Singapore beats RI to capture Tiger Cup

Singapore beats RI to capture Tiger Cup

Christopher Bodeen, Associated Press, Singapore

Indra Sahdan Daud and Agu Casmir both scored Sunday to give Singapore a 2-1 win over Indonesia and the Tiger Cup championship.

Playing before 55,000 fans at a sold-out National Stadium, Singapore got on the board early and never looked back. Singapore had defeated Indonesia 3-1 in the first leg of the final on Jan. 8 in Jakarta, giving the team a two-goal lead going into Sunday's match.

The victory marks the second time tiny Singapore has won the tournament, grouping ten teams from the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Indra put Singapore ahead in the sixth minute, collecting a long ball from goalkeeper Lionel Lewis and striking a blazing low drive from 20 meters (22 yards) past Indonesian goalkeeper Hendro Kartiko.

Nigerian-born Casmir doubled Singapore's lead by converting a penalty in the 41st minute after Indonesian defender Aris Indarto brought down Indra inside the area.

Indonesia came out strongly after the break, but were clearly hampered by the absence of star midfielder Boas Salossa, a major force in the tournament's earlier matches who sprained his ankle in the first leg of the final.

Eli Aiboy saved pride for Indonesia with a goal in the 79th minute, setting off brief celebrations among the tiny crowd of Indonesia supporters surrounded by a sea of Singapore fans dressed in their team's trademark red.

Singapore captain Aide Iskandar was sent off in the 88th minute for a second yellow card, but by then the win was sealed.

The loss Indonesia leaves Indonesia runner up for the third straight time in the biennial tournament.

In Saturday's third place playoff, Malaysia edged Myanmar 2-1.