SEA GAMES 2011: INDONESIA BEAT SINGAPORE TO GO TOP OF GROUP A

SENAYAN (11 Nov 2011) – Hosts Indonesia wrested control of Group A when beat Singapore 2-0 on the third match day of men’s football that was played at the  Gelora Bung Karno Stadium this afternoon.

Despite playing under hot and humid conditions of a 1400hrs kick-off, the Indonesian started the game strongly when as early as the second minute, Patrich Wanggai cut in from the left to beat defender MuhammadYasir Hanapi before rounding off keeper Mohamad Izwan Mahmud to slot the ball home.

That early goal pushed the more than 20,000 screaming fans to their feet.

“It made all he difference scoring the early goal as after that Singapore just lost focus,” quipped Egi Melgiansyah, the captain of Indonesia.

The Young Lions could not believe that they had just conceded the fastest goal thus far in the competition following their scoreless draw against defending champions Malaysia in their first game in the group and then a 2-1 win over Cambodia in their second tie two days earlier.

Rattled, Singapore tried to get back into the game but as they started to pressure the hosts, they often left spaces at the back and in the 17^th minute, they would have conceded the second goal, had it not been for the excellent block from custdian Mohamad Izwan to deny Patrich’e effort from close range.

But just five minutes later, Singapore handed the initiative to the hosts when they lost striker Navin Neil Vanu for a foul on Indonesia’s Mahardiga Lasut which forced referee Steve Supresencia little choice but to go for the direct red.

And in the 32^nd minutes, Singapore fell further behind when they failed to stop the run from Titus Bonai from the left before he cut in for a shot which left Mohamad Izwan stranded in the outstretched.

The score at the end of the first half was 2-0 to Singapore.

Indonesia continued very much the same way they had done in the first half but with both sides not giving any quarters, the game had to be stopped several times as tempers flared. On 55 minutes, Patrich was given a yellow card for an exchange against Singapore’s Shahdan Sulaiman.

Singapore then came close with a half volley from Muhammad Irwan Shah Arismail on 58^th minute as Indonesia remained composed in search of the third goal. But both Titus and Patrich just can’t seem to break through Singapore’s last line of defence.

Singapore then received a free kick right at the edge of the Indonesian box but the well-placed shot from substitute Muhammad Zulfahmi Mohd Ariffin was ably blocked by Indonesian custodian Kurnia Meiga.

The change for Andik Vermansyah in the closing stages of the match failed to change the scoreline for Indonesia as they now look to their next match against Thailand in two days full of confidence.

SEA GAMES FIXTURES
GROUP A