Singapore needed a victory, and with a healthy margin too, if they were to have any hopes of advancing beyond the group stage. And tonight, that’s exactly what Fandi Ahmad’s charges delivered as they whipped Timor Leste 6-1 to significantly improve their chances of securing a place in the AFF Suzuki Cup semi-finals this year.
Despite their massive win, however, Singapore remain third in Group B behind Thailand and Philippines who played out a 1-1 draw tonight and are now on seven points each. Singapore have six and need a good result in their difficult final group match away against Thailand on Sunday.
The hosts charge to glory in front of some 18,000 fans at the Singapore Sports Hub was led by Muhammad Safuwan Baharudin who plundered a hattrick in addition to contributing to the team’s performance tonight. Safuwan, who was later named the Honor Man-of-the-Match, got the game underway with an opening strike in the 12th minute. The next was seven minutes later and he finished off with a third two minutes into added time.
Ikhsan Fandi, son of the Singapore coach, smashed two goals, the first in the 31st and another, a superb overhead kick, in the 43rdminute to put the score at 4-1 at the break. The other goal came from substitute Mummahad Faris Ramli in the 90th minute.
“The set-pieces really work well today. It was good result, and a good margin, which is what we wanted. I’m happy with the result but we still have to fight another day (against Thailand),” said Fandi, who explained that the team had been working hard on their set-pieces in their preparations for tonight’s match.
The former Singapore player said the team had to stay positive for the last group game. “We have to push ourselves to the limit, we have to go there (Bangkok) and get the points.”
Singapore could not have asked for a better start, apart from a lapse which led to Timor Leste equalising. The Timor defence and goalkeeper Aderito Fernandes scrambled to clear the threat from their opponents but were simply unable to stop them.
The hosts snatched the lead in the 12th minute when Muhammad Zulfahmi Mohd Ariffin’s corner kick across the box and to the far post found Safuwan. Before the fans finished celebrating, Timor Leste replied through Ruffino Walter Gama a minute on.
The fans were soon on their feet again as Safuwan turned in a rebound from a weak block by the goalkeeper from a Ikhsan freekick. There was more cheer in the 31st minute after Muhammad Zulkarnaen was brought down on the edge of the box by Jose Silva. Zulfahmi’s freekick hit a defender and Ikhsan easily knocked it in.
But Singapore were not yet done. Two minutes from the break, Aderito punched away a corner kick from Zulfahmi but it did not fall far. Ikhsan saw his chance and executed a fine overhead kick for a comfortable lead at the break.
Singapore tried hard to increase the scoreline and just when time was almost up, Faris and Safuwan managed to sneak into two more goals at the end.
“I’m too sad. I need to talk to the players. It’s difficult to talk right now,” said an upset Timor Leste coach, Noris Tsukitate. “All I can say it that they were better than us.”
