S'pore defeats host Vietnam 1-0 in Tiger Cup final
S'pore defeats host Vietnam 1-0 in Tiger Cup final
HANOI (Agencies): Singapore stunned a partisan crowd into silence on Saturday when they defeated hosts Vietnam 1-0 to lift the Tiger Cup.
A solitary Sasi Kumar goal in the 71st minute gave Singapore their first Southeast Asian title in a game dominated by the home side.
After a goalless first half in which both defenses were on top, it was Vietnam who looked the more likely to snatch the lead as the second period kicked off.
Le Huynh Duc hit the side netting four minutes into the half while Singapore defender Subramani Shunugham was on hand to deny the striker another scoring opportunity nine minutes later with an excellent interception.
Vietnam continued to come forward but to little avail before Singapore took one of the few chances presented to them on the night.
As the home defense failed to clear a corner, Abdul Kadir Yahaya thumped the ball back into the penalty area and Kumar beat keeper Tran Tien Anh to the ball to head home.
Vietnam continued to press with Nguyen Thien Quang's header shaving the upright with just 10 minutes to go.
The host was thrown another lifeline when Singaporean striker Ahmad Latif Kamaruddin was sent off for a second bookable offense in the 82nd minute but they failed to grab it.
They came close, however, as Vu Minh Hieu headed narrowly wide and, with just seconds remaining, Duc missed with an extravagant overhead kick.
In an earlier match on Saturday Indonesia won third place by beating Thailand 8-7 in a penalty shootout.
Indonesia and Thailand both scored 3-3 in the first 90 minutes before the match was extended in the penalty shootout.
With the third place victory, Indonesia won US$30,000.
Meanwhile, the Suara Pembaruan evening daily Saturday quoted PSSI spokesperson Tondo Widodo as saying that The All-Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI) may plead that it is not able to afford the $40,000 fine imposed by organizers of the Tiger Cup football tournament.
Tondo said "the fine is too much and PSSI could not afford to pay it especially in a crisis situation like now."
Indonesia and Thailand have been fined $40,000 each by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) tournament committee, organizers of the Tiger Cup football tournament in Vietnam, for violating "the spirit of the game."
The fine, approved by the ASEAN Football Federation, was imposed following a Tiger Cup final group match between Thailand and Indonesia on Monday in Ho Chi Minh City, when neither team played to win to avoid playing host Vietnam in the semifinals in Hanoi.
An intentional own goal in the dying seconds by Indonesia gave Thailand a 3-2 victory.
"We will ask for a dispensation," Tondo said, adding PSSI would ask to pay the fine in installments if a dispensation were not granted.
Pembaruan said if its team wins third place, it will win prize money of $30,000, leaving it with $10,000 to pay.
The PSSI last year was fined for $50,000 after riots erupted during a final football match for the 19th Southeast Asian Games here. It managed to pay the fine in installments.
Amid a public outcry over Thailand's performance, team manager Thirachai Wutthitham tendered his resignation.
Vietnam's victory over Thailand in the semifinals of the Tiger Cup soccer tournament came at a cost -- a flurry of traffic accidents as fans on motorbikes poured into the streets to celebrate.
Such outbursts have become common after the national team scores major victories in the soccer-mad country. Fans speed around the cities' major streets, waving the Vietnamese flag.
Ho Chi Minh City's Cho Ray hospital normally gets 100 cases a day from traffic accidents. The Thanh Nien newspaper reported Saturday that the number shot up to 443 on Wednesday - National Day - and Thursday, with nine deaths.
Another two people died in Hanoi. Viet Duc, the capital's major hospital for injury treatment, said traffic accidents doubled on Thursday when Vietnam beat Thailand 3-0 to advance into the final.