SINGAPORE: Singapore took a big step to a record fourth Suzuki Cup title after deservedly beating Thailand 3-1 at home in a niggly first leg of the Southeast Asian Championships yesterday.
Defender Baihakki Khaizan smashed home the third goal from centimeters out in the 91st minute of the match played on the artificial turf at the Jalan Besar Stadium to give his side a big advantage ahead of the second leg in Bangkok on Saturday.
“It was really important to win this game and the boys have done that,” Singapore coach Raddy Avramovic told reporters.
“Both teams are capable to score goals, both can win home and away, we are in some way lucky we have a good result. It is now up to us to go to Thailand and try to score, because if we don’t it will be very difficult.”
Three-times winners Thailand had impressed going undefeated en route to the final with their fast flowing technical play and they were heavy favorites to win the biennial tournament for the first time in a decade prior to the first leg.
Singapore, though, were quick out of the blocks on Wednesday, pressing the Thais back, and the home side were rewarded with a penalty in the ninth minute after defender Piyaphon Buntao hauled down Bosnian-born Aleksandar Duric in the area.
Midfielder Mustafic Fahruddin sent the Thai goalkeeper the wrong way at the second attempt after the Japanese official had ordered the kick to be retaken because of encroachment.
Thailand eventually found their form in the second period and grabbed an equalizer just before the hour mark. Singapore left back Shaiful Esah was caught in possession and Teerasil Dangda broke down the flank before pulling a cross back for Adul Lahso to steer home for the vital away goal.
They were level for just three minutes, however, with striker Khairul Amri restoring the home side’s advantage with a neat finish at the near post after swivelling away from the hesitant Thai defense.
Both sides had chances to grab another goal before Thai goalkeeper Kawin Thammasatchanan failed to deal with a deep corner to the back post with Baihakki on hand to smash the ball into the roof of the net after it fell kindly for him.
Thai coach Winfried Schaefer shrugged off the defeat and said his side would give their all to try and overcome the two-goal deficit in the second leg.
“I have trust in my team. I know my team. I’m sure we will win this next match,” he told reporters.
Dutch Cup holder PSV cruises into quarterfinals
In Rotterdam, Dutch Cup holders PSV Eindhoven eased into quarter-finals with Slovenian striker Tim Matavz netting twice in a 4-0 win at amateurs Rijnsburgse Boys on Tuesday.
Stanislav Manolev’s long-range strike after four minutes set PSV Eindhoven on their way and they effectively had the game secured before halftime after Matavz scored from a rebound and then added another with a well-executed lob from Kevin Strootman’s pass.
Damiano Schet missed a penalty for third-tier Rijnsburgse and in a lacklustre second half Strootman hit a fourth for PSV.
Despite the ease of victory, coach Dick Advocaat was not overly impressed.
“I used this match to see some young players in my squad but that was not very satisfying,” said Advocaat. “It is clear that this squad is not at full strength and that we need to get some reinforcements during the winter break.”
AZ Alkmaar overcame a second-half fightback to beat second division side Dordrecht 4-2 and reach the last eight, with second-tier Den Bosch also progressing after a 1-0 victory over Cambuur Leeuwarden.
Dirk Marcelis, Jozy Altidore and Viktor Elm scored before the break for Alkmaar, but they were made to sweat after Moussa Kalisse and Lars Veldwijk replied. Ruud Boymans sealed the win from close range in the final minute.
Inter beats Verona to advance in Italian Cup
Inter Milan moved into the Italian Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over second-tier Verona on Tuesday.
Inter’s Italy striker Antonio Cassano and Colombia midfielder Fredy Guarin were on target in the second half for the 2011 cup winners.
AC Milan, Juventus, Catania and AS Roma had already booked their places in the last eight.
The quarter-final lineup will be completed on Wednesday when Lazio host Siena, Udinese welcome Fiorentina and Napoli entertain Bologna.
Malaga grabs late draw at third-tier Eibar in Cup
Malaga grabbed a stoppage-time equalizer through defender Oguchi Onyewu to draw 1-1 at third-tier Eibar in a re-arranged King’s Cup last-16 first leg tie on Tuesday.
The La Liga side, who lie fourth in the standings and who have qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League in their maiden campaign, had one eye on Saturday’s league visit of Real Madrid and fielded a weakened side.
They fell behind on a heavy, muddy pitch in the Basque country when Txema Anibarro netted in the 73rd minute following a free kick.
Eibar, who knocked out last year’s finalists Athletic Bilbao 1-1 on the away goals rule in the last round, came unstuck in time added on when United States international Onyewu made the most of some poor goalkeeping to head in.
The return leg is at the Rosaleda next month.
