Two-footed lunge by Ismail Yunos leads to downfall of Lions in Asian Cup football qualifier

For the second straight international, Ismail Yunos played a central role in a Singapore defeat when he was shown a straight red card for a two-footed tackle from behind on Reza Khalatbari in Singapore’s first Group E AFC Asian Cup qualifying match.

Ismail came on as a substitute in the second leg semi-final game against Vietnam in the ASEAN Football Championship (Suzuki Cup) and his failure to take down Le Cong Vinh allowed the striker to get past him and square the ball for the winner by Nguyen Quang Hai with Vietnam’s only shot of the game.

Vietnam subsequently went on to win the championship when they beat Thailand 3-2 in the finals.

With the loss of first-choice players Shi Jiayi, Aleksandar Duric and Noh Rahman from the starting lineup and a half-fit John Wilkinson and Noh Alam Shah starting, local-born players like Indra Sahdan, Shahril Ishak and Ismail Yunos got starting places.

However, that challenge by Ismail undid the good work of the team which up to that point, had played well enough to prevent the Iranians from doing any damage.

Coach Raddy Avramovic also questioned the heart of the players.

“I did not see the will in my players when we had possession of the ball. We defended well, especially in the first half, but when we got the ball we didn’t know what to do with it. None of the players wanted to get the ball and start an attack.

The Iranians pressed us and they constantly won the ball and we kept losing balls in places we shouldn’t have and this is one of the reasons why we lost this game,’ concluded Avramovic.

Iran thrash Singapore 6-0 in Asian Cup football qualifier

Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - Iran thrashed Singapore 6-0 this evening in Tehran in their Group E AFC Asian Cup qualifying match.

In a game played in -1ºC weather before just 3,000 spectators in the 100,000-seater Azadi Stadium, Iran led 1-0 at half-time before they hit Singapore for five in the second half.

The Lions played a compact defensive game to keep the Iranians at bay but the complexion of the game took a dramatic turn in the 40th minute, when Ismail Yunos was shown the straight red card for a tackle from behind on midfielder Reza Khalatbari.

Left reeling, Singapore soon conceded a goal three minutes later in the 43rd minute when Iran’s Gholamnejhad Mageed scored.

Seven minutes into the second half, Iran scored again through captain Bagheri Karim before Gohamreza Rezaei scored Iran’s third just three minutes later in the 55th minute.

Singapore held on for a little longer but conceded another when Mazyar Zare Eshghdoost scored to make it 4-0 in the 79th minute.

The humiliation was complete when Nori Mohammad scored two goals in two minutes in the 82nd and 83rd minute to hand Singapore a most unwelcome start to their Asian Cup qualifying campaign.

Captain Indra Sahdan was replaced by Muhd Ridhuan at the start of the second half while Agu Casmir came on for John Wilkinson in the 67th minute. Juma’at Jantan also made an appearance when he came on for Shahril Ishak in the 57th minute.

“This was a very heavy defeat for us but we played very well in the first half. Until the sending off, we were very organised and compact. We did not let them play,’ said coach Avramovic.

“But things were very difficult in the second half as we had one man down and against a good team like Iran, this makes a very big difference.

“They also had very physical and tall players and they took advantage of that as we had difficulty in dealing with their crosses,” he added.

Line-up: Lionel Lewis (GK), Ismail Yunos, Baihakki Khaizan, Precious Emuejeraye, Daniel Bennett, Shahril Ishak (Juma’at Jantan 57′), Fahrudin Mustafic, Isa Halim, John Wilkinson (Agu Casmir 67′), Noh Alam Shah, Indra Sahdan (Ridhuan Muhammad 46′)

Subs not used: Hassan Sunny, Shaiful Esah, Rosman Sulaiman, Mustaqim Manzur

Player Statistics

ROSMAN SULAIMAN
Age: 26 (6/11/82) Position: Defender Club: Home United Caps: 0 Goals: 0 Jersey #: 26

SHAIFUL ESAH
Age: 22 (12/5/86) Position: Defender Club: SAFFC Caps: 0 Goals: 0 Jersey #: 22

Mustafic Fahrudin and Isa Halim to pair up again in defensive formation for Asian Cup football qualifier

Tehran, Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - Facing the formidable Iranian side in Tehran calls for a realistic formation and national football coach Raddy Avramovic is a pragmatic man.

Shorn of his first-choice players, the coach is making sure his team leave with some of their dignity intact.

Isa Halim and Mustafic Fahrudin, both defensive midfielders, line up again together. The last outing the pair had together was in the first leg semi-final game against Vietnam in the ASEAN Football Championship (Suzuki Cup) which ended 0-0 in Hanoi.

Upfront, the Lions are severely depleted as well, but coach Avramovic has come up with a solution that might just undo the Iranian defence.

“Our striking situation at the moment is not ideal. I can’t choose the best players that are in Singapore, but a situation like this happens sometimes and I have to find a solution for it.

“We currently have four strikers in the team. Indra Sahdan, Noh Alam Shah, Agu Casmir and Ridhuan Muhammud and I have to choose between these four and decide when and how they will play for the team.

“I am going to start with Indra and Alam Shah and as the game progresses Agu and Riduan will feature in the game as I see fit.”

First-choice striker Aleksandar Duric was ruled out with a fractured fibula and only just started running yesterday in training with Singapore Armed Forces FC in preparation for the new S.League season.

John Wilkinson makes his first start since a calf injury ruled him out of the first leg semi-final against Vietnam, a key reason why Singapore struggled and eventually lost 0-1 at home in the second leg.

Ismail Yunos, who came on for Noh Rahman and within minutes was responsible for letting Le Cong Vinh get past him which led to Vietnam’s only goal and match winner in that heartbreaking second leg semi-final, will get a rare place in the starting lineup.

National football team to face mighty Iran in freezing temperatures in Asian Cup qualifier

Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - The Singapore national football team face Iran today in their first Group E AFC Asian Cup qualifying game.

It’s a game that they will be happy to finish with a draw against a formidable Iranian squad.

“As long we do not lose the game, I think that will be a great result,” said a pragmatic Singapore coach, Radojko Avramovic.

“For the past 10 years, Iran has been one of the best teams in Asia. They have participated in the World and Asian Cups and have very good club sides who have consistently qualified for the Asian Champions League.

“They also have an abundance of quality players, including a number of them who are playing in top level competitions in Spain and Germany,” Avramovic added.

However, the local dailies claim these legionnaires, as foreign-based Iranian players are known, have not been called up to the Iranian squad as they have been told to concentrate on club commitments.

Players such as Javad Nekounam (Osasuna), Masoud Shojaee (Osasuna), Vahid Hashemian (Vfl Bochum) and Andranik Teymourian (Fulham FC) are some of those who have elected to stay with their respective clubs.

Apart from facing an Iranian team that could tear Singapore apart at will in the intimidating Azadi Stadium with a capacity of 100,000, the freezing temperatures are leaving our tropical lions quite numb literally.

“The weather without a doubt is cold here in Tehran but it is something we have to cope with. I know the players will struggle to last the full 90 minutes as they are not used to the cold and the dry air here in Tehran,” said Avramovic.

“I know this is a big obstacle but we must put in more effort and I know the players will give it all their best to get a result.”

Given the weather and the quality of the opposition, the team will play a counter-attacking style as they expect Iran to attack from the start, indicated FAS spokesperson Visakan Subramaniam.

Precious and Agu, the two Nigerian-Singaporeans, are finding it hardest to adapt to the cold, judging by the layers of clothing they are wearing, said Visakan.

Said Precious: “The only problem I foresee in this game is the weather. The weather here is really cold and I am trying my best to stay warm. Even with all the clothing that we have, I am still cold.”

AFC Asian Cup qualification Group E
I.R. Iran vs Singapore
Wednesday 14 January
3.00pm, Iran time (7.30pm Singapore time)
Azadi Stadium, Tehran

Singapore probable lineup: Lionel Lewis (GK), Ismail Yunos , Baihakki Khaizan, Precious Emuejeraye, Daniel Bennett, Shahril Ishak, Fahrudin Mustafic, Isa Halim, John Wilkinson, Noh Alam Shah, Indra Sahdan

Substitutes: Hassan Sunny (gk), Mohd Noh Rahman, Shaiful Esah, Juma’at Jantan, Rosman Sulaiman, Mustaqim Mansur, Shi Jiayi, Ridhuan Muhammud, Agu Casmir