Sundram the 'spy' has few surprises ... Former Lions' star submitted his report after watching Malaysia's matches with Arsenal and Liverpool

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SINGAPORE - A number of older Malaysian fans among the 80,000 or so that were at Bukit Jalil Stadium on Saturday night may have recognised him.

After all, V Sundramoorthy was seldom out of the headlines in his heyday, whether he turned out for Singapore, Kedah or Pahang in the Malaysia Cup during the late 1980s and early '90s.

The former football star, now a specialist striker coach with Football Association of Singapore, was dispatched to Kuala Lumpur to watch Malaysia's exciting clash with Liverpool, which the English club won 6-3. He was also a "spy" in the stands for Malaysia's match with Arsenal on Wednesday when the Tigers lost 4-0.

Sundram has submitted his report card to Singapore coach Radojko Avramovic and it will surely prove invaluable, ahead of the crunch Causeway derby between the arch-rivals on Saturday at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

Even if the Serb says Sundram's report delivered few surprises.

"In some ways, it was what we'd expected of Malaysia ... every game is different, but from a tactical side and players' side, I didn't see anything they did that we don't know," said the 61-year-old.

" ... Besides, I don't think the Malaysian players will change the way they play just because it's Singapore, and it's a style (of play) that has brought them results."

Singapore take on Malaysia in the second round of the Asian Zone World Cup qualifier and after the first leg here on Saturday, the two teams play the return match at Bukit Jalil on July 28.

Malaysia's star performer against Liverpool was forward Mohd Safee Sali, who made the headlines after notching two goals.

Said Avramovic: "As a group, they are physically good and have played together a long time and have had a few good games. It will be hard to beat them. They are the champions of ASEAN, and we must respect that."

The double-header is the biggest match between the two neighbours in recent years, and all 4,000 tickets for the game at Jalan Besar were snapped up some six hours after going on sale at 8am last Saturday, with many fans queueing overnight.

The Lions went through their paces in a training session yesterday ahead of tonight's final tune-up against Taiwan.

First-choice goalkeeper Lionel Lewis resumed training for the first time since picking up a groin injury.

The Home United custodian hurt himself during the Protectors' Great Eastern-Yeo's S-League clash against SAFFC on July 6, and with Tampines Rovers' Hassan Sunny a long-term absentee after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament, the Courts Young Lions' Izwan Mahbud, who is uncapped at senior level, could be thrust into the cauldron of a Singapore-Malaysia clash, if Lewis fails to recover on time.

Lewis, who is undergoing daily physiotherapy sessions at the Singapore Sports Council, completed yesterday's training unscathed.

"I can still feel it, but it's getting much better," said the 28-year-old. "There's still the next few days to go, and it's hard to say. But definitely, I want to play."

While Lewis is desperate to make the starting 11 for the sell-out clash against Malaysia, Avramovic refused to jump the gun.

"It's difficult to say, it depends on what the doctors say about him. He's probably 50-50," said the Singapore coach.



Kick-off for tonight's friendly between Singapore and Taiwan at Jalan Besar Stadium is at 7.30pm. Tickets priced at $6 (adult) and $1 (student/senior citizen) will be on sale today from 6pm at the Jalan Besar Stadium's North and South gates