Lions' Round 4 Hopes Back On Track

Photos by GAN MENG YEOW

Basil Yeo
basil@kallangroar.com

SINGAPORE fired themselves to 2nd place in Group 4, coming out 2-0 victors against an under-prepared Lebanon side in a FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Round 3 group match on Wednesday evening, but the scoreline could have been greater.

The away side came into the game missing 4 key players, including 28-year-old midfielder Roda Antar, who plays in German Bundesliga 2 side 1. FC Koln (Cologne).

Singapore custodian Lionel Lewis was also yellow-carded for timewasting, in a controversial decision by the referee, as the ball had not been delivered to him properly by the ball-boy.

The Lions produced a brilliant performance in the first half, scoring two goals through SAFFC veteran Aleksandar Duric and Geylang United hotshot Fazrul Nawaz in the 8th and 23rd minutes respectively.

The on-form Fazrul could have scored more than a hat-trick if his three other clear attempts on goal were successful - A lay-off from Duric where he slipped, a shot blocked by Lebanese defender Hussein Amine and a low cross from club-mate Baihakki Khaizan which he wasted by volleying it way over the bar.

The home crowd took a particular interest in Lebanon's Khaled Hamieh, who was booed every time he touched the ball.

The Lions second half performance though, was questionable as they allowed Lebanon to control possession and take more shots on goal than in the first half. Fortunately for the home team, the away team's shots on target did little to trouble Lewis, who was on top form.

The 38-year-old Duric could have recorded his name on the scoresheet again if he slotted in Khairul Amri's low cross in the 69th minute.

Shi Jiayi and Mustafic Fahrudin also had scoring chances in the second half, with long-range efforts that were kept out at the very last moment by Lebanese keeper Lary Mehanna.

Home United midfielder Shahril Ishak replaced Captain Indra Sahdan, who went out to a standing ovation from the home crowd.

The Lions had a 90th minute scare when Noh Rahman, making a rare defensive error, slipped and allowed Lebanese substitute Paul Rustom to fire a shot at Lionel Lewis, but the latter was more than equal to the shot.



In the post-match press conference, Lebanese head coach Emile Rustom congratulated his Singapore counterpart Radojko Avramovic on a job well done, and admitted that the result was expected.

"The result was expected, but at least had we tried our best against a good team," said Rustom. "Especially since we are missing 4 key players, and we were not ready."

"There is a big difference from the 1978 and 90s Singapore teams," said Rustom, who had came here in 1978 as a player. "Raddy has built a very good team with very good players."

Raddy, on the other hand, was all smiles as he praised his team's spirit even when they only had a short time to prepare for the game as the S-League season was running.

"It was a good win for us, we created many chances and should have scored at least two more, but this is football. Some you score, some you don't," said the 59-year-old Serb, who has coached the Singapore team since 2003.

Both coaches also expressed little surprise when informed of Uzbekistan's 3-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Tashkent.

"Uzbekistan is a very good team," commented Rustom, whose team had lost 1-0 to the Uzbeks in the first group game.

Raddy, however, was more optimistic about Singapore's chances as he joked that he would be waiting for time to pass before the Uzbekistan game in June. On a serious tone however, he noted that he hoped for more time to prepare for the game and that a friendly with Bahrain in May would be arranged.

Singapore will be facing current group leaders Uzbekistan in back to back matches on June 2 at home and June 7 away, in what could possibly be the Lions' toughest phase yet.

2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Round 3 (Asian Zone) Group 4
Singapore 2 (A. Duric 8', F. Nawaz 23')
Lebanon 0

26/03/2008
National Stadium, Singapore

Attendance: 10118



Singapore Starting Lineup:
Lionel Lewis, Baihakki Khaizan, Noh Rahman, Precious Emuejeraye, Shi Jiayi, Fazrul Nawaz (Khairul Amri 45'), Aleksandar Duric (Hariss Harun 79'), Indra Sahdan (C) (Shahril Ishak 64'), John Wilkinson, Mustafic Fahrudin, Daniel Bennett

Bench:
Hassan Sunny (GK), Juma'at Jantan, Ismail Yunos, Hariss Harun, Agu Casmir, Khairul Amri, Shahril Ishak


Lebanon Starting Lineup:
Lary Mehanna, Ali Al Saadi (Ahmad El Choum 61'), Hussein Amine, Bilal Cheikh Najjarine, Khaled Hamieh (Nasrat Al Jamal 55'), Abbas Ahmad Atwi (C), Mohamad Ghaddar (Paul Rustom 76'), Mahmoud El Ali, Amer Khan, Ali Yaakoub, Mohamed Korhani

Bench:
Ahmad El Choum, Mohd Baker Younes, Jihad Al Helwe, Nasrat Al Jamal, Hassan Mognieh (GK), Mootaz Bellah El Jounaidi, Paul Rustom


The Officials
Referee: Takayama Hiroyoshi (JPN)
Assistant Referees: Kamranifar Hassan (IRA), Rafatisajed Davoud (IRA)
Fourth Official: Saleem Ali (MDV)
Referee Assessor: Abdullah Mohamed Nazri (MAL)
Match commissioner: Al Mannai Hamad Saleh (QAT)


Minute-by-Minute

1st Half

Kickoff: 1933

0' Lebanon makes a false kickoff!
1' Lebanon kicks off the game
6' Khaled Hamieh fouls Fazrul Nawaz in the middle of the park and sensationally dives, but the referee awards a free kick to Singapore.
8' GOAL! Aleksandar Duric steals the ball from a deflection off a Lebanon defender in front of goal, then shoots and scores!
9' Mohamad Ghaddar is yellow-carded for a dive in the Singapore box.
11' Lebanon wins a free kick from 25 yards out as Precious brings Mahmoud El Ali down.
12' Khaled Hamieh's poor free kick is taken easily by Lionel Lewis.
15' A beautiful lay-off from Aleksandar Duric fails when Fazrul slips in the box.
16' Fazrul Nawaz's shot on target is blocked by Hussein Amine.
19' Fazrul Nawaz wastes a golden opportunity from a few metres out, volleying a low cross from Baihakki Khaizan way over the bar!
22' A header from a Lebanese corner goes out for a goal kick.
23' GOAL! Fazrul Nawaz dispossesses a Lebanese defender on the left wing and closes in on goal, then shoots and scores!
25' Khaled Hamieh shoots from outside the box and watches as his shot does nothing to trouble Lionel Lewis.
26' Indra Sahdan's header goes over the crossbar.
27' Hussein Amine's header flies to the left of the Singapore goal.
28' Lebanese captain Abbas Ahmad Atwi shoots way too high to trouble the Singapore defence.
32' Lionel Lewis does extremely well to catch Khaled Hamieh's deadly free kick.
34' Mustafic Fahrudin connects with Shi Jiayi's free kick from the right flank but heads the ball over the bar.
39' Fazrul Nawaz is yellow-carded for a foul.
41' Mohamed Korhani's free kick is on target again but punched out by Lionel Lewis.
45' The fourth official indicates an added time of 2 minutes in the first half.
47' Lionel Lewis is yellow-carded for time-wasting!
47' Half-time!


HT: 2020



2nd Half

Kickoff: 2036

45' Substitution: Singapore - Khairul Amri for Fazrul Nawaz
45' Singapore kicks off the second half.
49' Aleksandar Duric collects Indra's through pass and hits the post!
50' Indra Sahdan volleys a shot over the bar.
51' Mohd Korhani shoots straight at Lionel Lewis!
55' Lionel Lewis tips Abbas Ahmad Atwi's chip over the bar at the very last minute!
55' Substitution: Lebanon - Nasrat Al Jamal for Khaled Hamieh
57' A low and slow shot on target from the Lebanese is calmly collected by Lionel Lewis.
59' Shi Jiayi tries a shot from way out which is tipped away by Lary Mehanna at the very last minute!
61' Substitution: Lebanon - Ahmad El Choum for Ali Al Saadi
62' Mahmoud El Ali showed excellent technique as he turned and tried a half-volley, but was off target.
63' Shi Jiayi's shot is off target.
64' Substitution: Singapore - Shahril Ishak for Indra Sahdan
69' Aleksandar Duric misses a sitter from Khairul Amri's low cross right in front of goal!
70' Shahril Ishak slips while trying to connect with Khairul Amri's deadly pass, and fails to record a shot on target.
72' John Wilkinson's ball over the top is collected by Lary Mehanna before Shi Jiayi manages to get a flick on.
76' Substitution: Lebanon - Paul Rustom for Mohamad Ghaddar.
79' Mahmoud El Ali shoots over the Singapore crossbar.
79' Substitution: Singapore - Hariss Harun for Aleksandar Duric
85' Shahril Ishak chests down the ball in front of goal, turns and shoots but wastes his opportunity!
86' Mustafic Fahrudin tries a shot from 27 yards out which is tipped out for a corner!
87' Shi Jiayi is awarded a yellow card for challenge after a tussle at the corner flag.
90' The fourth official indicates an added time of 3 minutes in the second half.
90' Paul Rustom capitalises on Noh Rahman's slip and takes a shot on goal at Lionel Lewis, who saves it with ease.
92' Yellow card is awarded to Amer Khan.
93' Referee Takayama Hiroyoshi ends the game at 2-0 to the Singapore Lions.


FT: 2125