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[SEA Games] Group B - Myanmar 1-2 Singapore [edited]

The mascot of the game - "Champa"



THE PREVIEW
For the reason that I can't catch the game while at work (it's scheduled to kick off at 1600hrs-Singapore time). So would have to rely on good men and women out there to do me a favour by update me the scores by whatever means, thanks.

Nonetheless, I managed to gather some comments and thoughts from fellow football fans on the mentioned fixture.


A must win game for the Lions (Cubs) nothing else but a victory, (I) th(in)k the more experience(d) players like Shaiful Esah and (Hariss) Harun will get on(to) the scoresheet.

(I) think (it will be a) rather a low scoring affair, if the Cubs don't repeat their defensive lapses like they did against Indonesia, 1-0 to the Cubs (against Myanmar).” Jeremy Chia, a self-proclaimed soccer fanatic


I know if they can focus for ninety minutes and not get carried away with early goals scored they can win and go on to qualify for finals.” 'Greenrover', a long-time observer of Singapore football


I expect them to beat Myanmar 2-0 easily, based on their previous results.

I don't expect too much on them since there is a lot of new faces. And I think our Cubs play better in afternoon heat, whereas the senior Lions at night.” Taufiq, student


We can't really play after the Indonesian scored and we can't create chance through normal play.

So I guess Myanmar will not give (away) cheap free kick and just play their normal game. We have no one to change the game. Only Hariss (Harun) was good and the rest were average." Yusof, assistant engineer


The team's morale is good and the fact that we did not lose the game, so we can't be that disappointed as the Indonesia is a good team.” said Mr Eugene Loo, the Cubs' team manager over phone in pertaining yesterday's opener against the young Garudas following the team training session.

“Now, it's for the team to stay positive and give 100% in the next game against Myanmar.

“Furthermore, we are working out to remedy those areas of concerned (as mentioned by Coach Terry Pathmanathan in the Sunday Times) during the training session.” he added.

I thanks those who feedback to me, but I'm sorry that I can't have all them posted that I can only consolidated those essential ones.

And visitors are encouraged to share their views, thoughts over the game once the game is over, thank you.

THE AFTERMATH
Many thanks to those updated me the scores as I was not able to catch the game on TV.

Despite the scoring two earlier goals like we did on last Saturday, the lapse of concentration continued to be the bugbear of the Cubs, as what a fan commented below.

They didn't play in the second half.

All they did was (to) defend their lead and end up having Myanmar manage(d to get) a goal, lucky it was too late if not they would have equalized.

They should have continued playing like they did in the first half, rather than allowed Myanmar dominated 90% (of the) possession.

I still have doubts with Singapore's (ability) in scoring in open play, as they didn't manage any decent chance through open play, (and) the two goals were scored from corners.

In a(nother) words - no corner no goals." Yusof, assistant engineer

Comments

  1. After a slow start the Young Lions got their act together after about ten minutes. It was the same combination of Shaiful Esah's corners and someone's header that did the trick again, but both goals were very well taken all the same.

    Second half a lot of hard work and it was not helped by turning over possession far too readily.

    Fortunately the clock ran down before Myanmar could add to their late goal and force another draw.

    More work ahead of the boys in their third and final game so we must wish them all the best once more

    Greenrover

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  2. Same old story... score and then lose momentum.

    Think it all comes down to mental discipline. They should press on and don't allow the opponents any chance of making a comeback.

    At least, luck seems to be there and if the other teams cannot cope with our deadballs, they might just surprise all the way.

    Yeah... come to think of it, they might just be able to do a Greece. Just tighten up the midfield and defence.

    Just give me the result - given this team, can only hope for GOLD the ugly way.

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  3. Think we should get more professional coaching from the youngest age group.

    Mental toughness and techniques are not going to see a breakthrough if we have "ex-Lions" running the show. They all have the same bad habits.

    Maybe, GIC/Temasek should consider buy over Arsenal. Send the youths to their academy. Better than losing $ with crappy investments like Bank of America, Barclays, Citi etc.

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  4. When can Singapore really play football?? I mean pass the ball around and create chances from open play? They cannot even keep simple possession. And this extend to the senior squad, too.

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  5. The main BIG FAT reason why singaporee cannot progress beyond SEA standard is because they SIMPLY CANNOT PASS THE BALL AND KEEP POSSESSION.Is this asking too much from a footballer?? FAS must be be blind to think Singapore football has arrived lol.. Shockin to see national coach Raddy who hail from continental europe cannot spot and address this problem after being in the scene for so long.Junior to senior level all played same type of kampong football.. needless to say Sleague as well..sigggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggh

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  6. Slight improvement from the match against indo. Offensively, i think the main difference is Shahdan Sulaiman operating behind Khairul Nizam; he was composed on the ball and did very well holding the play up which is something that is missing from Khairul's and Shafiq Ghani's game. Defensively, Safuwan Bahrudin was rock solid but that cannot be said of Afiq Yunos, who although did not have a bad game, was caught out of position a few times.

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  7. Let's face it, our players doesn't have the technical ability to pass around the ball keeping possession when being pressured by the opponents. But what we can do is go for the quick counter attacks. Sadly though, for our young cubs their counter attacks only consist of only one play- that is to set the main striker free by long through balls behind the opponents last defenders. Most(all) of the time it will just give the possession back to the opponents. There is just no variety in the counter attacks and this is mainly the strikers’ fault- Both Khairul & Shafiq(who got caught offside countless times when he came on) were always looking to run behind the defenders instead of holding their position and asking for the ball at their feet. If you look at the senior squad, there's always big Aleks or NAS to hold the ball up before passing it to the midfielders when couter attacking. For these young cubs there isn't any. The best one is Shahdan but he played deeper in 2nd half to help the midfield.

    The game against Laos will not be easy as anyone might think. They've been preparing for these tourney ever since they were announced as host for the first time. Lets hope our Cubs manage at least a draw.

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  8. without being too pessimistic about the state of singapore football, i think the myanmar game really highlighted the shortcomings that have been plaguing our game (since our exit from the malaysia cup, really). even commentator mark richmond pointed out that khairul nizam's inclusion in the starting line-up highlighted our lack of options up-front. it may have been a little harsh but hey, if our own singaporean commentator is saying it, it might really be something to worry about.

    with that in mind, i really wonder if our hopes that the young lions do well in the sea games are valid. yes, i am singaporean through-and-through and of course, i'll always be behind them. but are all these achievements - bronze in the last games, making the third phase of world cup qualifying, the recent asean championships success - all contributing to the misconception that singapore football is on the right track?

    no one has a god-given right to succeed in this game, not brazil, not italy and certainly not singapore. the fact that we have achieved so much in recent years has only led to a stagnation of the way our national teams play and the only time things have changed, is after a painful defeat. after the 7-3 loss to uzbekistan at kallang, the boys buckled down and got a very respectable 1-0 defeat away. and again, after losing 3-1 to thailand at home, we go to bangkok and shock everyone with a 1-0 win.

    i said to my friend after the thailand game at kallang, "i hope this is the kick up the backside that singapore football needs..." and while part of me hopes that the young lions come back from vientiane with a medal, another part wonders if, looking at the big picture, another such "success" is what singapore football really needs.

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  9. I wld say many are being unfair to the U23

    There are things to note

    1)Other than being the yougest team, a nos of the team hve nt even play or is in their debut year of senior football in the S-league. Comapred that to Indonesia or Myanmar whose players have played in their leagues for a nos of years alreadt like the Indonesian top scorer.

    2)I like what I amseeing as we are developing our style and finally playing to our strength.

    This is a impt point as one has to ask where our strength lie and it is being tough defensive and for a team that has many players in their debut year, it is great to note they are on the road there as they played to our own strength instead of following other nations strength and opening ourselves up to expose our weakness.

    3)The youngsters are techincially good for we played very well in period against both Indonesia and Myanmar when we passed the ball around and created chances but just did not finished them. The Myanmar game should have seem the U23 scored another 3 goals from open play before the second goals as we pin them back.

    4) Using set-piece is the way to score in international football & the U23 shld be credited for being able to do that as we need to understand interntional football has a few chances and most of it is from set play

    So it is a step forward for S'pore as it show we are developing play from set-piece where a generation ago, we seldom did that and was exposed by other who did

    5) For many who claimed the U23 are nothing compared to past NT in term of techincial abilities especially those of the Malaysia Cup era

    It is good if we take a route down memory lane and I will take the 1989 SEA Games as ex as it was the last Final before the pullout.

    We were terrible in that Games and the reason was, we simply pumped the long ball up for Fandi or Sundram and we were battered as our rivals knew how to stop that. In the semi-final, S'pore only created 1 chance throughout thw whole game while we defended all the way (Seem like the way, many talked abt this U23) while in the Final, we were destroyed by Malaysia.

    If we were indeed that techincially superior, why did we resort to the long ball even during the 80s & the 90s

    The fact was, barred a few, most players were never that techincially good and at the international level, S'pore was found out as those international teams were nt like Malacca or Perlis type teams.

    Football is a team sport so we need a group, nt a few like the past, and this is wht the U23 is showing now as the nos of players who are comfortable with the ball is increasing

    Afterall, even England, a nos of S'porean fav team, has for ages played the long ball & used the set-piece for a generation under David Bekham

    So by that, all S'pore team in history or even England are 'terrible'

    Let be fair. the U23 is the youngest team there and yet hve done better than others who more experience and most of this grp can played until 2013 Games (Another 4 years)

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  10. I am a fan of Shahdan Sulaiman, he is very good at this work and the team are playing much better with much.

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  11. Hear, Hear. I'm going bonkers for Shahdan Sulaiman too, and bloody hell, would like to buy him in this January transfer window if you people don't mind. He'll do a far better job than that sorry excuse of an attacking midfielder Irish slaphead if you ask me. Well then, Fair morrow...

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  12. I am sure young lion is not ready and still cannot see any improvement. This is international level not a street soccer. If we need to see improvement can't just bench mark within Sleague. young lion must go beyond this.

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  13. They cannot even keep simple possession. And this extend to the senior squad, too.

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Ko Po Hui

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