Singapore defeated 10-man Montenegro 3-2 in a thrilling
game to qualify for the semi-final of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG)
Boys’ under-15 football tournament.
The Cubs surprised the 5,850 roaring fans barely three minutes
into the game when striker Suhaimi Muhaimin scored after he slotted
the ball past the onrushing Montenegro goalkeeper Marko Kordic.
But Montenegro struck back six minutes later when their skipper
Nebojsa Kosovic delivered a harmless looking free-kick into the
Singapore penalty area which fooled Cubs custodian Fashah Rosedin
and found its way into goal.
Montenegro then took the lead in the 22nd minute from Kosovic’s
penalty kick after defender Illyas Lee was adjudged to have raised
his boot too high when challenging Aleksandar Boljevic for the
ball.
But Singapore bounced back to score the equaliser from skipper
Jeffrey Lightfoot’s towering header minutes before half-time.
The turning point came in the 63rd minute when Montenegro
midfielder Nickola Jovanovic was sent off. Referee Wilmar Roldan
showed him the red card after he punched Mazlan Ammirul while they
were challenging for the ball.
With a draw looking imminent, Cubs midfielder Brandon Koh
brought the partisan crowd to its feet when he scored the winning
goal in the 75th minute, courtesy of a careless mistake from
Montenegro defender Danilo Sarkic.
Video Highlights of Goals: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZcEH4YMTXY&feature=related
