Tigers trail 5-3 but all is not lost for them

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SINGAPORE - For most of the match, he was the man who orchestrated Malaysia's forays into the Singapore half, but after 60 minutes, with the Tigers trailing 4-1, Safiq Rahim did his team no favours.

The Malaysian captain's ill-timed lunge at Hariss Harun left the Singapore midfielder writhing in pain and gave referee Nawaf Shukralla of Bahrain no choice but to brandish the red card.

Safiq's dismissal means he will sit out the return leg in Bukit Jalil on Thursday, but with his team managing to score three away goals in the 5-3 defeat, he believes all is not lost for his team.

"The score line is not all that bad if you consider the three goals we scored will be of some help at Bukit Jalil," the Malaysian told Today.

"Both Singapore and Malaysia have problems in defence and if we can come out with a plan to shut out (Aleksandar) Duric and your No 11 (Qiu Li), all we need is to score two goals and we will be through. And we can get that two goals on Thursday."

Duric, who scored a brace, is all pumped up for the return clash, but the striker said the Lions will have to keep their focus if they are to advance to the next round.

Malaysia's two quick goals in the second half, he said, came after Lions defender Ismail Yunos received a red card for a second bookable offence in the second half, which broke their rhythm.

"We just lost our shape after that but managed to come back," Duric said.

"But you saw how we were down so early and caught up quickly. We gave Singapore something to believe in, to believe we are capable of attacking and getting the goals.

"And I am still not done scoring, but we will have to fix our problems at the back."

Singapore goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud said nerves got the better of him when Malaysia went ahead after only five seconds, but promised an improved performance at Bukit Jalil.

Said the 21-year-old: "They came very quickly and I was a little shocked when that goal went past me. But I know I can still do the job and will have to be quicker in the next match."