SINGAPORE (Jan 31, 2007) - It was a night when emotions ran high as Singapore take a slender lead in their chase for their second consecutive Asean Football Championship title.

Before a sell-out crowd of 55,000 at the National stadium on Wednesday night, they hit two goals, one via a penalty, to score a psychological boost over the Thais in their first leg final clash.

But it was the penalty which was to create tension and confusion as the Thais challenged the decision of referee C. Ravichandran from Malaysia, in awarding the Singaporeans the 83rd min penalty when the match was still left hanging in the balance.

For a good fifteen minutes the Thai bench just refused to continue play and accept the decision to punish their defender Niweat Sriwong for his alleged push on striker Nor Alam Shah.

Until the good sense of their team manager Thavachai Sajakul prevailed as he persuaded their players to continue.

Mustafic Faharuddin, Singapore's import from Serbia, stepped up to take the kick after order was restored and he put his adopted country on the road to victory.

The Thais were dealt a blow when they thought they had the match under control after coming back from a goal down to Noh Alam Shah's opportunistic strike in the 16th min to send the Singapore crowd into frenzy.

The Thais missing their skipper Kiatisuk Senamuang upfront because of a knee injury, found the going tough as they looked so subdued upfront and so lethargic in midfield.

Only some brave defending helped them along the way but then the strike from Noh Alam for his 10th goal of the tournament tore them apart.

Yet the Thais, the three-time winner, did not lie them and allowed Singapore to roll past them.

Singapore knew their opponents are made of sterner stuff and in the 60th min they exploded.

A through ball from Nirut Surasiang, the anchor in midfield beat the static Singapore defence and Pipat Thonkanya, playing in place of his injured skipper and striker in chief, Kiatisuk Senamuang, ran through to force home the equaliser.
As both teams continued their ding dong battle with the Thais never in danger of conceding another goal, found themselves staring at a penalty decision which was to cause their downfall.

“We fully deserved to win and scored a great opening goal,” said Radojko Avramovic Singapore coach.

“But one lapse of concentration and we conceded the equaliser but at the end justice was served when we got the penalty because the Thais were committing fouls all night. They deserved their punishment.

"We are prepared for the return leg but what I ask for is a firm referee for such an important match."