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HANOI: Agu Casmir scored deep into stoppage time as three-time
champions Singapore battled back after going behind to hand Myanmar a
2-1 defeat the My Dinh Stadium in Group B of the AFF Suzuki Cup on Sunday evening.
Khin Maung Lwin had given Myanmar the lead in the 13th minute of a
drab first half in which neither team shone but a half-time reshuffle
by Lions coach Raddy Avramovic swung the balance back in favour of his
side in the second 45 minutes.
Aleksandar Duric levelled the score when he tapped in from close range
just after the hour. And
Agu Casmir scored three minutes into stoppage time to secure the win
which put the Lions within touching distance of the semi-finals and
sent Myanmar crashing out.
It was little more than the three-time winners deserved after a double
change at half-time saw Casmir replace the ineffective Noh Alam Shah
while Muhammad Ridhuan made way for Khairul Amri.
Amri's pace down the left flank, in particular, gave Singapore a
significant boost, lifting the tempo of a team that had looked flat
and devoid of inspiration in the opening 45 minutes.
It was during the first half that Myanmar put their heavy opening game
defeat at the hands of Vietnam behind them as Khin Maung opened the
scoring.
With just 13 minutes on the clock, the midfielder finished off a fine
move that saw the Singapore defence sliced open before Khin Maung
scored with a well taken right footed effort.
Singapore rarely threatened, at least until six minutes before the
break when defender Baihakki Khaizan somehow managed to put the ball
over the bar after Jumaat Jantan's corner found him with time and
space to pick his spot.
Avramovic saw enough in the first half to ring the required changes at
the interval and the Singapore team that came out for the second half
was a different proposition to the tame beast that finished the first.
Casmir should have equalised in the 50th minute when Jumaat's cutback
found him in a position to capitalise, only for the striker to push
his effort wide of goal.
Less than a minute later, Duric raced through the Myanmar defence
before smashing a right foot shot beyond goalkeeper Thiha Si Thu and
high into the corner. However, he had already been flagged for
offside.
But Singapore were level 10 minutes later when Casmir received the
ball from Mohammad Shahril before beating Yan Aung Win and slotting
the ball beyond the goalkeeper. From there, Duric was left to roll his
effort home.
Despite being in the ascendancy, Singapore still struggled to break
down Myanmar's resistance. It nearly got worse in the 69th minute when
Yan Paing had the Islanders' hearts in their mouths as his right foot
shot from 10 metres out crashed against the crossbar.
But with seconds remaining, Casmir drove the ball home after a lay-off
from Duric to end any resistance from Myanmar and improve his side's
chances of progressing to the semi-finals.
