Dream start for Lions: Singapore look good for semi-final spot after mauling Malaysia on their home ground

Source from Today Online

KUALA LUMPUR - If Singapore can continue to play the rest of their Group B matches like how they did against Malaysia last night, then surely they must be a good bet to reach the final of the ASEAN Football Federation Championship.

To be sure, one swallow does not a summer make.

But the way in which Radojko Avramovic's Lions - much maligned by their critics before the start of the tournament - mauled Malaysia at the Tigers' den in Bukit Jalil Stadium last night, despite the hosts being cheered on by 50,000 fans decked out in black and yellow, must inject them with much-needed confidence and give them the momentum that should carry them past the group stage and within sight of a fourth AFF title.

Ironically, there was little to suggest, at least in the first 15 minutes of the game, that Singapore would even find the net in the first place. Instead, the Tigers always looked as though they would score first.

The Republic even had to resort to two blatant fouls on lethal Kelantan striker Norsharul Idlan Talaha to prevent the Malaysian hitman from inflicting any damage.

There were also flashes of danger down the left flank as speedy Malaysian winger S Kunanlan kept tormenting Singapore right-back Daniel Bennett, making it clear that the 34-year-old is fast losing the speed to take on pacey opponents.

Indeed, the Tigers did not look like the side that suffered a poor string of results in their preparations for the tournament.

But the Lions held firm and weathered the early storm with the central defensive pair of Baihakki Khaizan and Safuwan Baharuddin ensuring that Singapore's defence was never breached despite Malaysia's constant pummelling.

And then the tide turned in the 32nd minute. All it took to stun the Malaysians was the sweet left foot of Shaiful Esah, who swung a beautiful cross from the left during a rare Singapore attacking foray.

Skipper Shahril Ishak, who had been quiet all evening, saw the opportunity, raced through the heart of the Malaysian 18-yard box and shrugged off the challenge of Mohammad Fadhli Shas before slamming his shot into the roof of Khairul Fahmi's goal.

The effect of that goal on the Lions was clear to see. As Singapore were buoyed by the opening goal, they found the courage and self belief to push forward and take the game to the Malaysians.

And they were rewarded again in the 37th min when Khairul Fahmi, dubbed the safest hands in Malaysian football, fumbled his punch following Shahdan Sulaiman's free-kick. Shahril was there again to pounce on the blunder and head the ball into an empty net.

In fact, Shahril could have made it a hat-trick if not for a wonderful late tackle by a Malaysian defender just when he was about to pull the trigger. But what he could not do, his replacement Aleksandar Duric did in the 75th minute.

Yet the fact that the 42-year-old Duric was completely unmarked when he nodded a cross past the Malaysian keeper to become the oldest goal scorer ever in the history of the Suzuki Cup showed just how dishevelled Malaysia had become by then.

As the minutes ticked away,the Lions grew in strength and stature. Although they failed to satisfy the Singapore netizens' wish for a fourth goal to avenge Singapore's 4-0 thrashing by Malaysia during the 2002 AFF Championships at the National Stadium, this result can only bode well for Avramovic's men as they prepare to take on Indonesia, who were hardly impressive in their 2-2 draw with minnows Laos on Wednesday.