SINGAPORE (14 April 2012) – The Lion City Cup 2012 will have several new formats being introduced by the organisers, among them having a match between the 5th and 6th placed team as well as reducing the playing time from 45 to 40 minutes.
The 24th edition of the Lion City Cup – a premiere youth football tournament in the region – was announced this week with Manchester City (England), Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands), FC Porto (Portugal), Boca Juniors (Argentina) battling alongside Singapore Under-15 and Under-16 teams on 23 June to 1 July 2012 at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
Other than providing an additional match for the 5th and 6th placed teams and reducing the playing time to get in line with the standard match time of youth football matches in Europe, this year’s Lion City Cup will also see the number of substitute players being increased from three to five players.
A sudden-death penalty kick competition will now be held at the end of each group stage match. There will be no points awarded, but the penalty kick competition will serve as a tiebreaker in the group stages.
“Football is a key part of Singapore’s Vision 2030 plan, and we are pleased to demonstrate our support for this goal with our sponsorship of the Canon Lion City Cup,” says Andrew Koh, Senior Director and General Manager, Consumer and Imaging Division, Canon Singapore.
“With a stellar combination of foreign teams such as Manchester City and Ajax Amsterdam, along with our Young Cubs, we believe the 24th Canon Lion City Cup will offer world-class soccer action to the fans in the region. Through this tournament, we also hope to encourage aspiring young photographers to hone their skills, and become the next generation of photojournalists.
