Youth Olympic Football: Singapore spectators stunned by Haiti’s guile

Story by Mai A Malek/Red Sports. Photo by Tan Jon Han/Red Sports

Jalan Besar Stadium, Sunday, August 22, 2010 — “So sad, so sad …” were the words heard from a group of solemn spectators as the final whistle of the Singapore-Haiti semi-final match was blown. Those mutterings alone echoed our cubs’ futile attempt at the nation’s very first Youth Olympic gold medal.

The top prize can only be a bronze now, as they fell 0-2 against the Haitian dark horses.

In the Sunday night sell-out match, the Singapore crowd sang and cheered in one voice as the players warmed up on the pitch. Families of the players all donned personalized red jerseys with their sons’ names printed, while relatives and close friends, also clad in red, showed off their colourful posters and screamed their lungs out to show their fullest support.

“I’m confident that the team will do well tonight,” said Mr Mark Lightfoot, father of team captain Jeffrey.

Mr Lightfoot senior also added that though the team has an advantage, it would not mean an easy game for them.

For Mr Mazlan Tawahid and Madam Rozia Abdul Rahim, their only hope for the team was to “go to the final and win the gold!” Their son, midfielder Ammirul Emmran Mazlan, emerged as a huge fan favourite after he scored in the opening goal 11 seconds into the game between Singapore and Zimbabwe.

As the match kicked off, the 6000-strong crowd, which Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, had their eyes glued to the game and roared with endless cheers.

But the initially-lively Jalan Besar Stadium somehow went into a gradual hush after Haitian Jean Bonhomme headed his team into the lead in the 37th minute to put the Cubs in a pressurizing position.

It was even more disheartening to hear Singapore fans jeer and chant negative remarks in unison, as they witnessed Haiti’s guile numerous times in the second-half. The Haitians earned the crowd’s wrath with seemingly fake injuries that were instantly healed when they hit the sidelines.

The Cubs committed several fouls themselves, but the one mistake they could not get away with cost their defender Illyas Lee a red card, and more importantly, led to a second goal for Haiti.

Illyas’ defensive tackle was deemed illegal and desperate, and Hungarian referee Istvan Vad awarded a penalty kick to the Haitians. Daniel Gedeon did not let this golden opportunity slip and converted the spot-kick in the 78th minute.

“It was sad to see the red card being flashed at my son,” said Mdm Sariaton, mother of Illyas Lee. “But to me, my son still performed his very best.”

When asked what the red card meant to Singapore, Illyas’ brother, Danial, said: “I see it as a sacrifice my brother made for the team. If he didn’t stop the Haitian, the ball would have gone in (to goal) easily.”

“It was Haiti’s luck. Well, it was a great game and Haiti’s time-wasting tactic no doubt worked really well,” added the friendly youth with a tinge of disappointment in his voice.