Smiling Tigers enter Lions' den

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SINGAPORE - Jacket slung over his arm, Malaysian coach K Rajagobal strode out of the immigration booth at Changi International Airport before any of his charges, affording just a single glance to the arrival gallery where members of the Singapore media were waiting.

There were no Malaysian fans to greet the football team at Terminal 2 yesterday morning, the Tigers' arrival attracting only a few curious glances, perhaps because of the lurking television cameras.

But it did not faze the man known as "King Raja", or his football entourage that followed.

Hair immaculately gelled and with fashionable glasses perched on his nose, striker Safee Sali was a picture of confidence, flashing a broad smile as he walked by.

Malaysia will face Singapore tomorrow in the first leg of the second round of World Cup qualifiers, with the return leg in Kuala Lumpur next Thursday, and the Tigers had their tails high and a bounce in their step as they walked into enemy territory.

"I'm excited coming here, and the players are looking forward to the game too. We've come here with focus, we need to play and deliver," said Rajagobal.

There was an air of lightheartedness surrounding the Malaysian team at the airport as the players chatted freely. Nippy midfielder S Kunalan even teased the team's kitman for shaking hands with the Football Association of Singapore's liaison officer.

The flashy Aidil Zafuan, a central defender racing against time to recover from an ankle injury, gave a thumbs-up while flashing a broad smile.

Even the prospect of going into battle against Radojko Avramovic's Lions on the unfamiliar artificial turf at Jalan Besar did not ruffle any Malaysian feathers.

"We must accept reality that the Singapore players are more used to the artificial pitch. There will be a slight difference playing on this field but we won't give excuses," said Rajagobal, who turned serious when asked of his game plan.

"You can't come here with a defensive mindset to get a result and bring it back home. We will be positive. You have to not concede goals, and I will drive the players to do that, but if we can get a goal here it will be good," he added.