Football: Singapore beat Palestine 2-1 to top World Cup qualifying group

[StreetFight3r]

 

SINGAPORE - Tatsuma Yoshida's Lions survived a nervy end to score a 2-1 upset of Palestine in their World Cup qualifying match at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Tuesday (Sept 10).

The result against the Palestinians, who are 60 places higher in Fifa's world rankings, sent Singapore to the top of Group D. Singapore had opened their campaign with a 2-2 draw with Yemen a week earlier.

As in the draw with Yemen, the Lions started the game at breakneck speed, and scored in the fourth minute after left wing-back Shakir Hamzah was quickest to a loose ball on the edge of the Palestine penalty box, and fired past Rami Hamada for the opening goal.

But the visitors, who had beaten Uzbekistan 2-0 last week in Ramallah, equalised in the 14th minute through Yaser Hamed, who finished from close range after the ball bobbled fortuitously for him in the penalty box.

Singapore defender Safuwan Baharudin, however, restored the Republic's lead six minutes before half-time, rising highest at a corner kick to power a header home.

With the game finely balanced, both sets of players squared off in melees in the dying moments of the match, but the Lions, roared on by 6,011 fans, kept their cool to see out the game and secure an excellent result.

Yemen host Saudi Arabia at midnight (Singapore time) in Riffa, in Group D's other match tonight.

 

 

[StreetFight3r]

celebrate like we won the World Cup!!!

[StreetFight3r]

[Spring]

A good step forward for us. New coach has brought us up to mark with high pressing, tempo and fast turnover which is what modern football is all about.

Let's give credit where credit is due. Yes we are nowhere near the top levels of Asian football but Palestine has just beaten Uzbekistan at the weekend so they are no pushovers and are ranked at 102 so its a good start with a new chapter turned. We will know more when the Lions visit perennial Asian powerhouse Saudi Arabia next month. A good showing will boost confidence and our efforts to qualify for the Asian Cup which I feel is the more realistic goal to aim for.  

[Sosaria]

18 minutes ago, Spring said:

A good step forward for us. New coach has brought us up to mark with high pressing, tempo and fast turnover which is what modern football is all about.

Let's give credit where credit is due. Yes we are nowhere near the top levels of Asian football but Palestine has just beaten Uzbekistan at the weekend so they are no pushovers and are ranked at 102 so its a good start with a new chapter turned. We will know more when the Lions visit perennial Asian powerhouse Saudi Arabia next month. A good showing will boost confidence and our efforts to qualify for the Asian Cup which I feel is the more realistic goal to aim for.  

Well, it seems that the way Palestine can play at that level, being essentially stateless, and without top-of-the-line facilities and budgets, not to mention being in a state of hostility with their neighbour with occasional rockets and air-strikes ... is more impressive. I thought at first they were the Lebanese team - but turns out Palestinians!

[Spring]

3 minutes ago, Sosaria said:

Well, it seems that the way Palestine can play at that level, being essentially stateless, and without top-of-the-line facilities and budgets, not to mention being in a state of hostility with their neighbour with occasional rockets and air-strikes ... is more impressive. I thought at first they were the Lebanese team - but turns out Palestinians!

I had mentioned before that one ingredient which is vital to any sportsman is hunger ie the desire to excel and for these Palestinians like many impoverished nations and players have this hunger to get out of poverty by excelling in football and so they are very focused and determined to do well. Of course, skill is the basic ingredient but hard work and hunger certainly propels a sportsman to higher level.

Our local sportsmen being brought up in a cosy and comfortable environment sometimes lack this hunger though not all of them. Anyway, I wish our Lions well and hope they can excel firstly at Asean level and then Asian level and if they can achieve this, I would be very satisfied. 

[mersaylee]

Why no mention of that monkey swing into the net by our 17? I laughed so hard...WTF!?

But at least unlike last times ...better standby a bag of blood just in case vomited too much. 

This team has hope and legs to go further...just need to keep the big head in check. 

[Meanmachine]

When Singapore went out of of Malaysia Cup, we were literately lost and forgotten, it's good to have a Sushi coach to instil confidence and team morale to the lacking fire dragon or Lions, does size matters in football game ? maybe yes, maybe no, it play a part when defending taller opponent, i suppose.

 

Wish them luck

[StreetFight3r]

current standing...

[Beregond]

23 minutes ago, StreetFight3r said:

current standing...

 

how many game we suppose to play in the grouping?? 8 games???

[Zxcvb]

Saudi Arabia drew with Yemen!!! Considering this 2 countries are at war with each other. LOL!!! 

Edited September 11, 2019 by Zxcvb

[Spring]

2 hours ago, Beregond said:

how many game we suppose to play in the grouping?? 8 games???

Yes they play round robin which means 8 games in total for this round.

Top place team and 4 best runners up from the 8 groups will go into the final 3rd round and be split into 2 groups of 6 each. After which, top 2 from each group qualifies for Qatar 2022 and the 2 3rd place teams play off with winner playing another confederation winner for a place in Qatar.

So long qualification ahead! It would be an achievement to qualify for the next round and thereby qualify for our first ever Asian Cup at the same time.

[1fast1]

So proud of our local boys. 👍

[Karoon]

How on earth does Palestine have their own football league??

Also, I think I'm quite sick of seeing mideast teams in the WC. Always no fight one. Much prefer Japs and Koreans, and throw in a Vietnam or Thailand. More fighting spirit.

[Benarsenal]

It's a very positive sign. I don't believe our local boys lack skill. They just need to have the belief, and right attitude, and they can do well.

[Beregond]

1 hour ago, Benarsenal said:

It's a very positive sign. I don't believe our local boys lack skill. They just need to have the belief, and right attitude, and they can do well.

The coach super important, sometime i see them play.

cannot even do 3-5 passes together whole game.

[UncleAtas]

18 hours ago, Karoon said:

How on earth does Palestine have their own football league??

Also, I think I'm quite sick of seeing mideast teams in the WC. Always no fight one. Much prefer Japs and Koreans, and throw in a Vietnam or Thailand. More fighting spirit.

Can you elaborate on how do you see Palestine as a country? Since you're in shock that they can have their own football league?

[Zxcvb]

Base on past records, sometimes I wonder why and how Singapore can still struggle against countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Palestine, etc.

We got best healthcare, drink formula milk, nice childcare education system, clean air, clean water, safe environment, sleep well in nice homes, got tv, got smartphones, got fast internet, got abundance of good food like A&W and Shake Shack, got popular bubble tea. No constant worries of getting robbed nor bombed out of nowhere. And on the sports side, we have so many highly paid certified sports professionals, trainers, coaches, doctors and psychologists. We got a sports school. We got nice stadiums at every heartland. We got many gyms. We got many jogging tracks. We got Nike Adidas, Puma, Under Armour widely available. We organised many marathons. 

Those 4 countries I mentioned above don't have even such luxuries can still beat us easily ah??