MALAYSIA FINISH THIRD AFTER WIN OVER SINGAPORE

The Malaysian youth side scored a goal in the first half off D. Saarvindran (29th minute) and two further goals after the break off Sabri Sahar (64th minute) and Iffi Afinaz Ismail (80th minute).

“The goals scored were not important as against having to put up a good performance,” said Lim Kim Chon, the head coach for Malaysia.

“The players have to work hard from here where after this tournament, we will be making changes to our team where I feel that there will be some 40% change.”

The match did not actually get off to a rousing start with both teams making several changes to their usual line.

Missing from Singapore was influential striker Muhammad Danial Razali while for Malaysia, forward Gary Robert Robbat was also not in the first eleven.

Compounded by the heat, both teams took a while to settle down although Singapore did test Malaysia in the fourth minute when Muhammad Shafiq Ghani blasted in a free kick which came off the
defensive wall.

Malaysia replied in the ninth minute with a scorcher off Mohammad Amer Saidin which narrowly missed the intended target.

As the game shifts back and forth, a through pass from Iffi Afinaz Isamil was picked up by D. Saarvindran who scored the lead for Malaysia from close range.

The second half began very much in the same vein as it did in the first although the substitution of Muhammad Shafiq Ghani for Muhammad Shamil Sharif took some of the pace away from Singapore.

In the 64th minute, a cross from Muhammad Aminuddin Samki saw Sabri Sahar chesting the ball down before releasing a one-timer which beat Singapore custodian Syed Sufian Syed Sulaiman for the second time tonight.

Singapore tried to get back into the match by introducing the wily Danial but that change in tactics came a tad too late as Malaysia then found the space and time to slot home their third goal of the evening ten minutes to the end.

A clever build up from the right saw Saarvindran laying it up for Iffi to sore from the far post.

“Malaysia were the better team although I felt that my players seem a little tired today,” added Masanaga Kageyama, the head coach for Singapore.

“But this tournament has been good for us where it has showed where we stand at this time and what are the improvements we need to do to be better for Uzbekistan.”

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE and RESULTS

09/07/08
AUSTRALIA 2 BAHRAIN 1
SINGAPORE 0 MALAYSIA 2

11/07/08
BAHRAIN 1 SINGAPORE 0
INDONESIA 0 AUSTRALIA 6

13/07/08
AUSTRALIA 4 MALAYSIA 1
BAHRAIN 2 INDONESIA 0

15/07/08
MALAYSIA 2 INDONESIA 0
SINGAPORE 1 AUSTRALIA 1

17/07/08
INDONESIA 1 SINGAPORE 1
MALAYSIA 1 BAHRAIN 1

19/07/08
(Third/Fourth Placing)
MALAYSIA 3 SINGAPORE 0

(Grand Final)
1900 WIB: Australia vs Bahrain