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what are the chances of us seeing the above euphoria again? hmm... anxiety begins Dec 5th
AFF Suzuki Cup 2008
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what are the chances of us seeing the above euphoria again? hmm... anxiety begins Dec 5th
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didn't see his face in the pic of the team @ airport prior to their departure...
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well done TNP, some other papers need updated pics... i don't buy New Paper unless really necessary...
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yup... but it's the same ol' game
faizal_rocks
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Source from FAS Website
Preview of AFF Suzuki Cup Group A
Antony Suton
info@fas.org.sg
Singapore fly into Jakarta in the next couple of days knowing that if they are to secure a record fourth AFF Cup title they are going to have to fight their way through the proverbial group of death. It seems every international competition these days must have a group deemed to be so tough it is worthy of such a title but for Singapore there maybe some truth in it.
Their group sees them up against hosts Indonesia, Myanmar and Cambodia. Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta with 80,000 fans can be an intimidating place but the Lions have been there, done that. Myanmar are the great unknowns. Can they turn it on for once at the top level or are they doomed forever to be the also rans?
Raddy’s army go into the competition having drawn their last three games, against ASEAN competition, and without the technically gifted Khairul Amri who was hit by the curse of the metatarsal right at the death of the Singapore season. They also lost the services of Qiu Li who was ruled illegible by FIFA. Fazrul Nawaz and Hariss Harun also miss out through injury.
What’s left is a squad strong on experience and indeed strong on strength. Players like Daniel Bennett and Aleksander Duric bring a physical presence that the other ASEAN sides will lack.
With most of the squad involved in the last two tournaments and Singapore unbeaten since 2002 hopes are high the Lions will at least qualify through to the semi final stage.
Their first hurdle will be a Cambodian side who reached the group stage after having won through the qualifying round held in Phnom Penh in October. But edging past the likes of Brunei and Laos in front of their own fans is one thing.
Cambodia visited Jakarta last August when they competed in the Merdeka Cup and were roundly thumped, losing 7-0 to the hosts Indonesia and 7-1 to Myanmar.
They have appeared in just four of the six tournaments and with just two wins and 13 goals in their 16 games it’s difficult to see them being nothing but whipping boys again. In such a tight group it could come down to goal difference and Noh Alam Shah will have fond memories of the seven he put past Laos in the last games.
What to make of Myanmar? They won the recent Grand Royal Challenge Cup which they hosted in Yangon and indeed at times looked a more than useful side. Coached by Brazilia Marcos Antonio Falopa they were disciplined at the back and in Soe Myat Min they have a potential star of South East Asian football.
But can they perform away from home? In the Merdeka Cup in Jakarta they lost 4-0 to Indonesia and in October they lost by a similar margin to Malaysia in KL.
Despite Soe Myat’s ability they have struggled to score goals, 19 in 14 games this year. The Myanmar side could well be the key to this group. Good results against Singapore and Indonesia would see everything wide open with the final games, Singapore v Indonesia and Myanmar v Cambodia, taking on cup final importance.
Then we have the hosts themselves, Indonesia. Despite that fanatical support Indonesia go into the competition with one win in their last five games and coach Benny Dollo expressing doubts about his player’s stamina.
Goals are also an issue with just four in their last five and one of them an own goal. Still, in Myanmar they played without Budi Sudarsono, arguably their most talented player, so hopes he will be high he can gel with Bambang Pamungkas.
The pressure is intense on the shoulders of Dollo, perhaps unreasonably so given that the Indonesians have never won this trophy, and his every selection and formation is being minutely analysed by a media and public desperate for success on the field.
Neither Singapore nor Indonesia have had decent results in the run up to this competition but both Raddy and Dollo will argue the performances were the raison d’etre. With the real thing starting this Friday it’s the results that count.
Can Singapore continue their impressive unbeaten run in this competition? Will Indonesia’s support galvanise the home side? Is Falopa able to inspire Myanmar to the next round? And can Cambodia cause a shock or two?
Well, folks, guess we have to defend our title without our strongest key players which is a huge blow. But I think the Lions can go all the way!!!!!
Preview of AFF Suzuki Cup Group A
Antony Suton
info@fas.org.sg
Singapore fly into Jakarta in the next couple of days knowing that if they are to secure a record fourth AFF Cup title they are going to have to fight their way through the proverbial group of death. It seems every international competition these days must have a group deemed to be so tough it is worthy of such a title but for Singapore there maybe some truth in it.
Their group sees them up against hosts Indonesia, Myanmar and Cambodia. Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta with 80,000 fans can be an intimidating place but the Lions have been there, done that. Myanmar are the great unknowns. Can they turn it on for once at the top level or are they doomed forever to be the also rans?
Raddy’s army go into the competition having drawn their last three games, against ASEAN competition, and without the technically gifted Khairul Amri who was hit by the curse of the metatarsal right at the death of the Singapore season. They also lost the services of Qiu Li who was ruled illegible by FIFA. Fazrul Nawaz and Hariss Harun also miss out through injury.
What’s left is a squad strong on experience and indeed strong on strength. Players like Daniel Bennett and Aleksander Duric bring a physical presence that the other ASEAN sides will lack.
With most of the squad involved in the last two tournaments and Singapore unbeaten since 2002 hopes are high the Lions will at least qualify through to the semi final stage.
Their first hurdle will be a Cambodian side who reached the group stage after having won through the qualifying round held in Phnom Penh in October. But edging past the likes of Brunei and Laos in front of their own fans is one thing.
Cambodia visited Jakarta last August when they competed in the Merdeka Cup and were roundly thumped, losing 7-0 to the hosts Indonesia and 7-1 to Myanmar.
They have appeared in just four of the six tournaments and with just two wins and 13 goals in their 16 games it’s difficult to see them being nothing but whipping boys again. In such a tight group it could come down to goal difference and Noh Alam Shah will have fond memories of the seven he put past Laos in the last games.
What to make of Myanmar? They won the recent Grand Royal Challenge Cup which they hosted in Yangon and indeed at times looked a more than useful side. Coached by Brazilia Marcos Antonio Falopa they were disciplined at the back and in Soe Myat Min they have a potential star of South East Asian football.
But can they perform away from home? In the Merdeka Cup in Jakarta they lost 4-0 to Indonesia and in October they lost by a similar margin to Malaysia in KL.
Despite Soe Myat’s ability they have struggled to score goals, 19 in 14 games this year. The Myanmar side could well be the key to this group. Good results against Singapore and Indonesia would see everything wide open with the final games, Singapore v Indonesia and Myanmar v Cambodia, taking on cup final importance.
Then we have the hosts themselves, Indonesia. Despite that fanatical support Indonesia go into the competition with one win in their last five games and coach Benny Dollo expressing doubts about his player’s stamina.
Goals are also an issue with just four in their last five and one of them an own goal. Still, in Myanmar they played without Budi Sudarsono, arguably their most talented player, so hopes he will be high he can gel with Bambang Pamungkas.
The pressure is intense on the shoulders of Dollo, perhaps unreasonably so given that the Indonesians have never won this trophy, and his every selection and formation is being minutely analysed by a media and public desperate for success on the field.
Neither Singapore nor Indonesia have had decent results in the run up to this competition but both Raddy and Dollo will argue the performances were the raison d’etre. With the real thing starting this Friday it’s the results that count.
Can Singapore continue their impressive unbeaten run in this competition? Will Indonesia’s support galvanise the home side? Is Falopa able to inspire Myanmar to the next round? And can Cambodia cause a shock or two?
Well, folks, guess we have to defend our title without our strongest key players which is a huge blow. But I think the Lions can go all the way!!!!!
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bottom line: can s'pore retain championship?
fuzztremecho
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probably not although I would love to see us retain it for the 3rd consecutive time..
Thailland, with all its political turmoil, might have the extra push factor to win it.We should never also forget Vietnam,a regional powerhouse in its own right.
Thailland, with all its political turmoil, might have the extra push factor to win it.We should never also forget Vietnam,a regional powerhouse in its own right.
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would the pre-cup warm up matches be a fair assessment of the lion's current performance?
fuzztremecho
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in a way..yes.
I do believe the absence of Khairul Amri would severely affect our chances.No doubt he is just 1 man but I do not see another tricky player with good dribbling abilities and maverick style of playing in the team.
Remember the equalising goal vs. Thailand..where he run to the defence and bazooka it from a distance..that is a mark of a special player.
I do believe the absence of Khairul Amri would severely affect our chances.No doubt he is just 1 man but I do not see another tricky player with good dribbling abilities and maverick style of playing in the team.
Remember the equalising goal vs. Thailand..where he run to the defence and bazooka it from a distance..that is a mark of a special player.
Cavett
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Though friendlies can be a gauge to showcase what the Lions can do but I feel that Raddy's Men perform better during "actual" match days and has more to offer..
Noh Alam Shah is back with the National Team but with Indra and Duric as the prefered striking partnership, I see him more as playing the triumph card when the going gets tough.
As long as my main man, Mustafic, has a good tournament, I believe we can see another Singapore vs Thailand final.
But can we retain the cup and do a hat-trick? I don't see why not...
Though I still feel its high time that the Lions target themselves to be ASIA contenders than just being contented with being an ASEAN "powerhouse"....
Noh Alam Shah is back with the National Team but with Indra and Duric as the prefered striking partnership, I see him more as playing the triumph card when the going gets tough.
As long as my main man, Mustafic, has a good tournament, I believe we can see another Singapore vs Thailand final.
But can we retain the cup and do a hat-trick? I don't see why not...
Though I still feel its high time that the Lions target themselves to be ASIA contenders than just being contented with being an ASEAN "powerhouse"....
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faizal_rocks
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Why not? If they are hungry for success, they can go all the way. Even though having Noh Alam Shah back in the squad is a huge boost for us, losing players like Khairul Amri (who could ever forget the winning goal he scored against Thailand that won us our 3rd ASEAN Cup?) is a big blow to us. We will miss his speed and runs.
Tmr is the Lions against Cambodia. Lets hope we get a positive result
Tmr is the Lions against Cambodia. Lets hope we get a positive result
loldude333
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Indeed...............will be cheering the Lions all the way!
faizal_rocks
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Singapore 5 Cambodia 0
Scorers: Agu Casmir (2), Mustafic Fahrudin, Indra Sahdan Daud, Noh Alam Shah
1st half, we didn't play that well. Then we lead thru a scruffy goal towards the end of the 1st half.
I think the turning point came when NAS came on. He was awesome, kudos to him, in his 1st official international game since he was banned last year. Great to see him get a goal. Oh, and ISD finally scored!!! Woohoo!
Can't wait for this Sunday when we take on Myanmar (remember that bottle throwing incident in 2005 by the reserve Myanmar keeper aimed at S Subramani?)
I guess we can go very far in this tournament. Go Lions Go!!!!!!!!!!!!
Scorers: Agu Casmir (2), Mustafic Fahrudin, Indra Sahdan Daud, Noh Alam Shah
1st half, we didn't play that well. Then we lead thru a scruffy goal towards the end of the 1st half.
I think the turning point came when NAS came on. He was awesome, kudos to him, in his 1st official international game since he was banned last year. Great to see him get a goal. Oh, and ISD finally scored!!! Woohoo!
Can't wait for this Sunday when we take on Myanmar (remember that bottle throwing incident in 2005 by the reserve Myanmar keeper aimed at S Subramani?)
I guess we can go very far in this tournament. Go Lions Go!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Alam Shah was definitely on form today, his diving header should have been a goal. IMO, we've yet to see th best of him in this competition.
...and the stats stated: Cambodia- no on-target shots @ goal... but they kept mostly in their half of the field, defending.
...and the stats stated: Cambodia- no on-target shots @ goal... but they kept mostly in their half of the field, defending.
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