Sea games 2011: Singapore's 2-1 win over Cambodia in the 2011 SEA Games football tournament

Singapore's 2-1 win over Cambodia in the 2011 SEA Games football tournament

"Jakarta, Wednesday, November 9, 2011 — Singapore laboured to a 2-1 win over Cambodia to register their first win in the South-east Asian (SEA) Games Under-23 football tournament.

The Cambodians, who were thrashed 6-0 by Indonesia in their first game, scored a freak 35th-minute goal in the first half to take a shock lead. An innocent-looking cross by C. Chhoeun (#17) looped high and sneaked down into goal, leaving Singapore goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud stunned.

That shot aside, it was Singapore who dominated. The Young Lions had 15 shots on target compared to Cambodia’s two, and they had 78% of possession.

However, their lack of finishing was telling. In a first half where Gabriel Quak was the brightest spark for Singapore, the boys created four good chances but could not finish.

Gabriel Quak got down to the goal line in the 16th minute after a pass from captain Hariss Harun but there was no teammate to finish his pull back into the box.

Gabriel then made an opening for himself in the 22nd minute, running through into the box after getting a pass from Irwan Shah. However, Gabriel blazed the ball over the bar.

Gabriel then set up Khairul Nizam with a sublime through pass in the 23rd minute but again, there was no one waiting in the box for Nizam’s pull back.

Singapore continued to create chances. In the 27th minute, Nizam was seen screaming his head off after his scuffed his shot with a clear chance at goal.

Then came Cambodia’s shock goal which left the Young Lions visibly stunned. By the time Hafiz Abu Sujad blew a 43rd minute free kick into the night sky, Singapore head coach Slobodan Pavkovic was heard yelling “Come on! Come on! Come on!”

In the second half, Pavkovic made his intent clear, pulling out defender Irwan Shah and replacing him with striker Nigel Neil Vanu. Cambodia’s tactics in the second half were also clear as they put 11 men behind the ball.

The Young Lions started the second half with an intensity that was missing in the first half and it paid off finally in the 56th minute when Nizam scored the equaliser. Defender Safuwan Baharudin got his head to a corner and directed it back across goal to a waiting Nizam who did not miss with his header.

Nizam celebrated wildly and was mobbed by his teammates while there was relief on the Singapore bench.

Then Singapore missed a quick opportunity to go ahead in the 59th minute with Yasir Yanapi missed from 1m out after the Cambodian goalkeeper Sou Yaty had completely misjudged another incoming corner.

However, Singapore’s intensity soon dropped after the equaliser and Cambodia even managed to conjure up a headed half chance in the 66th minute.

Singapore’s superior quality finally told in the 74th minute as the Young Lions put together the best move of the game that involved four players in the build up. The ball was threaded through the centre of the field before Hanapi delivered an exquisite cross from the right that substitute Nigel Neil Vanu finished off with a firm header.

83rd min Shahdan Sulaiman then tested the Cambodian goalie from long range in the 83rd minute, forcing a good save at full stretch. Shahdan picked up a yellow card in the game, his second of the tournament, and he will now miss the next game against Indonesia.

Cambodia’s night also ended in misery. Apart from the defeat, they also lost their captain K. Laboravy when he received a second yellow card in the game after he left his leg trailing in a tackle involving Safuwan.

While a win was all that mattered in the end, the Young Lions, with all of their starting lineup playing together as a team in the S.League save for Hanapi, struggled for fluidity.

Furthermore, their inability to score more than two goals against Cambodia in their “Group of Death” may come back to haunt them.

Singapore will next play Indonesia on Friday, November 11th, 3pm.

In an earlier Group A game, Indonesia beat Thailand 2-1 for their second win in a row.

In Group B, Myanmar thrashed Brunei 4-0 while Vietnam beat previously undefeated Timor Leste 2-0.

Singapore U-23 Starting Lineup
Izwan Mahbud, Irwan Shah, (Nigel Neil Vanu), Afiq Yunos, Safuwan Baharudin, Yasir Hanapi, Gabriel Quak, (Faris Ramly), Hariss Harun (C), Hafiz Abu Sujad, Shahdan Sulaiman, Fazli Ayob, Khairul Nizam (Firdaus Kasman)

Cambodia U-23 Starting Lineup
Sou Yaty, Lay Raksmey, Sok Rithy, Sok Sovan, T. Pancharong, Tum Saray, K. Laboravy (C), Sos Suhana, C. Sothearath, C. Chhoeun, P. Soksana"

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