Toothless Cubs broke the deadlock late in the game with a Shafiq header

Aide is not pressing the panic button just yet 

Scheduled as the preparatory match for the upcoming SEA Games accorded with "A" international match protocols, the Singapore national team started the dice rolling in the fourth minute when skipper Harriss Harun's header went inches above the bar from opening the accounts.

Despite dominating much of the possession in this match against Cambodia at Hougang Stadium, it must be appalling for the Cubs for not able to score as much as they created throughout the evening.

Probably because the Games are just days away and to avoid any mishap from taking place, both sides adopted a "safety-first" approach with the hosts stroking passes around the park with the visitors defended in numbers at their back baying for opportunities to ambush the men-in-red on the counters.

Shafiq Ghani's (26) headed home the only goal

Nonetheless, the lack of clinical finishing from both teams on the field was the hallmark of this encounter that eventually saw the deadlock broken in the 75th minute with a Shafiq Ghani's header from close range off a Safuwan Baharudin flick deep inside the box to seal the match for the hosts.

Acknowledged the lack of fire power up front, Cubs' coach Aide Iskandar, however, is optimistic that his boys will overcome the Achilles' heels.

Speaking the media after the 1-0 win at his former workplace, the former Hougang United coach said:"I'm pleased with the chances we created which we didn't convert but I'm not to worry and we will work hard towards the last (friendly) game before we fly off."

Close shave for the Cambodians

Sahil Suhaimi (3) failed to score in the match

"Generally, I am quite pleased with the performance as it's not easy to face a team like Cambodia that sit back to defend in numbers but I am glad that there's no any major injury and it's a boost that Shafiq scored."

It was also revealed by the former national skipper that the current squad of 28 will be trimmed to 23 by the following day after a reviewing process and have to submit his final list of 20 players to the SEA Games organizers a day before their first match against Laos on the 8th of November.

On the same evening, three players also earned their first senior cap for playing a part in the match, they are midfielder Izzdin Shafiq, strikers Iqbal Hussain and Fareez Farhan.

Earlier in the day, it was reported on Spin, an online portal based in the Philippine, that the Cubs have scheduled a friendly on 1st of December against the Philippine Under-23 side for the benefit of the victims of typhoon Haiyan, a news that was not confirmed at the time of the releasing of this entry by the Singapore side, according to sources.