Youth Olympic Football: Muhaimin the hero as Singapore achieve perfect start with 3-1 win over Zimbabwe

By Kenneth Tan/Red Sports. Photos by Les Tan, Tan Jon Han and Marvin Lowe/Red Sports

Jalan Besar Stadium, Friday, August 13, 2010 — Hosts Singapore ensured a perfect start to the Youth Olympic Games football tournament as they saw off Zimbabwe 3-1.

Despite pre-match boasts of a 5-0 rout, the Zimbabweans were overrun by the confident Singapore boys, especially in the first half.

A goal by midfielder Ammirul Emmran Mazlan within 11 seconds of the kickoff gave the Cubs the best possible start. Forward Muhaimin Suhaimi grabbed another two goals in the first half to put Singapore 3-0 ahead.

Zimbabwe pulled back a goal through a penalty in the second half but that was all they could muster as they fell to a 1-3 defeat.

A 4,800-strong crowd watched the game, with many schools sending down groups of students. Among them were Victoria School, Singapore Sports School, Hai Sing Catholic School and Evergreen Secondary School.

Victoria School in particular sent down about 1,000 boys. The school paid for the tickets, according to two Victoria School students. Other school students also said that their school arranged for the tickets so that they could watch the game for free.

The crowd also displayed banners to pay tribute to the late David Sivalingam who passed away in November last year. He had coached the team in last July’s Asian Youth Games.

They were not yet settled in their seats when Singapore scored the opener.

Within seconds of the kickoff, Singapore stole possession from Zimbabwe in midfield and teed up Ammirul Emmran Mazlan for a shot just outside the box. The ball curled over Zimbabwe goalkeeper Fungai Benard and went in off the bar to the delight of the fans.

“The ball was on my foot in midfield so I just tried,” was Ammirul’s response when quizzed about the goal.

The crowd were on their feet soon again when Singapore went 2-0 ahead on 10 minutes.

Goalscorer Ammirul turned provider this time as he broke down an attack in midfield before releasing Muhaimin Suhaimi with a superb slide-rule pass. The latter strode into the box and remained composed to curl the ball past Benard into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Zimbabwe slowly settled into the game and began to attack the Singapore goal with a few threatening efforts.

They came close to halving the deficit on 24 minutes when the Singapore defence opened up on their left side, but winger Liberty Ngorima’s effort from inside the box went off the right-hand post.

Instead it was Singapore who went 3-0 ahead five minutes later.

A Hanafi Akbar free kick was half-cleared back to the boy himself who hit another teasing in-swinger into the box. The ball fell perfectly for Muhaimin as he nipped just ahead of Benard to chest the ball into the empty goal.

Singapore had a penalty claim 14 minutes into the second half as forward Syazwan Zin looked to have been tugged back inside the box but the referee waved his appeals away.

Instead it was Zimbabwe who pulled one back on 62 minutes through a disputed penalty decision.

Singapore centre back Syazwan Radhi appeared to control a high ball with his chest but he was adjudged to have handled the ball by the referee. Zimbabwe defender Albert Kusemwa stepped up to take the resulting penalty and wrong-footed Singapore goalkeeper Fashah Iskandar with his finish into the bottom left corner.

The home team endured a slightly nervous finish to the match with the Zimbabweans piling on the pressure, and going close on two occasions.

Centre back Keith Murera somehow headed over the bar from two yards out before captain Ackim Mpofu’s shot from inside the box was smothered by Fashah.

That was how the match ended as Singapore ran out 3-1 victors.

Singapore coach Kadir Yahaya remained cautious despite the victory.

“I was happy with the first half performance but not with the second,” he said. “We did well but we can play even better. We have to concentrate and not make mistakes. They are still boys so they are overwhelmed by the occasion, so in the second half they tried to do something different.”

When quizzed about how his boys reacted to the pre-match jibes of the Zimbabweans, he said: “It is important that they perform today and not let these kind of things get to their heads.”

“We are looking forward to facing Montenegro,” he added. “But the important game will be Zimbabwe vs Montenegro on 16 August. If Montenegro win, it will give us a great chance.”

Singapore captain Jeffrey Lightfoot thought the key to the victory was overcoming their nerves.

“It was nervous for us in the beginning but after a few minutes I told the boys to overcome it,” he said.

Two-goal hero Muhaimin revealed the pre-match jibes of the Zimbabweans motivated him for the game.

“When they said 5-0, they were just playing mind games and it only succeeded in firing us up for this game,” he said.

“What you have seen today was a result of hard work from the past four years,” said Dr Balakrishnan, the minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS). “They are not bigger and stronger but they won it with the way they move the ball. It was a wonderful night. Victories like this is perfect to kickstart the YOG.”

“It was a wonderful outcome,” echoed Mr Nordin, president of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS). “Hopefully it’s a victory to uplift the morale of Singaporeans and to get them to come out to support the boys in the stadium. The boys were well-prepared and showed commitment and passion today.”

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