Countdown to the "Causeway Derby"....

While waiting for a friend outside Jalan Besar Stadium, I saw a car slowed down along the way.

"Tiket bola mana?" asked the driver of the Johor licensed plate vehicle in Malay, as he would like to know where could he buy the tickets for the 2014 World Cup Qualifier match between Singapore and Malaysia.

"Dah habis lah..." I replied to him implied that all tickets to the "Causeway Derby" had been snapped up before 2:30pm after gone on sale since 8am in the morning with some eager fans queuing up overnight to snap the tickets.

The Lions in warming up.

"It's great to see fans coming back again." said veteran striker Aleksandar Duric after the first day of centralized training session on his thoughts of sell-out crowd be anticipated at Jalan Besar on the 23rd of July clash with the Harimau.

"Probably because we are playing against Malaysia, but it's great to see a full house in Jalan Besar which I hope the fans will cheer for us during the game and we will do our best in this very important game." added the 41 year-old Tampines Rovers striker.

Under the watchful eyes of fitness trainer "Sasha", the Lions put through the drills

Concurring those thoughts, national coach Raddy Avramovic opined:"I hope fans would turn up and to see a good game, as normally you would try to win and that's what we want to do."

After putting the team to the drills, coach Raddy is pleased with what he had seen during the one-and-half hour session.

"It's good to see them altogether as a group although some of the players could not join us in the training due to injuries like Lionel (abductor) and (Khairul) Nizam who is having some problem with his hamstring, but other players they look good in the today's session." said the Serb tactician.

Coach Raddy (wearing white cap) oversee the procedures.

While asked if upcoming Monday's friendly match against Chinese Taipei, would see coach Raddy confirm his first eleven selection.

"Probably, we are going to see three changes into this game and see who and where we want to play which we will try out during this game.

"After I seen them played against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, I think they (Chinese Taipei) are capable of some good passing football and play well as a unit, which I think is good to play against them." he concluded.

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