KUALA LUMPUR (19 August 2017) – SINGAPORE kept alive its hope of qualifying into the last four in the men’s football of the Kuala Lumpur 2017 SEA Games when they defeated Laos 2-0 in a Group A tie at the Selayang Stadium Friday (Aug 18).
It took only two minutes for Singapore before they found the net through Mohamad Hanafi Mohd Akbar’s attempt from outside the box sailed into the net past Laos keeper Paseuth Saymanolinh.
Eight minutes later, referee Al Yaqoubi Omar Mubarak Mazarouai awarded Singapore a penalty when Ikhsan Fandi Ahmad was fouled by Lounlasy Lathasay. The son of former Singapore legend Fandi Ahmad, made no mistake from the spot for the second goal.
Singapore will be eliminated if Malaysia gets at least a point from its last two games against Myanmar and Laos.
Laos coach Mike Wong said: “Singapore pressured us in the first 15 minutes. This is not the result I wanted. We tried to be competitive but after letting in two early goals, we lost confidence and motivation.”
Meanwhile, Myanmar qualified for the semi-finals after a thumping 6-0 victory over Brunei in another Group A match Friday (Aug 18).
“I am happy the players managed to control the game. If possible, we do not want to meet Vietnam or Indonesia in the last four,” said Myanmar coach, Gerd Friedrich Horst Zeise.
