BoLASEPaKO.COM - A Blog on Singapore Football

I hope that guy, who dropped me an email on the first day of the Lunar New Year in 2012 to chide me for not covering the Malaysian League, did turn up for the game on the  28th of November at the Jalan Besar Stadium (JBS) . If he did, I am not sure how he felt now when he expressed his disappointment in me in that email for not witnessing a "saviour" in the form of a newly formed team - LionsXII that were set to be the "next conqueror" after making "our Great Return to Malaysian football" which he opined was "better than any S-League game" he saw. The KGS is gone - a symbol of Lions XII's MSL involvement I would only say I made that decision without any regret and am glad I did, as I merely adhere to what "Uncle" Choo Seng Quee envisaged a long time ago when he said playing in the Malaysia Cup will not see improvement in our game when we are facing their state teams using our national team that we should be aiming for the pi...

"This was for me the hardest night of international football in my career. The two players on my side were like horses, running up and down, and I didn't expect that (Almawas) was that fast, or that (Al Shibbli) was that good." Those words expressed in the papers by defender Shakir Hamzah after Singapore's 2-1 defeat to Syria last month came as a shock to me. "I didn't expect ... was that fast, or that ... was that good." were those keywords tersely summarized by the 23-year-old on both Mahmoud Almawas and Alaa Al Shibbli who rugged him that night at Kallang. Shakir Hamzah (right) got it past Japan's Keisuke Honda (4) Moreover, it wasn't the first time we faced the Syrians whom we narrowly lost to weeks ago on the road which was why I was taken aback by those quotes. To be honest, I would never anticipate thoughts like "didn't expect ... was that fast ... was that good" to be said after an international competitive...

Referee Muhd Taqi (right) sticking close to action  The night ended in a misery for Tampines Rovers for not only unable to clinch the S.League title as a farewell gift for their long-serving former chairman and benefactor - Mr Teo Hock Seng but also saw the one-all draw against Harimau Muda ended in an undesirable manner when two of their players were accounted for the three marching orders flashed out by referee Muhd Taqi. Prior to the start of the match at Jurong West, the equation was simple - the Stags, for having trailing large part of the season behind eventual winners Brunei DPMM, need to beat Malaysian developmental squad by two clear goals while hoping Balestier Khalsa could repeat another giant-killing act by defeat the Wasps at home to ensure the fifteen-kilogram silverware remain in the Republic (although the league authority had it flown to Brunei, as reported in the papers). Referee Taqi flashed his first red in the 35th minute to Isa Halim Mateo Roskam ...

Izwan Mahbud in agony as Southampton's Yoshida (22) celebrates Everything went according to the script when Japan chalked up a 3-0 win over Singapore at the National Stadium last evening. The result not only allowed the Blue Samurais to hold onto the top position in the AFC World Cup Qualifiers Group E standings but as a sort of revenge for that goal-less draw played in Saitama back in June as well. The visitors wasted little time when the match kicked off at an usual timing at 7.15pm by setting up camp in their hosts' territory that basically crippled any chances of the Lions making their way out of their half. Keisuke Honda (left) in disbelief of another screwed chance So it wasn't that surprise to see the Japanese broke the duck in the 20th minute when Kashima Antlers' midefielder Mu Kanazaki sealed it off with sheer precision after controlled the ball well following a nice laid-off by Yoshinori Muto, who was at the receiving end of the cross floated in...

Coach Sundram (right) looked away as Tigers celebrate For some reasons, there is a saying - not to be on the losing side of the final home match of your season, even at the expenses of a close friend of yours and the 4-3 win by Balestier Khalsa over title-contenders Tampines Rovers proven the theory. Prior to the match at the Toa Payoh Stadium, the home ground of the Tigers, things were looking up for the visiting Stags who were looking nothing less than maximum points to narrow the gap between league leaders Brunei DPMM and themselves, especially when the men from the sultanate were upset by Geylang International two days ago. Pacheco was having a bad day in office However, Tigers’ coach Marko Kraljevic had to put aside any thoughts of cordialness for that ninety minutes and had his counterpart and close friend V Sundram Moorthy left the ground on a heavy heart when the former national striker is to resume his role as one of the assistants to national coach Bernd Stange fo...

Bruno celebrates after scoring in 58th minute It is a massive win that could change the Great Eastern - Yeo's S.League title race completely with this 2-1 upset at Bedok this evening. Putting aside the win that lifted Geylang International from the foot of the league table, the considerable damage had inflicted on leaders Brunei DPMM who may still leading the pack with five points clear of their nearest rivals Tampines Rovers. But with the second-placed Stags having played two games less than the sultanate's men, the ball will be at the V Sundram moorthy's charges to tap on the chance to reduce the deficit after their goal-less stalemate a day earlier against Warriors FC. Ramozotti (left) opened the account in 28th minute So straight from the start, the Bruneians stated their intention clear by pressing the Eagles right at their doorsteps that ruffled a few feathers on a few occasions by notching up a few dead-ball opportunities at the edge of the box. Yet, ...

Lions (red) failed to capitalize the possession Honestly, things were looking bright from the start before the lack of bite in front of goal saw Singapore walked away with a narrow 2-1 win over Cambodia in the joint World Cup/Asian Cup Qualifiers played at Kallang last evening. Several changes were made in this fixture with the notable absentees from the Lions' start list such as Shahril Ishak, Fazrul Nawaz, etc. making way for the returning of Hariss Harun (as skipper), Safuwan Baharudin from suspension alongside the introduction of Faris Ramli and Sahil Suhaimi in the starting eleven. Hariss Harun (left) was named as skipper at the start Safuwan Baharudin (21) played in advancing position The transformation from the lacklustre outing against Afghanistan was clearly for all to see with the Lions showing more fluency in their offenses by placing Safuwan in an more advancing position while maintaining the backline duo of Baihakki Khaizan and Madhu Mohana. However, ...

Teams lined up for the national anthems (Ko Po Hui) Hardly an inspiring game for those who paid dearly (to some) and braced themselves amid the hazy uncertainty to turn out at Kallang for this World Cup Qualifiers fixture between Singapore and Afghanistan. Frankly to say the absence of both Safuwan Baharudin and Hariss Harun was the reason behind the boring display from the Lions may not exactly tell the story. True enough, Izzddin Shafiq did not fit in rightfully into the void left behind by the suspended Johor Darul Tazkim midfielder and the one-time Melbourne City loanee proved to be the missing jigsaw in the backline marshalled by Baihakki Khaizan and Madhu Mohana, yet the culprit laid on the lack of offensive plays that cut lone striker Khairul Amri an isolated figure upfront. The usual stubborn deployment by Coach Bernd Stange for playing skipper Shahril Ishak (even though, he had been starting from the bench after the AFF Suzuki Cup debacle) behind the lone striker and...

Mr Sablon delivered his presentation  In short, "patient" and "time" are the key prerequisites summed up by FAS Technical Director Michel Sablon in presenting his much-awaiting blueprint to revamp the beleaguered development scheme of Singapore football to the media this afternoon at the Jalan Besar Stadium. Citing these aspects - "Grassroots" , "Elite Youth" and "Coach Education" as the three pillars under the Belgian's vision for the Republic's football development program, the whole idea is to place a systematic structure that build up from the ground level to achieve a "Singapore Style" of football. For a start, kids at the age between six and thirteenth will be placed under the "Grassroots" level where "FUN" element is the main feature for the youngest participants who will learn to play the game under a stress-free environment before progress gradually to learn the finer aspects of...

Despite going down in the two matches they play against their much illustrious opponents, many people which included the likes of Stoke City's manager Mark Hughes and his Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger , lauded the performance of the Singapore Selection in the just concluded Barclays Asia Trophy. Two players in the picture above - Zaiful Nizam (second from left) and Shahdan Sulaiman (middle) are the two of those worth mentioning for the efforts shown by the hosting side during the tournament that drawn a record crowds of 81,974 to this event since its inception back in 2003. Just last November on the same ground saw a horrific injury sustained by Shahdan during the Suzuki Cup that saw him out of action until his return, merely weeks ago with Lions XII in the ongoing MSL campaign. Also during that period, Zaiful with his wife were spotted among the crowds watching the Lions in action then against the eventual winners, Thailand. Zaiful - "A Dream came True at ...

The Barclays Asia Trophy will be a battle between Arsenal and Everton on this coming Saturday after cleared their hurdles along the way. The Gunners booked their ticket after shutout the Singapore Selection four goals to none. The Toffees, on the other hand, defeated Stoke City on penalties to confirm theirs after a goal-less outing. Lakaku's (right) effort was ruled offside  Peter Crouch (25) utilised his advantage to the fullest Belgian striker Romelu Lakaku would have put the Goodison Park tenants on the pole position before the interval if not for his attempt to be ruled offside. With several close exchanges that failed to yield any dividend forced the opener to head into penalties and resulted Everton proceed to the final on a scoreline of five to four with 'keeper Tim Howard made a crucial save during shoot-out. Arsenal did not field their strongest lineup against the Singapore Selection with less than half of those started by manager Arsene Wenger are the...