10-man Saudi Arabia in 2-1 win over Singapore in pre-Asian Cup
tournament
Posted: Wednesday Jun 27, 2007 11:50 AM
SINGAPORE (AP) -Goals from Abdulrahman Ali Al Qahtani and Taiseer
Jabir Al Jassam were all a 10-man Saudi Arabian side needed to
score a comfortable 2-1 win over their hosts in the second game of
the Singapore Invitational Tournament Wednesday.
Singapore goalkeeper Lionel Lewis fumbled Al Qahtani's 26th minute
free kick, allowing the ball to slip under his body and trickle
over the goal line to give Saudi the initiative in the match played
at the National Stadium.
Midfielder Al Jassam doubled his side's lead eight minutes later
after his initial touch at the edge of the penalty area took him
past a static Singapore defense as he slammed the ball past a
hapless Lewis in the 34th minute.
Al Jassam was later sent off in the 50th minute when he was shown a
second yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Singapore midfielder
Mustafic Fahrudin.
He was earlier booked for dangerous play by Indonesian referee
Hidayat Jajat Sudrajat midway through the first half.
Substitute striker Asrin Shariff converted from close range with
the last kick of the game to give the home side a consolation
goal.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Saudi coach, Brazilian
Helio Cezar Pinto Dos Anjos said he was "surprised'' by the way
Singapore played against his side, which was lacking several
first-team players including star forward Yasser Saeed Al
Qahtani.
"We played well against a good team who played faster ...
considering we were a man down for most of the second half,'' he
said.
Dos Anjos was particularly happy with his makeshift central defense
comprising 21-year-old Majd Rafa Alamri and 23-year-old Osama
Hawsawi.
The Singapore Invitational Tournament is a round-robin competition
that pits Singapore and North Korea against Oman and Saudi Arabia -
sides preparing for the July 7-29 Asian Cup co-hosted by Indonesia,
Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Saudi Arabia is in Group D, which features their Indonesian hosts,
Bahrain and South Korea.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/soccer/wires/06/27/2080.ap.as.spt.soc.singapore.saudi.arabia/index.html#
