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Tag: football

  • SJI Wins First Schools’ Football Title In 30 Years

    SJI Wins First Schools’ Football Title In 30 Years

    Four years after re-instating football in the school’s curriculum, St Joseph’s Institution (SJI) claimed their first football title in 30 years when they beat Queensway Secondary School 1-0 in the final of the National Schools’ South Zone B Division Football Championship at SAFRA Tampines today (April 1).

    The goal separating the two sides came in dramatic fashion in the dying minutes of extra time when, freed by midfielder Elliot Ng on the right, Nasrul Matin delivered a cross for the unmarked Jared Ng to tap the ball past Queensway keeper Ismail Aung Htun Thu.

    But SJI were left on edge when Mari Martinez was sent off for two senseless infringements, including a handball that gave Queensway the opportunity to take the match into extra time.

    However, Queensway, the better side for most of the match, failed to convert the free kick as referee Victor Teo blew the final whistle.

    SJI’s victory capped four years of hard work by former LionsXII assistant coach and national defender Kadir Yahaya, who was hired in 2012 to help SJI build a decent footballing side after they dropped the sport in 2000.

    They were quick to announce their return, reaching the South Zone C Division Final the following year, but lost 2-1 to Serangoon Garden Secondary School. That defeat only strengthened the team’s resolve to work harder.

    “My team is not as skilful as Queensway, but this is the same team that played in the C Division final two years ago and what got them the winners’ trophy in the end boiled down to sheer hard work,” said Kadir.

    “What has been equally important is that the school did not interfere in my work and this gave me a lot of room to implement my training programme.”

    Better known for its rugby teams, SJI took football off its list of co-curricular activities in 2000, citing declining interest and resource constraints.

    It returned after the SJI Old Boys alumni called for its reinstatement, said Bernard Teo, the teacher-in-charge of football at SJI.

    “There is renewed interest in football at the school with a different crop of students we are getting at SJI,” he said.

    “They have shown more discipline to work hard for the sport and are achieving things and this is good for the school.”

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • Lions Crash Out Of Suzuki Cup

    Lions Crash Out Of Suzuki Cup

    Defending champions Singapore are out of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2014 after a 3-1 loss to Malaysia at the National Stadium on Saturday (Nov 29).

    Both sides played out to a cagey first half, but Safee Sali put the Tigers ahead in the 61st minute after Hariss Harun fluffed clearance allowed the Malaysian striker slams the ball home from an angle.

    The Lions poured forward in search for an equaliser after that, and were rewarded in the 83rd minute.

    Safuwan Baharudin’s free kick is spilled by the Malaysian goalkeeper, and Khairul Amri was on hand to tap home.

    But the Lions’ joy was shortlived, as the referee pointed to the spot after Amri Yahyah went down in the penalty box in the dying stages.

    Safiq put the spot kick away to put the Malaysians 2-1 up.

    Indra Putra put the final nail in the coffin, passing the ball into an empty goal after Singapore goalkeeper Hassan Sunny went up to the opposing penalty box in search of a goal for a corner as the Lions threw caution to the wind.

    The riot police were called in after the match, initially to deal with the the boisterous Malaysian fans, and later to handle the situation in front of the tunnel, where irate Singapore fans threw bottles at the referee.

    They were upset at the match officials for making several dubious calls against the Lions throughout the match.

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg

  • Bernd Stange: Penalty Hearthbreaking But Team Lack Backbone

    Bernd Stange: Penalty Hearthbreaking But Team Lack Backbone

    SINGAPORE: Lions coach Bernd Stange had called Omani referee Ahmed Abu Bakar Said Al Kaf’s decision to award Malaysia a penalty in the 90th minute a “heart-breaker”.

    In the post-match conference on Saturday night (Nov 29), Stange said: “From my view, it didn’t look like a penalty. I have to see the replay. It’s not my job to judge, it’s the referee’s.” He added that the players and him were “feeling empty” after the match.

    Hafiz Sujad was adjudged to have fouled a Malaysian player in the box at the stroke of full-time, and Safiq Rahman converted the resultant penalty. Striker Indra Putra put the gloss on the victory when he slid home the third goal into an empty net after Singapore goalkeeper Hassan Sunny failed to rush back in time from a free-kick at the other end of the field.

    Singapore striker Khairul Amri had earlier equalised, after Safee Sali put the Tigers ahead at the hour mark.

    The coach said “injury time stopped our dreams” and “we are all disappointed”. “Tomorrow we will open the newspaper and only see 3-1,” he said.

    Angry fans had thrown bottles on the pitch, in protest of the referee’s decision. The referees had to be escorted into the tunnel by riot police.

    “We feel very, very sorry for our fantastic fans,” Stange said. “But it’s a young team, and we have a bright future ahead. Six to eight players can still play in next year’s SEA Games and we’re looking forward to it.”

    That said, the coach admitted the team “lacked a little backbone” – something Singapore had two to three years ago, and these are areas the team have to improve on.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

  • Irfan Fandi To Work Even Harder After Top 40 Achievement

    Irfan Fandi To Work Even Harder After Top 40 Achievement

    SINGAPORE: Irfan Fandi, son of Singapore’s football icon, Fandi Ahmad, was recently named in a list of top 40 best young talents in world football. The 17-year-old was the only Singaporean among six Asian youngsters on the list that was posted on British news site, The Guardian.

    In an interview with Channel NewsAsia on Tuesday (Nov 11), the teenager, currently training in Chile, said he first got wind of it on social media.

    “My teacher from my old school, the Singapore Sports School, told me about this through Instagram,” said Irfan. “At first, I thought she was joking, then she sent me more links to it and then I realised that it was all real.

    “Then after a few hours, I got tweets from people and Instagram pictures, and I felt really happy because I have been working really hard for the past few years. This doesn’t mean that I stop working hard, it only means that I have to work even harder for the next upcoming years.”

    At 1.86 metres tall, Irfan has a significant height advantage over other Asian footballers. He is hoping to gain valuable experience from his training stint in Chile.

    “The biggest change for me is adapting to the weather and also adapting to the playing style here,” he said. “The style of play in Chile compared to Singapore is totally different. Here, it’s really fast, really technical. So I have to work really hard to be at their standard, and then be better than them to play in a higher level than them.”

    His father, Fandi, was the first Singaporean footballer to play in Europe, and said going west is the aim.

    “Definitely, their main target is to play professionally in Europe, anywhere in Europe,” said Fandi. “But because they love football too much, so much, that’s why they are on this path, and they want to carry the name of Fandi Ahmad.

    “Right now, I think focus is on Irfan, as he is already 17 years old. I know it’s not easy for a 17-year-old to sign a contract. It’s against the rules. But slowly, surely, I am sure he will get there.”

    CIMB has offered a 6-figure sponsorship deal to both Irfan and his 15-year-old brother, Ikhsan.

    “I am sure all soccer-loving Singaporeans must feel very proud that one of our home-grown young football talents has been voted one of the Top 40 best footballers,” said CIMB Bank Singapore CEO Mak Lye Mun. “I also read that Irfan’s stint in Chile has made him a better footballer and that was one of the reasons why he was voted, so CIMB is happy that we played a part in that sponsorship.”

    With football scouts sniffing around, there could be a chance that Irfan will eventually follow in his father’s footsteps and play for a European club.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com