Indonesia edge Philippines to reach AFF Cup finals

Defending champions Vietnam eliminated, Malaysia through

Indonesia's Cristian Gonzales (L) challenges Philippines Anton Edward Del for the ball during their second leg semi-final match at the 2010 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) 2010 soccer tournament in Jakarta on Sunday - Photo: Reuters

HCMC – Host Indonesia reached the final game of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 after defeating Philippines 1-0 in the second leg semifinal at Geloga Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia on Sunday.

The superb goal by Uruguayan-born striker Cristian Gonzales in the 42nd minute gave the Indonesian side a fifth consecutive victory in the championship that set up a final with Malaysia, who tied champions Vietnam 0-0 on Saturday to win a 2-0 on aggregate.

The Filipinos entered the game with a huge task of scoring at least 2 goals and keeping their net clean if they were to go into the final. If the Philippines scored just a single goal and keep a clean sheet against Indonesia, the match would go to extra time and a penalty shootout later.

Meanwhile, the Indonesians only needed a draw to advance to the finals, having beaten the Philippines 1-0 in the first leg semifinal on Thursday at Geloga Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia.

However, what took place on the field on Sunday were beyond the Philippines.

The Indonesians placed pressure on their opponents in the first minutes while coach Simon McMenemy’s team played aggressively right in the beginning but no goals were scored in 40 minutes of the first half.

The joy just came in the 42nd minute when Gonzales, who scored the only goal for the Indonesian side in the 31st minute in the first leg semifinal, easily defeated Filipino goalie Neil Etheridge with a unstoppable free-kick from outside the penalty box.  

Both sides had some scoring chances in the second half but all their kicks were denied by the Indonesian goalkeeper Markus Rihihina and Filipino goalie Neil Etheridge.

Philippines played with ten men in the last minutes of the game when striker Chris  Greatwich was sent off with a second yellow card. The hosts exploited this advantage and put more pressure on the Filipino defending line but their forwarders failed to score.

With the victory, three-time finalists Indonesia made their fourth appearance in the final of the AFF Suzuki Cup.
This year’s biennial ASEAN championship will see new champions as none of the former champions reached the finals.

Indonesia will travel to Kuala Lumpur for the first leg of the final on December 26, with the return match in Jakarta on December 29.

* Defending champions Vietnam ended their campaign at AFF Suzuki Cup after tying 0-0 in their second leg semifinal against Malaysia at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on Saturday, giving their archrivals a 2-0 aggregate victory to go through to the finals.

Vietnam’s coach Henrique Calisto made some changes from a 0-2 loss to Malaysia in the first leg at Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, goalkeeper Duong Hong Son replacing Bui Tan Truong while midfielders Phan Van Tai Em, Nguyen Trong Hoang and defender Doan Viet Cuong made the lineup from the beginning. 

Though Malaysia beat Vietnam 2-0 in the first leg, coach K. Rajagobal seemed cautious, saying before the game that despite their 2-0 victory in their home ground, they should concentrate, not letting Vietnamese players upset them.

Vietnam were on the attack from the start of the game in search of a goal. The home side players dominated the ball possession throughout the first half but Malaysian goalie Khairul Fahmi denied all of their efforts.

It was just a one-way game as Malaysia players resiliently held out to keep a clean sheet. However, Vietnam faced more difficulties when midfielder Pham Thanh Luong was sent off with his second yellow card in the 72nd minute.

South Korean referee Kim Sang-woo decided a second yellow card after the midfielder deliberately flopped in the penalty box while Malaysian defender Kunanlan did not touch him.

Vietnam coach Henrique Calisto replaced striker Nguyen Viet Thang with Nguyen Anh Duc, and added forward Nguyen Quang Hai to the front line in the last minutes. The Vietnamese players continued to dominate but failed to convert any opportunities in last minutes. Malaysia reached the AFF Suzuki Cup finals for the first time since 1996.

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Indonesia edge Philippines to reach AFF Cup finals

Defending champions Vietnam eliminated, Malaysia through

Indonesia's Cristian Gonzales (L) challenges Philippines Anton Edward Del for the ball during their second leg semi-final match at the 2010 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) 2010 soccer tournament in Jakarta on Sunday - Photo: Reuters

HCMC – Host Indonesia reached the final game of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 after defeating Philippines 1-0 in the second leg semifinal at Geloga Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia on Sunday.

The superb goal by Uruguayan-born striker Cristian Gonzales in the 42nd minute gave the Indonesian side a fifth consecutive victory in the championship that set up a final with Malaysia, who tied champions Vietnam 0-0 on Saturday to win a 2-0 on aggregate.

The Filipinos entered the game with a huge task of scoring at least 2 goals and keeping their net clean if they were to go into the final. If the Philippines scored just a single goal and keep a clean sheet against Indonesia, the match would go to extra time and a penalty shootout later.

Meanwhile, the Indonesians only needed a draw to advance to the finals, having beaten the Philippines 1-0 in the first leg semifinal on Thursday at Geloga Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia.

However, what took place on the field on Sunday were beyond the Philippines.

The Indonesians placed pressure on their opponents in the first minutes while coach Simon McMenemy’s team played aggressively right in the beginning but no goals were scored in 40 minutes of the first half.

The joy just came in the 42nd minute when Gonzales, who scored the only goal for the Indonesian side in the 31st minute in the first leg semifinal, easily defeated Filipino goalie Neil Etheridge with a unstoppable free-kick from outside the penalty box.  

Both sides had some scoring chances in the second half but all their kicks were denied by the Indonesian goalkeeper Markus Rihihina and Filipino goalie Neil Etheridge.

Philippines played with ten men in the last minutes of the game when striker Chris  Greatwich was sent off with a second yellow card. The hosts exploited this advantage and put more pressure on the Filipino defending line but their forwarders failed to score.

With the victory, three-time finalists Indonesia made their fourth appearance in the final of the AFF Suzuki Cup.
This year’s biennial ASEAN championship will see new champions as none of the former champions reached the finals.

Indonesia will travel to Kuala Lumpur for the first leg of the final on December 26, with the return match in Jakarta on December 29.

* Defending champions Vietnam ended their campaign at AFF Suzuki Cup after tying 0-0 in their second leg semifinal against Malaysia at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on Saturday, giving their archrivals a 2-0 aggregate victory to go through to the finals.

Vietnam’s coach Henrique Calisto made some changes from a 0-2 loss to Malaysia in the first leg at Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, goalkeeper Duong Hong Son replacing Bui Tan Truong while midfielders Phan Van Tai Em, Nguyen Trong Hoang and defender Doan Viet Cuong made the lineup from the beginning. 

Though Malaysia beat Vietnam 2-0 in the first leg, coach K. Rajagobal seemed cautious, saying before the game that despite their 2-0 victory in their home ground, they should concentrate, not letting Vietnamese players upset them.

Vietnam were on the attack from the start of the game in search of a goal. The home side players dominated the ball possession throughout the first half but Malaysian goalie Khairul Fahmi denied all of their efforts.

It was just a one-way game as Malaysia players resiliently held out to keep a clean sheet. However, Vietnam faced more difficulties when midfielder Pham Thanh Luong was sent off with his second yellow card in the 72nd minute.

South Korean referee Kim Sang-woo decided a second yellow card after the midfielder deliberately flopped in the penalty box while Malaysian defender Kunanlan did not touch him.

Vietnam coach Henrique Calisto replaced striker Nguyen Viet Thang with Nguyen Anh Duc, and added forward Nguyen Quang Hai to the front line in the last minutes. The Vietnamese players continued to dominate but failed to convert any opportunities in last minutes. Malaysia reached the AFF Suzuki Cup finals for the first time since 1996.

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Vietnam, Philippines cruise to semifinals

Referee Chaiya Alee Mahapab of Thailand (3rd L) stops the game as Vietnam's Nguyen Minh Chau (L), Phan Van Tai Em (2nd L), Le Phuoc Tu (3rd R), Nguyen Vu Phong (2nd R) celebrate their victory near Singapore's Agu Casmir (C) and Mohamad Shahril Bin Ishak (R) after their qualifying round match at the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2010 soccer tournament at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on Wednesday - Photo: Reuters

HCMC – Defending champions Vietnam reached the semifinals at the ASEAN Football Federation Cup/AFF Suzuki Cup 2010, after defeating their archrivals Singapore 1-0 in their final game of the group stage at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium on Wednesday while the Philippines qualified for the semifinals for the first time after drawing goalless with Myanmar at Thien Truong Stadium.

With only one goal from midfielder Nguyen Vu Phong in the 31st minute, Vietnam sent the three-time champions packing right in the group stage of the Southeast Asian championship.

Prior to the game, the Philippines and Singapore have four points each but the Philippines topped the standings of group B thanks to the goal difference. Third-placed Vietnam secured three points from one win and one loss while Myanmar exited from the tournament with two losses. But Vietnam now win the top place of the group. 

The Vietnamese side needed a win to ensure their progress to the next round of the tournament while the Lions just needed a draw to keep their hope of reaching the next round alive.

Head coach Henrique Calisto said he believed Vietnam would beat Singapore in the make-or-break game. The Portuguese man said he was pleased with his players from their performance in the regional tournament even though local spectators had raised doubts about the team’s strength.

Part of Calisto’s confidence stems from the fact that Vietnam had held the three-time champions to a 1-1 draw in the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Sonha Cup at the My Dinh Stadium earlier last month.

At the pre-match press conference, Singapore national coach Radojko Avramovic also expressed his strong winning determination on the threshold of the crucial clash between the two sides.

Vietnamese coach Henrique Calisto made some changes in their lineup with goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong, midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang and defender Doan Viet Cuong coming in from the beginning. Meanwhile, midfielder Le Tan Tai did not even make the list due to an injury.

Backed by the enthusiastic support from about 40,000 spectators, Vietnam were on the attack from the start of the game in search for a goal and coach Calisto’s players dominated the ball possession in the first half while Singapore relied on rare counter attacks.

The home side missed a series of chances, the best in the first minutes when Nguyen Trong Hoang’s kick was saved by Singaporean goalkeeper Hassan Bin Abd Sunny from close range in minute five, midfielder Pham Thanh Luong’s kick over the goalpost in minute 13.

The Lions also created some scoring chances in the half but their players also lost all the chances.

The football-crazy local fans waited for 31 minutes into the game to celebrate the hosts’ scoring when Nguyen Vu Phong opened the score with superb kick after receiving the ball from midfielder Nguyen Thanh Luong in the penalty box.

After the break, the Lions increased their pressure in search for an equalizer. Singaporean forwards always troubled goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong and Vietnamese defenders.

Vietnamese players took on the defensive tactic and relied on counter attacks with an aim to protect the score. However, the Vietnamese forwarders also created some scoring chances and their defense resiliently held out to keep a clean sheet.

But difficulties came in the 63rd minute when midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang was sent off with a second yellow card. Ever since, many scoring chances came for the visitors but the Singaporean players failed to convert any opportunities in the remaining time.

In the day’s other match, the Philippines and Myanmar shared the point after a goalless draw. The Philippines also qualified for the semi-finals as a Group B’s runners-up with five points.

Vietnam will meet Group A runners-up Malaysia in the semifinal first leg next Wednesday in Hanoi’s My Dinh Stadium and second leg next Saturday in Malaysia.

Group A leaders Indonesia will play Group B runners-up Philippines in the semifinal first leg next Thursday and second leg next Sunday on a home and away basis.

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Vietnam, Philippines cruise to semifinals

Referee Chaiya Alee Mahapab of Thailand (3rd L) stops the game as Vietnam's Nguyen Minh Chau (L), Phan Van Tai Em (2nd L), Le Phuoc Tu (3rd R), Nguyen Vu Phong (2nd R) celebrate their victory near Singapore's Agu Casmir (C) and Mohamad Shahril Bin Ishak (R) after their qualifying round match at the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2010 soccer tournament at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on Wednesday - Photo: Reuters

HCMC – Defending champions Vietnam reached the semifinals at the ASEAN Football Federation Cup/AFF Suzuki Cup 2010, after defeating their archrivals Singapore 1-0 in their final game of the group stage at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium on Wednesday while the Philippines qualified for the semifinals for the first time after drawing goalless with Myanmar at Thien Truong Stadium.

With only one goal from midfielder Nguyen Vu Phong in the 31st minute, Vietnam sent the three-time champions packing right in the group stage of the Southeast Asian championship.

Prior to the game, the Philippines and Singapore have four points each but the Philippines topped the standings of group B thanks to the goal difference. Third-placed Vietnam secured three points from one win and one loss while Myanmar exited from the tournament with two losses. But Vietnam now win the top place of the group. 

The Vietnamese side needed a win to ensure their progress to the next round of the tournament while the Lions just needed a draw to keep their hope of reaching the next round alive.

Head coach Henrique Calisto said he believed Vietnam would beat Singapore in the make-or-break game. The Portuguese man said he was pleased with his players from their performance in the regional tournament even though local spectators had raised doubts about the team’s strength.

Part of Calisto’s confidence stems from the fact that Vietnam had held the three-time champions to a 1-1 draw in the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Sonha Cup at the My Dinh Stadium earlier last month.

At the pre-match press conference, Singapore national coach Radojko Avramovic also expressed his strong winning determination on the threshold of the crucial clash between the two sides.

Vietnamese coach Henrique Calisto made some changes in their lineup with goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong, midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang and defender Doan Viet Cuong coming in from the beginning. Meanwhile, midfielder Le Tan Tai did not even make the list due to an injury.

Backed by the enthusiastic support from about 40,000 spectators, Vietnam were on the attack from the start of the game in search for a goal and coach Calisto’s players dominated the ball possession in the first half while Singapore relied on rare counter attacks.

The home side missed a series of chances, the best in the first minutes when Nguyen Trong Hoang’s kick was saved by Singaporean goalkeeper Hassan Bin Abd Sunny from close range in minute five, midfielder Pham Thanh Luong’s kick over the goalpost in minute 13.

The Lions also created some scoring chances in the half but their players also lost all the chances.

The football-crazy local fans waited for 31 minutes into the game to celebrate the hosts’ scoring when Nguyen Vu Phong opened the score with superb kick after receiving the ball from midfielder Nguyen Thanh Luong in the penalty box.

After the break, the Lions increased their pressure in search for an equalizer. Singaporean forwards always troubled goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong and Vietnamese defenders.

Vietnamese players took on the defensive tactic and relied on counter attacks with an aim to protect the score. However, the Vietnamese forwarders also created some scoring chances and their defense resiliently held out to keep a clean sheet.

But difficulties came in the 63rd minute when midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang was sent off with a second yellow card. Ever since, many scoring chances came for the visitors but the Singaporean players failed to convert any opportunities in the remaining time.

In the day’s other match, the Philippines and Myanmar shared the point after a goalless draw. The Philippines also qualified for the semi-finals as a Group B’s runners-up with five points.

Vietnam will meet Group A runners-up Malaysia in the semifinal first leg next Wednesday in Hanoi’s My Dinh Stadium and second leg next Saturday in Malaysia.

Group A leaders Indonesia will play Group B runners-up Philippines in the semifinal first leg next Thursday and second leg next Sunday on a home and away basis.

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AFF Cup springs surprises

On a high: Filipino players celebrate their 2-0 win over Viet Nam in Group B in the ASEAN Football Championship in Ha Noi. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Thang

HCM CITY — With erstwhile minnows refusing to be overawed by powerhouse reputations, the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup could mark a new chapter in regional football.

The Philippines, comfortably wearing its underdog tag, is on the brink of making history while Singapore and Viet Nam, which are frequent semi-finalists at previous editions of the tournament, is on danger.

Six years ago, at the Tiger Cup 2004 (as the tournament was known then), Myanmar successfully entered the semifinals after surprisingly topping the group that included Thailand and Malaysia.

The Philippines now stands a good chance of repeating Myanmar's feat with at least a draw against the latter in the last round of the Group B match today.

In the meantime, Viet Nam, and Singapore, considered favourites for semi-final berths in the Group B, are on the brink of elimination. Malaysia qualified for semi-finals after beating Laos in the last match while the pre-tournament favourites Thailand, who lost 2-1 to Indonesia yesterday, was unexpectedly ousted from the tournament without a win.

"The loss against the Philippines is regretful for Viet Nam but the Philippines considered themselves the underdogs and chose a defensive approach and waited for chances. And they were successful," said Tran Cong Minh, former national defender.

"The match between Viet Nam and Singapore [today] promises to be a very exciting match and both teams have an equal chance."

Game changers

Indonesia and the Philippines are riding high on different styles of play, but both teams have players who can change the fortunes match.

Indonesia destroyed their opponents with dazzling attacks, using the service of Uruguayan-Indonesian Christian Gonzales.

Gonzales, top goal scorer at the Indonesian Super League for five consecutive years, is the talisman in his team's three impressive victories in the Group A. His class goal helped put Indonesia ahead in the opening match against Malaysia and gave his team the confidence to go on and complete a 5-1 win.

He was also the key player for Indonesia in the matches against Laos and Thailand. Gonzales showed his value at the right time, earning his team penalties, which helped settle his team.

Indonesian Austrian coach Alfred Riedl admitted that Gonzales' goals are turning points in wins over Laos and Thailand.

The Philippines has not been as impressive as Indonesia in their wins, but the four points they've got from two matches against title contenders Singapore and Viet Nam is far above their own expectations.

Their new players are making a difference. Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, trained in England, played his best game in the tournament so far on Sunday in the shock 2-0 win over defending champions Viet Nam.

While Etheridge was reliable in the goal, Philip Younghusband and Christopher Greatwich look sharpness up front.

"Besides having some good players, Indonesia have the advantage of playing at home," Minh said. — VNS

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Philippines shock Vietnam, Singapore beat Myanmar

Indonesia advance to AFF Cup semifinals

Philippines' Philip Younghusband (3rd R) celebrates with his teammates after scoring against Vietnam during their ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2010 soccer tournament qualifying match at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Sunday - Photo: Reuters

HCMC – Underdogs Philippines shocked defending champions Vietnam with a 2-0 victory at the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010’s second game at My Dinh National Stadium on Sunday while Singapore, the region’s three-time champions, beat Myanmar 2-1 in earlier game.

The Vietnamese side began the game with a changed lineup after a 7-1 trounce over Myanmar in their opener, as defender Doan Viet Cuong did not even make the list while the Philippines started the game with strongest players in their line-up.

Backed by the support from the local spectators, Vietnam put more pressure on their opponents from the beginning while the Philippines players played defensively and relied on rare counter attacks.

The home side had a dozen of scoring chances but their players also lost all the chances. Midfielder Pham Thanh Luong, captain Nguyen Minh Phuong and striker Nguyen Anh Duc nearly opened for their team in the first half but their kicks crossed over the goalpost or were denied by the Philippines goalie.

The Philippines side surprisingly took advance in the 38th minute in a rare attack as Greatwich easily defeated goalkeeper Duong Hong Son with an unstoppable header in the penalty box.

Vietnam continuously placed more pressure on the Philippines goalmouth after the goal but the visiting defense resiliently held out to keep a clean sheet. Unable to equalize, Vietnam ended the first half trailing by that one goal.

In the second half, Vietnamese footballers continuously placed stronger pressure on Philippines defending line but all their efforts did not pay off. However, Philip Younghusband doubled for the Philippines side in the 79th minute, ending Vietnam’s hopes in leveling the scoring gap.

Singapore beat Myanmar 2-1 in their second game in the group in earlier game. The Myanmar side surprisingly took the lead in the 13th minutes when Khin Maung Lwin scored for his team in the penalty area.

In the second half, Singaporean coach Radojko Abramovic made an important change with striker Agu Casmir coming in for Noh Alam Shah. The change prompted the Lion side to launch more attacks toward the Myanmar goalmouth throughout the second half.

However, the Myanmar defenders made many mistakes in the second half. Aleksandar had a good chance to open the score in the 60th minute and the naturalized striker easily beat goalkeeper Si Thu Thiha in a free kick from inside the penalty box before substitute Agu Casmir finalized the game at 2-1 in the injury time.

After two games, the Philippines and Singapore have four points each but the Philippines topped the standings of group B thanks to the goal difference. Third-placed Vietnam secured three points from one win and one loss, whereas Myanmar exited from the tournament with two losses.  

With the loss, the Vietnamese players need a win to reach the semifinals when they face archrivals Singapore in a make-or-break match on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. while Philippines meet Myanmar in the same day at Thien Truong Stadium to secure another semifinal’s ticket.

* Hosts Indonesia secured the second win at the tournament after crushing underdogs Laos 6-0 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Saturday to qualify for the semifinals of AFF Suzuki Cup by topping Group A while three-time champions Thailand were held goalless by Malaysia.

Indonesian captain Firman Utina opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a penalty kick and defender Muhammad Ridwan scored in the 34th minute, leaving the score at 2-0 upon the referee’s whistle at the end of the first half.

Firman Utina netted his second of the game in the 50th minute soon after Indonesia’s Gonzales had shot just wide of goal. Irfan Haarys Bachdim scored the fourth for his country in the 62nd minute.

Substitute midfielder Arif Suyono grabbed a fifth for the home team in the 76th before Okto Maniani finalized the game in the 80th minute.

In the earlier match, Thailand tied goalless with Malaysia though the 2008 runners-up had plenty of possession and goal-scoring opportunities.

Indonesia, who thrashed Malaysia 5-1 in their opener on Wednesday, have six points from two wins while second-placed Thailand have two points from two draws. Both Malaysia and Laos have one point each but the Malaysian side rank third thank to the goal difference.

Malaysia will meet Laos in the final game in the group stage on Tuesday while Bryan Robson-coached Thailand, who were held to a 2-2 draw by Laos in the opener, will need a victory against hosts Indonesia in their final group game in the same day to guarantee their progress to the last four stage.

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Philippines shock Vietnam, Singapore beat Myanmar

Indonesia advance to AFF Cup semifinals

Philippines' Philip Younghusband (3rd R) celebrates with his teammates after scoring against Vietnam during their ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2010 soccer tournament qualifying match at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Sunday - Photo: Reuters

HCMC – Underdogs Philippines shocked defending champions Vietnam with a 2-0 victory at the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010’s second game at My Dinh National Stadium on Sunday while Singapore, the region’s three-time champions, beat Myanmar 2-1 in earlier game.

The Vietnamese side began the game with a changed lineup after a 7-1 trounce over Myanmar in their opener, as defender Doan Viet Cuong did not even make the list while the Philippines started the game with strongest players in their line-up.

Backed by the support from the local spectators, Vietnam put more pressure on their opponents from the beginning while the Philippines players played defensively and relied on rare counter attacks.

The home side had a dozen of scoring chances but their players also lost all the chances. Midfielder Pham Thanh Luong, captain Nguyen Minh Phuong and striker Nguyen Anh Duc nearly opened for their team in the first half but their kicks crossed over the goalpost or were denied by the Philippines goalie.

The Philippines side surprisingly took advance in the 38th minute in a rare attack as Greatwich easily defeated goalkeeper Duong Hong Son with an unstoppable header in the penalty box.

Vietnam continuously placed more pressure on the Philippines goalmouth after the goal but the visiting defense resiliently held out to keep a clean sheet. Unable to equalize, Vietnam ended the first half trailing by that one goal.

In the second half, Vietnamese footballers continuously placed stronger pressure on Philippines defending line but all their efforts did not pay off. However, Philip Younghusband doubled for the Philippines side in the 79th minute, ending Vietnam’s hopes in leveling the scoring gap.

Singapore beat Myanmar 2-1 in their second game in the group in earlier game. The Myanmar side surprisingly took the lead in the 13th minutes when Khin Maung Lwin scored for his team in the penalty area.

In the second half, Singaporean coach Radojko Abramovic made an important change with striker Agu Casmir coming in for Noh Alam Shah. The change prompted the Lion side to launch more attacks toward the Myanmar goalmouth throughout the second half.

However, the Myanmar defenders made many mistakes in the second half. Aleksandar had a good chance to open the score in the 60th minute and the naturalized striker easily beat goalkeeper Si Thu Thiha in a free kick from inside the penalty box before substitute Agu Casmir finalized the game at 2-1 in the injury time.

After two games, the Philippines and Singapore have four points each but the Philippines topped the standings of group B thanks to the goal difference. Third-placed Vietnam secured three points from one win and one loss, whereas Myanmar exited from the tournament with two losses.  

With the loss, the Vietnamese players need a win to reach the semifinals when they face archrivals Singapore in a make-or-break match on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. while Philippines meet Myanmar in the same day at Thien Truong Stadium to secure another semifinal’s ticket.

* Hosts Indonesia secured the second win at the tournament after crushing underdogs Laos 6-0 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Saturday to qualify for the semifinals of AFF Suzuki Cup by topping Group A while three-time champions Thailand were held goalless by Malaysia.

Indonesian captain Firman Utina opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a penalty kick and defender Muhammad Ridwan scored in the 34th minute, leaving the score at 2-0 upon the referee’s whistle at the end of the first half.

Firman Utina netted his second of the game in the 50th minute soon after Indonesia’s Gonzales had shot just wide of goal. Irfan Haarys Bachdim scored the fourth for his country in the 62nd minute.

Substitute midfielder Arif Suyono grabbed a fifth for the home team in the 76th before Okto Maniani finalized the game in the 80th minute.

In the earlier match, Thailand tied goalless with Malaysia though the 2008 runners-up had plenty of possession and goal-scoring opportunities.

Indonesia, who thrashed Malaysia 5-1 in their opener on Wednesday, have six points from two wins while second-placed Thailand have two points from two draws. Both Malaysia and Laos have one point each but the Malaysian side rank third thank to the goal difference.

Malaysia will meet Laos in the final game in the group stage on Tuesday while Bryan Robson-coached Thailand, who were held to a 2-2 draw by Laos in the opener, will need a victory against hosts Indonesia in their final group game in the same day to guarantee their progress to the last four stage.

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Philippines stagger Vietnam at AFF Cup

The Philippines showed everyone that they are not competing in the AFF
Suzuki Cup 2010 just for fun with a 2-0 win over Vietnam at Hanoi
's My Dinh Stadium on Dec.5.

The visitors created the
biggest upset of the tournament so far with a strong defensive display
that left defending champions Vietnam searching for answers in their
second group B match.

It was the first time the Philippines had ever beaten Vietnam in an international tournament.

Chris Greatwich opened the scoring for the Philippines in the 38th
minute and Philip Younghusband added a second in the 78th minute, both
from counter-attacks resulting from mistakes by the hosts who left
themselves thin at the back as they went in search of a goal.

The Philippines now top group B with one win and one draw, and know
that they only need a draw in their next game against Myanmar to
book a place in the semi-finals.

Vietnam takes on
Singapore on Dec. 8 and need to win in order to be guaranteed of a
semi-final spot. A draw would only be good enough if Myanmar defeat
the Philippines , which many people think is highly unlikely.

In the early match on Dec. 5, Singapore came from behind to beat
Myanmar 2-1 to rank second in the group while Vietnam dropped to
third after two matches./.

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Philippines stagger Viet Nam

Bouncing with joy: Chris Greatwich (left) of the Phillipines celebrates with his teammates after scoring the opening goal against Viet Nam in their 2-0 victory. The win marks their new point as it is the first time they defeat Southeast Asian powerhouse Viet Nam in a football event. — VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI — The Philippines showed everyone that they are not competing in the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 just for fun with a 2-0 win over Viet Nam at Ha Noi's My Dinh Stadium yesterday.

The visitors created the biggest upset of the tournament so far with a strong defensive display that left defending champions Viet Nam searching for answers in their second group B match.

It was the first time the Philippines had ever beaten Viet Nam in an international tournament.

Chris Greatwich opened the scoring for the Philippines in the 38th minute and Philip Younghusband added a second in the 78th minute, both from counter-attacks resulting from mistakes by the hosts who left themselves thin at the back as they went in search of a goal.

Their victory was a great gift to chief coach Simon McMenemy who will be 33 today.

McMenemy, who is on a four-month contract with the Philippines, fielded a defensive line up that succeeded in dominating the midfield, not allowing the Vietnamese players a chance to get into their stride.

"I am pleased with the way my players did. They overcome the obstacle of Viet Nam today," said McMenemy.

"I told them before the match that they should keep working hard and play their best and wait for some luck. They had a good game and converted two out of three chances into goals," he added.

However Viet Nam's manager Henrique Calisto did not agree with his colleague.

"[Despite loss] I congratulate my players because they played with a lot of effort until the last minute. But they were the only side that played football today. You can lose the game but you must lose with honour," the Portuguese coach said, adding that the visitors had parked a double decker in front of their net to stop Viet Nam from scoring.

"I told my team that the Philippines are good in defence and they proved that today with eight players on their team. If Viet Nam had scored once, things would have been different," Calisto said.

The Philippines now top group B with one win and one draw, and know that they only need a draw in their next game against Myanmar to book a place in the semi-finals.

Viet Nam take on Singapore on Wednesday and need to win in order to be guaranteed of a semi-final spot. A draw would only be good enough if Myanmar defeat the Philippines, which many people think is highly unlikely.

In the early match yesterday, Singapore came from behind to beat Myanmar 2-1 to rank second in the group while Viet Nam dropped to third after two matches. — VNS

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Surprises, intrigue excite Suzuki Cup fans

Tien Thanh

Surprise finish: Singapore defender Daniel Bennett tries to steal the ball from a Filipino striker during their AFF Cup match. The Philippines surprised many when they tied 1-1 with tournament favourites Singapore. — VNA/VNS Photo Quoc Khanh

HCM CITY — The first round of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup football championship finished in a way that caught football fans and experts by surprise, with old hands stamping their authority onto the regional football map.

The first four matches in two groups finished unexpectedly in both scoring and what happened on the pitch.

The organisers and sponsors were delighted as thousands of football fans arrived at My Dinh stadium in Ha Noi and Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, after slow ticket sales for a few days.

In the first match of group A in Jakarta, the pre-tournament title favourites, Thailand, were lacklustre during the match and had to chase Laos throughout the second half and only managed an equaliser in the last seconds of an injury time for a shameful 2-2 draw.

This is the first draw Laos has had against Thailand for 35 years.

Contrary to popular opinion that it would be a tightly contested match, hosts Indonesia thrashed Malaysia with an unexpected score of 5-1, although the latter scored first.

The group B, which took place in Ha Noi, happened with an almost similar script but the group's semi-finalist contenders, Singapore and Viet Nam, did better than Thailand and Indonesia.

There were some regretful moments for Singapore, which controlled much of the match and had numerous chances, including one-on-one opportunities, but they only got one point after letting the Philippines equal the score in the last seconds of the stoppage time.

The Philippines deserved its first draw against Singapore at the AFF Cup for their determined effort.

Viet Nam's 7-1 massacre of Myanmar in the opener has been the most impressive and pleasant surprise.

Even Vietnamese coach Henrique Calisto, who was confident of a win for his team before the match, could not imagine his players could create such an outstanding display.

"The tournament started with many wonderful surprises when Laos and the Philippines got good results from stronger Thailand and Singapore. What happened on the pitch proved that Laos and the Philippines has showed real progress," said Tran Cong Minh, former national defender, who spoke to Viet Nam News by telephone.

"The Philippines showed that they are an organised team, not only on how to defend but how to attack. In my opinion, however, the skill level is not as good as Vietnamese players and if Viet Nam plays to its strength, a win is assured," said Minh, who was delighted with the performance from the host team.

Minh also said that after the first round Indonesia was emerging as a serious contender for the title, as they have a good team with many talented local and naturalised players.

Old hands

However, it is too soon to talk about any possibility of the further advancement of Laos and the Philippines when Laos will face Indonesia and Malaysia and the Philippines meet host Viet Nam and Myanmar next days.

Most experts, however, can see real progress from the team. In addition to investment in young football, it is helped by the expertise from foreign coaches, especially Austrian Alfred Riedl and Englishman David Booth.

Riedl, who worked as Viet Nam national team coach three times, is an old hand in Southeast Asia football.

Before taking charge of the Indonesian team, Riedl helped Laos finish in third at the Southeast Asia (SEA) Games last year for the first time.

Laos's current coach, David Booth, who also had experiences in regional football with working periods in Myanmar and Thailand, helped Laos continued the momentum it had gained from the SEA Games last year.

In spite of suffering a 1-1 draw in the opener against the underdogs the Philippines, Serbian coach Radojko Avramovic's Singaporean team had a good display and enough chances for a comfortable win.

The most noticeable new face in the dugout was Thailand's English coach Bryan Robson, but the region's most famous and arguably highest- paid coach had a poor start at his AFF Suzuki Cup campaign.

"Besides having extensive experience with regional football and understanding players, these coaches (Calisto, Riedl, Avramovic and Booth) are very serious about their work," Minh, who once worked as assitant for Calisto and Riedl, said.

"Thailand's bad start is partly due to the fact that they did not have a good preparation because some Thai players had just returned to the team after Thailand's Football Association Cup final. But I still believe they will bounce back in the next matches and qualify for the semi-finals." — VNS

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Vietnam crush Myanmar 7-1; Singapore held to 1-1 draw by Philippines

Vietnam’s midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang (L) challenges for the ball with a Myanmar player during their AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 match at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Thursday - Photo: TTXVN

HCMC – Vietnam on Thursday started their campaign to defend their ASEAN Football Federation Championship with a 7-1 victory over Myanmar at My Dinh National Stadium while underdogs Philippines shocked Singapore, the region’s three-time champions, with a 1-1 draw in the earlier game.

Vietnam faced some disadvantages when star striker Le Cong Vinh, former star striker Pham Van Quyen and midfielder Mai Tien Thanh skipped the tournament because of injury while Nguyen Viet Thang, a first-choice striker of head coach Henrique Calisto, also did not even make the list.

Though the Vietnamese team started the tournament with their injury-hit squad, Calisto believed in the first win against Myanmar.

Backed by the enthusiastic support from local spectators, Vietnamese players began in high spirit and were very confident from the beginning while Myanmar played defensively and relied on rare counter attacks.

The defending champions had plenty of possession and goal-scoring opportunities but the local spectators had to wait until the 12th minute when striker Nguyen Anh Duc opened the score with an unstoppable kick in the penalty area.

Myanmar surprisingly equalized just three minutes later when Aung scored for his team with a sudden kick in a rapid attack. Captain Nguyen Minh Phuong helped the home side advance in the 30th minute from the free kick.

Despite strong attacks, Vietnamese players also created some scoring chances in the first half but their players also lost all the chances, leaving the score at 2-1 upon the referee’s whistle at the end of the first half.

The home side continuously dominated the ball possession in the second half while Myanmar organized attacks on Vietnamese defending lines. However, coach Tin Myint Aung’s defenders made many serious mistakes.

The Vietnamese forwarders exploited the mistakes from their opponents and midfielder Le Tan Tai netted for his team in the 55th minute after receiving the ball from midfielder Pham Thanh Luong in the right wing. 

The local fans continuously celebrated the victory just 10 minutes later when striker Nguyen Anh Duc scored his second goal with a header after receiving the comfortable cross from midfielder Nguyen Vu Phong.

With an excellent performance, substitute Nguyen Trong Hoang, who replaced Le Tan Tai in the 71st minute, netted for his team in the 74th minute then he easily defeated Myanmar goalie Kyaw Zin Htet in the 82nd minute with a kick inside the penalty box.

Midfielder Nguyen Vu Phong finalized the game at 7-1 in the injury time, giving his team the first victory in the group competition.

Meanwhile, underdogs Philippines shocked powerhouse Singapore with a 1-1 draw in their opener in Group B after minnows Laos surprisingly held a 2-2 draw with three-time champions Thailand in their AFF Suzuki Cup Group A opener on Wednesday.

Coach Radojko Abramovic’s players failed to open the fire in the first half though the Singaporeans began with experienced players including two naturalized players, Aleksandar Duric and Daniel Bennett in their line-up.

Despite Singapore controlling majority of the possession, their forwarders missed all scoring chances while the lucky Philippines held out to keep a clean sheet throughout the first half.

The Singaporeans finally broke the deadlock in the second half when Aleksandar Duric opened the score with a fine header from Noh Alam Shah's cross.

Despite strong attacks, the Lions also created some scoring chances in the second half but their players also lost all the chances while Chris Greatwitch became a hero as he equalized in the injury time to share the point for the Philippines side.

Co-host Vietnam topped the standings of Group B with three points from the first win, while Singapore and the Philippines have one point each and Myanmar have no point.
Group B is being staged in Hanoi and features Vietnam, Singapore, Myanmar and the Philippines. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.

Singapore next play Myanmar in their second Group B match on Sunday while Vietnam meet the Philippines on same day.

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