I am not looking anything further than Wednesday's game against Singapore."

Singapore head coach Radojko Avramovic was disappointed with his team performance.

"In the first half, I couldn't recognise my team. It wasn't the team that I have been practicing with and it wasn't the team that played the last few games for Singapore. Everything that we have been practicing for wasn't shown. We didn't plan to hit the ball and run, but that was what that happen.

Hopefully the game in Thailand will be end in a different result."

He also pointed out the error of the referee: "The penalty that he gave to Thailand was harsh, but we had three similar chances when he should have awarded us a penalty. All the chance was when score was 1-0 to Thailand and that's the big difference."

Singapore now lie third in their group. They need to beat Thailand this Wednesday, November 18th, in Bangkok to secure second in the group. Only the top two teams qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup.

Crowd attendance: 22,183

Team Line-ups:

Singapore: Hassan Sunny (GK), Noh Rahman, Daniel Bennett, Baihakki Khaizan, Shaiful Esah, Ridhuan Muhamad, Mustafic Fahrudin, John Wilkinson, Shahril Ishak (Indra Sahdan 72'), Aleksandar Duric, Noh Alam Shah (Khairul Amri 58')

Thailand: Kosin Hathairattanakool (GK), Suree Sukha, Nattaporn Phanrit, Panupong Wongsa, Natthaphong Samana, Sochau Nutnum, Surat Sukha (Peter Lang 54'), Datsakorn Thonglao (Nirut Surasiang 80'), Sutee Suksomkit, Pipat Thonkanya (Therdsak Chaiman 60'), Teerasil Dangda.

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