Story by Colin Tung/Red Sports. Photos by Joseph Lee and Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports

AFF Suzuki Cup Singapore vs Myanmar

Hariss Harun (#14) of Singapore celebrates with teammate Baihakki Khaizan (#5) after scoring a goal. The Lions vice-captain bagged two goals on the night and was commanding in midfield. (Photo 1 © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)

National Stadium, Wednesday, November 26, 2014 — Inspired by a virtuoso performance from midfield general Hariss Harun who scored two goals, and aided by the dead-ball prowess of left back Shaiful Esah, Singapore bounced back from an opening match defeat by Thailand to beat Myanmar 4–2 in front of 24,000 spectators.

The Lions made it a difficult win for themselves, however, after a three-goal cushion they built for themselves in the first half was squandered and cut to just one when they allowed Myanmar two goals in six second-half minutes.

With the win, the Lions have got their ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup campaign back on track, and are now second in the group behind Thailand who notched their second straight win by beating Malaysia 3–2 at Jalan Besar Stadium in the night’s other fixture.

Singapore head coach Bernd Stange was pleased with his team’s performance despite the two goals conceded. “A coach should never be disappointed after a 4–2 win against a strong team. We saw two different halves. Myanmar … scored two goals at critical moments in this game and we bounced back. We can be absolutely proud to beat that team with four goals,” said Stange.

When pressed to comment on the performance of his assistant skipper, Hariss, who had to keep the engine room ticking after the enforced early departure from injury of fellow midfielder Shahdan Sulaiman, Stange said, “Hariss was a leader today. He was the best man … on the pitch.”

Stange’s counterpart and predecessor, Raddy Avramovic, said, “Christmas came too early to Singapore because we gave some presents — at least three goals. I think we played well (but) we lacked concentration in defence and it cost us dearly.”

Myanmar had started brightly, with a buoyant Burmese attack threatening several times in the opening quarter of an hour. Hariss’s two goals came after Shaiful Esah had scored the opener in the 15th minute through a free kick, which calmed some nerves especially after defensive stalwart Baihakki Khaizan once again found himself booked by the referee early in the match.

Baihakki’s yellow card came in the eighth minute after a foul on Myanmar No. 10 Kyaw Ko Ko, and was his second of the tournament, which will see him suspended for Saturday’s crunch tie against neighbours Malaysia.

Sahil Suhaimi earned the 15th minute free kick after being fouled on the dribble on the right flank. Shaiful despatched the free kick towards the far post and, while the goalkeeper got a touch to it, he got down too late, distracted perhaps by the Singapore attackers who threatened to head the ball.

Winger Faris Ramli was lively with his trickery and speed. On one foray down the left flank in the 34th minute, he fired a cross into the penalty box, which was headed away by the Burmese defence toward Hariss Harun on the edge of the box.

Hariss chested to control the ball and, with his next touch, volleyed a beauty of a shot that nestled in the left side of the goal past the despairing dive of the White Angels goalkeeper Thiha Si Thu.

In the 41st minute, Hariss netted his second goal of the game to put Singapore 3–0 up. Shaiful delivered an inswinging corner from the right, which had two Burmese defenders consecutively trying to head away.

On the second attempted clearance, it fell to Hariss who needed just one sweep of his left boot for the ball to bulge the net.

While the Lions entered the half-time interval three goals ahead, the mood was not entirely a jovial one after two injuries sustained by Shahdan Sulaiman and Ismadi Mukhtar. Shahdan’s injury, diagnosed as a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle suffered in the 21st minute after a collision with teammate Khairul Amri during a Myanmar corner, was especially unsettling. Calls for medical aid immediately went out and several teammates held their heads and wore looks of disbelief.

A defiant Myanmar came out for the second half asking questions of the Singapore defence. After two chances that flashed wide of the Singapore goal, they finally found a breakthrough in the 54th minute through midfielder Kyaw Zayar Win.

The No. 7 played a one-two with Min Min Thu and found himself through the middle of the penalty box. He slotted the ball towards the bottom left corner past the advancing Hassan Sunny to lift an already vociferous Burmese support.

In the 60th minute, Myanmar earned a penalty when substitute Kyi Lin played a sublime dinked pass down the middle of the pitch over the Singapore defence to put Kyaw Ko Ko through on goal. A covering Safuwan Baharudin bundled Ko Ko over to concede a second consecutive penalty in as many games, receiving a yellow card also for the infringement.

Kyaw Ko Ko stepped up for the penalty, and he did not err, putting the spot kick down the middle as Hassan Sunny dived to his left. Myanmar were back in the game at 2–3 down.

With Myanmar still hopeful of a result, Singapore bought much needed time and breathing space in the 74th minutes when Sahil Suhaimi earned a free kick on the right wing.

Bringing down a Hassan Sunny kick, he skipped past left back and Myanmar captain Khin Maung Lwin, cutting in towards the middle. Lwin brought down Sahil, and up stepped Shaiful again for the free kick.

Shaiful’s left-foot inswinger seemed to lack pace but it did not matter as the head of Lwin diverted it past his own keeper into the bottom left corner of the net to make it 4–2, as the Lions dealt a blow to the hopes of their former coach in leading Myanmar to the knockout stages of the tournament.

Myanmar are now bottom of Group B on goal difference (they are level on a single point with Malaysia) and will play already-qualified group leaders Thailand next on Saturday. Singapore will play Malaysia in a Causeway derby on the same day with qualification hopes in their own hands.

The Lions can secure qualification to the knockout stages with either a win or a draw against Malaysia. While a win will guarantee progress, a draw with Malaysia will mean Singapore must hope Myanmar fail to beat Thailand by four goals or more.

If Singapore draw with Malaysia, and Myanmar beat Thailand by exactly three goals, both Singapore and Myanmar will be tied on points and goal difference. In this case, the second qualifying spot in the group will be decided, in order of importance, the number of goals scored in all group games and the result between the two teams (which Singapore has the advantage since they won the fixture).

Singapore Line-up
Hassan Sunny (goalkeeper), Shaiful Esah, Baihakki Khaizan, Safuwan Baharudin, Ismadi Mukhtar (Al Qaasimy Rahman 37′), Faris Ramli, Shahdan Sulaiman (Zulfahmi Arifin 21′), Hariss Harun, Shahril Ishak (captain), Khairul Amri, Sahil Suhaimi (Fazrul Nawaz 76′)

Myanmar Line-up
Thiha Si Thu (goalkeeper), Aung Zaw, David Htan, Khin Maung Lwin (captain), Yan Aung Kyaw (Kyi Lin 46′), Kyaw Zayar Win, Min Min Thu, Kyaw Ko Ko, Tin Win Aung, Win Min Htut, Nanda Lin Kyaw Chit

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