UrbanWire was wrong, we admit it. And it’s a mistake that we’d gladly make again after the Lions successfully qualified for the SEA Games semi-finals for the first time since 1999 after they drew 0-0 with Malaysia on Dec 8.

After lambasting the Lions for their dismal draw against minnows Laos , the Lions dug deep and beat favourites Vietnam 3-2 on Dec 3, putting qualification from Group B firmly in their own hands, with just a point needed against arch-rivals Malaysia.

And what a dramatic encounter it turned out to be.

Everything to Lose

With Malaysia needing a victory against Singapore to qualify after having lost to Vietnam 2-1 in their opening match, this was a do-or-die match for a highly promising team that had clinched the Merdeka Cup back in Aug.

The first part of the first  half belonged to the Malaysians who tried to dictate the tempo. With their nifty wingers, the Tigers (as the Malaysians are called) were constantly asking questions of a Singapore backline that was found wanting for pace.

However while Malaysia was the more dominant team in terms of possession, it was actually the Lions who were more dangerous on the prowl, especially via the attacking trio of Khairul Amri, Sharil Ishak and Ridhuan Muhammad.

It was Amri who proved a constant menace against the Malaysian defence. In the 30th min, the quick footed winger danced around the edge of the penalty box before supplying a delightful through ball which had to be cut out for a corner by defender Mohd Aidil Zafuan Abdul Radzak.

From the resulting corner, Amri again managed to dribble around the Malaysian defence before supplying a cross that was expertly controlled by captain Baihakki Khaizan. However Khaizan’s shot was comfortably saved by Malaysian keeper Syed Adney Syed Hussein.

In the 34th min, Amri’s fearlessness nearly gifted Singapore the lead. A superb cross towards the near post by Ishak was missed by winger Fazrul Nawaz. With the ball moving quickly away from goal, goalkeeper Hussein had to be quick off his line to smother the danger. But with Amri just a split second faster to the ball than the onrushing 1.89m giant, it was inevitable when the big man brought down the striker to give away the penalty.

The ensuing penalty was poorly struck by the disappointing Nawaz who was having a wretched first half. The extremely feeble penalty was easily dealt with by a relieved Hussein.

The Drama Intensifies

The second half saw the Lions bursting right off the blocks with Amri again proving to be Singapore’s greatest attacking threat. In the 46th min, his cross from the left flank was missed by defender Radzak but winger Muhammad could only head the ball just wide with the goal at his mercy.

In the 51st min, following a poor clearance by the Malaysian from his own cross, Amri showed his resilience by winning the ball back and slipping it to Muhammad whose shot towards the near post was saved by Hussein.

But with the clock winding down, the Malaysians slowly crept back into the game and began to exert a certain measure of dominance over the Lions with striker Mohd Safee Sali going close in the 61st min. Singaporean keeper Hassan Sunny was kept on his toes a few minutes later when striker Mohd Khyril Muhymeen Zambri’s shot required the former to make a diving save.

In the 70th min, Singapore’s hopes of making it into the semi-finals seemed to have gone up in smoke. Slack marking and miscommunication during a Malaysian free-kick saw striker Mohd Amirul Hadi Zainal power a header past a helpless Sunny from close range.

The introduction of striker Agu Casmir brought a change to the game’s fluency and saw the Lions with greater urgency as they searched for the equaliser. The substitution paid dividends soon after in the 80th min when the burly striker headed the ball home from close range after a long throw by Ismail Yunos and a flick-on by Khaizan.

Forced on the prowl yet again, the Tigers nearly got the goal they needed when goal scorer Amirul beat Khaizan for pace but he could only blast the ball high and wide deep into injury time.

Final score: Singapore 1, Malaysia 1.

A Moment to Savour

It’s certainly a momentous occasion to celebrate for the Lions. True they haven’t exactly played scintillating football but they’ve remained unbeaten over the course of their 3 qualifying games to finally qualify for the semi-finals, a feat they haven’t managed to accomplish since 1999 when the competition was still contested by the senior sides. With the Lions going up next against powerhouse Thailand who bamboozled their way to the top of Group A, UrbanWire wishes them the best of luck. The odds may be stacked against them but with a tactically astute coach like Raddy Avramovi?, an upset might just be on the cards.

And if that happens, taking into account the successes the senior squad has enjoyed in recent times, the fans might say that the Singapore football Renaissance has just begun.