It could not have been a more dramatic finish at the My Dinh Stadium tonight. With time up, including the three added minutes, Vietnam's number one player, Le Cong Vinh, sent the entire nation into a frenzy when he headed in the winner to deliver the prestigous AFF Suzuki Cup 2008 to his country for the very first time in the history of this competition. Vietnam, making only their second final appearance, were awarded a freekick in the added time when Suree Sukha brought down Cong Vinh on the left edge of the box. Skipper Phan Tan Vai Em let loose the freekick which Cong Vinh cooly glanced in to provide Vietnam with a fairy-tale like finish.

Tonight's victory ended the despair Vietnam suffered exactly 10 years ago when they were beaten by Singapore in the 1998 then Tiger Cup final. But today, in front of over 40,000 fans, the hosts, led by Portuguese coach Henrique Calisto, gave Vietnam their first ever major football title. The tears of joy streamed down the faces of the fans, players and officials. Even some journalists wept openly as they celebrated Vietnam's finest hour. The fans stayed back until the very end and their cheers reached a crescendo when AFF President Tengku Tan Sri Dato Seri Ahmad Rithaudeen along with Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung.

In what was the best ever final of this series, Vietnam and Thailand battled right from the start. Their players threw everything they had as they pushed forward in search of goals. Vietnam especially did not waste any time and went out in full flight for the early goal. It took them just 10 minutes to take their first crack at goal. Doan Viet Cuong let loose a sizzler which whizzed over the crossbar.

Thailand replied with their first look in the 14th minute but Suchao Nutnum's header fell short. Vietnam continued to pile on the pressure but as it turned out, it was Thailand that broke the deadlock. From a cross, Teerasil Dangda leapt up high and did well to beat goalkeeper Duong Hong Son to the ball, levelling the two-leg aggregate score at 2-2. The fans got behind their team and cheered them on and Vietnam responded by contiuing to attack in droves. Le Tan Tai and Cong Vinh had their chances but were just off the mark.

Both Thailand and Vietnam had their chances but nothing came out of them. With time running out, Thailand brought in super-sub Ronnachai Rangsiyo for Teeratep Winothai, who almost doubled the score in the 59th minute. As the clocked ticked away, it looked almost certain that the game was headed into the dreaded extratime. Then, Cong Vinh, Vietnam's most expensive player, proved his worth with a sensational winner. suzukicup.com

AFF Suzuki Cup 2008 Honours;

CHAMPIONS: Vietnam
RUNNERS-UP: Thailand
FAIRPLAY AWARD: Thailand
TOP GOAL SCORER: Teerasil Dangda (Thailand)
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Duong Hong Son (Vietnam)

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Le Cong Vinh made all the difference for Vietnam when he set up one and then grabbed the other for them to beat hosts Thailand 2-1 in the first leg final of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2008 which was played at the Stadium Rajamangala.

In a match which the pundits had already felt should got to the Thais, the visiting Vietnamese side played a patient game as they defended as a team before scoring both their goals just before the break off Nguyen Vu Phong in the 42nd minute and then Cong Vinh two minutes later. Thailand replied through substitute Ronnachai Rangsiyo in the 75th minute.

In front of well over 30,000 fans and also the attendance of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vechacheeva spurred Thailand to go into the early attacks as they welcomed the return of Sutee Suksomsit from injury where in the eight minute, his freekick came off Vietnam defender Le Phuoc Tu. A minute later, a corner from the left saw Nataporn Phanrit heading straight to Vietnam keeper Duong Hong Son as Sutee was again in the thick of the action four minutes later with a header which was parried out of play.

Vietnam was content to play the waiting game and following and as the frustration on Thailand grew, the visitors went ahead in the 40th minute when Cong Vinh broke through for a cross which was put into the back of the net by Vu Phong. And two minutes later, Cong Vinh finally scored his first goal in the competition when he picked up a pass from Nguyen Viet Thang to slam home.

Thailand started the second half stronger and created several chances on a trot with Surat Sukha unleashing a cracker in the 65th minute which was blocked by Hong Son. The introduction of Ronnachai for the ineffective Teerathep Winothai turned the game for Thailand when he scored Thailand’s first goal in the 75th minute with his very first touch following a cross from the left from Natthapomg Samana. suzukicup.com

Next fixtures,
28/12/08 19:00 Final Leg 2
Vietnam v Thailand

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Striker Nguyen Quang Hai sent Vietnam into their second final in the history of this regional tournament when he netted the winner in the 75th minute of the second leg AFF Suzuki Cup semifinal battle at the National Stadium tonight.

Quang Hai’s crucial strike sent defending champions Singapore out of the competition and destroyed their dreams of a record fourth title. Vietnam, who were held in Hanoi in the first leg, have set the stage for final showdown against their arch rivals and three-time champions Thailand on Dec 24 and Dec 28. The famous Kallang roar suddenly fell silent as the fans watched in disbelief. But the 50,000 spectators, mainly Singaporean fans, quickly threw their support behind the Lions again in the hope that they would hit the target.

Singapore, who were in control for the better half of the game, tried desperately but the all important goal never came. They in fact, almost equalised on at least two occasions but was stopped by goalkeeper Duong Hong Son, who along with Quang Hai were the heroes of the Vietnam team tonight.

The victory for Vietnam today came at a high price as defender Doan Viet Cuong was given the sack after picking up a second booking in injury time. An overzealous attack on Singapore’s Daniel Bennett led to his exit and more importantly a place in the final. For Vietnam, the win may finally heal the wounds of the 1998 final when Singapore defeated them 1-0. That was Singapore’s first-ever title and also the last time Vietnam appeared in the final. suzukicup.com

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Thailand made their fifth appearance in the final of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2008 when they beat Indonesia 2-1 in the second leg semi finals for an aggregate 3-1 victory here at Stadium Rajamangala.

But the win was not an easy walk on the park for the Thais where they had to come back from being a goal down in the first half before scoring twice after the break for the well-deserved victory. The win for Thailand came at a price where they will have to play the first leg final on 24 Dec 2008 at the same venue of the Stadium Rajamangala without the influential Suchao Nutnum, who picked up his second yellow card in the game tonight.

It was Indonesia who started stronger on the night when they opted to put striker Bambang Pamungkas on the bench and utilized more presence at the centre of the park. The early pressure saw Thailand back pedaling for much of the first quarter of an hour as Isnan Ali sent in a swerving freekick which was cleared by Suree Sukha. And while a header from Talaohu Abdul Mushafry came off Nataporn Phanrit in the eighth minute, there was no stopping Indonesia from taking the lead barely a minute later.

A quickly taken corner from Ismed Sofyan allowed defender Nova Arianto to put the ball back into the net past a rooted Thai keeper Kittisak Rawangpa as the aggregate stood at 1-1. But Thailand was just not playing as well as they should in front of close to 40,000 fans where their best chance in the before the break came in the 26th minute when Teerathep Winothai's attempt came off the crossbar.

The second half saw Indonesia sticking to their defensive plan as Thailand's frustration grew, so did tackles and the pushing and shoving which resulted in a minor altercation at the hour mark between Thai captain Datsakorn Thonglao and Indonesia midfielder Syamsul Bachri. Thailand upped the pressure and in the 64th minute, a cross from Suree saw Teerasil Dangda jumping high for the header which unfortunately went straight to Indonesian custodian Markus Harison.

But the goal finally came in for the Thais in the 72nd minute when off a Teerasil cross, Teerathep blasted in the equalizer from the far post to put Thailand on equal terms on the night but on a 2-1 advantage on aggregate. Two minutes to the end, substitute Ronnachai Rangsiyo made it a 2-1 win for the Thais in what was their first home game in Bangkok when he stabbed home a melee. suzukicup.com

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An early goal from Teerasil Dangda was enough to hand Thailand a slim 1-0 win over Indonesia in the first leg AFF Suzuki Cup semifinal match at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium tonight. The lone scorer tonight was Teerasil Dangda who stunned the Indonesia defence when he nodded Thailand ahead just five minutes into the game.

Indonesia, seeking a good result ahead of the second leg in Bangkok on Dec 20, battled back relentlessly but failed to breach the Thai defence. The Indonesians will now have the difficult task of trying to overcome their opponents away from their fans. For the second match in succession, Indonesia conceded an early goal. In their last preliminary match against Singapore to determine the group champions, Indonesia were breached just minutes into the game. And tonight, in front of over 50,000 screaming fans, the hosts found themselves chasing the game from the fifth minute.

Thailand's Sutee Suksomkit crossed from the left and Teerasil Dangda leapt high and placed the ball into the top right corner, well beyond the reach of the lanky Markus Harison Rihihina. Indonesia had a nasty scare five minutes later when Sutee's freekick smashed through but just before the referee Vo Minh Tri had blown for an infringement. Thailand picked up a another freekick in the 29th minute but Sutee's superbly struck shot was punched away. Ismed Sofyan, to the relief of the Indonesian bench, cleared what would have been a goal off the line after when his keeper was beaten. About eight minutes after the re-start, Thai skipper Datsakorn Thonglao watched in despair as his strike hit the cross bar. Datsakorn was not done and in the 73rd minute, let loose a stinging shot which Markus saved.

With time quickly running out, Indonesia began to intensify their attacks. Benny replaced Bambang Irsyad Aras for Talaohu Abdulmushafry and Arif Suyono. Arif especially was a danger and soon after coming on, almost set up the equaliser but Nataporn Phanrit just narrowly managed to turn the ball away. In the dying minutes, Arif raced in from the left and sent in a low cross into the box but Budi Sudarsono failed to control it. suzukicup.com

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Thailand won Group B of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2008 with a perfect record at the end of match day three here at the Surakul Stadium when they beat Malaysia 3-0. The hosts, who had earlier beaten Vietnam 2-0 in their first game and then Laos 6-0 in their second group tie, picked up the full points this evening with goals off he win with goals off Sutee Suksomkit (20th minute), Teerasil Dangda (46th minute and 76th minute).

It was Malaysia who created the first chance of the game when Indra Putra Mahayuddin turned in a swerving freekick which forced Thai keeper Kittisak Rawangpa to scramble for the save. After that, it was all Thailand as they pressed the Malaysians buoyed by the fact that they were backed by close to 15,000 screaming fans. In the seventh minute, a cross froom Datsakorn Thonglao saw Suree Sukha playing a dummy but it was cleared by the Malaysian defence. Five minutes later, a cross from the right off Sutee Suksomkit saw no takers while in the 18th minute, Sutee almost caught Malaysian keeper Syed Adney Syed Hussein off his line.

But the Thais finally took the lead when Sutee fired in a shot from a tight angle following a cross from Suree. The game changed little after that as Thailand kept up the pressure as Malaysia took a more defensive stance. But the Thais were quick in the second half as following the failure of keeper Syed Adney Syed Hussein to block a shot from Teeratehp Winothai, the ever alert Teerasil just blasted in the rebound. The second goal put Malaysia under a lot more pressure and they came close in a 69th minute melee, but there were no takers to blast the ball in. Thailand replied when Ronnachai Rangsiyo broke through but Syed Adney was there to deny him.

Six minute later, Thailand wrapped up the game with the third goal of the evening when Ronnachai played the ball short for Teerasil to slam home.

"It is difficult to play the game when we are under pressure to win," said B. Sathianathan, the head coach for Malaysia. "We started the second half badly and we were not disciplined at the back." suzukicup.com

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Defending champions Singapore completed the preliminary round unbeaten when they defeated hosts Indonesia 2-0 in a Group A match of the AFF Suzuki Cup at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium here tonight.

Two early set-piece goals from the Lions, once in each half, ruined Indonesia's hopes of finising as the group champions. As the group champions, Singapore, who will likely avoid an early showdown with Group B leaders Thailand, will have the privilege of playing the return semifinal leg at home. Indonesia will play their first leg semifinal match in Jakarta on Dec 16.

Singapore silenced the crowd just two minutes into the match when defender Baihakki Khaizan, from a corner kick, headed in the opener. It was the same story five minutes into the second half when Shi Jiayi's freekick crashed into the Indonesian goal. Indonesia had to be credited for their tremendous efforts to try and come back each time Singapore scored. After the opening goal, the Indonesian players took the fight and controlled the rest of the first half. Indonesia fought courageously after Jiayi's goal and had several chances but failed to put the finishing touches. The Singapore defence of Daniel Bennet, Emuejeraye Precious, Baihakki and Mohd Noh Rahman combined well and contributed to the failure of the Indonesian strikers to get through.

When Malaysian referee R. Krishnan blew to start the game, the last thing anyone expected was another quick goal from Singapore, who had scored in the first-minute against Myanmar two days ago. But Defender Baihakki Khaizan chose to prove the game with a stunning start and headed his team ahead. For the next 44 minutes, including extratime, it was mainly Indonesia who controlled proceedings. Their forwards desperately tried to get the equaliser but failed to find the mark. Four-goal hero Budi Sudarsono, Bambang Pamungkas and Arif Suyono were constantly lurking around the box but were unable to get that all important shot in. Arif especially was quick along the right flank and was a bother to Bennett and John Wilkinson. In the last minute, Bambang was just off the mark as his header went wide.

The situation got worse for Indonesia soon after the break. Singapore struck another quick goal, this time four minutes into the second half, this time through midfielder Shi Jiayi. The Chinese-born player curled the freekick around the wall and into the bottom corner of the Indonesian goal, well beyond the reach of Markus. In the last few minutes, Indonesia could have pulled themselves back into the match but Aliyudin fumbled his shot in front of goal.

Meanwhile, in the other Group A match held simulataneously in Bandung, Myanmar finished third in the standings after edging Cambodia 3-2. Myanmar led 2-1 at the break.


Next fixtures;

10/12/08 - Group B
17:00 : Thailand v Malaysia
19:30 : Vietnam v Laos

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Malaysia 2 - 3 Vietnam

Vietnam edged past Malaysia 3-2 on the second matchday of Group B of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2008 to brighten their chances of making the next round of the championship.

The Vietnamese, who had conceded a 2-0 loss to hosts Thailand in the first game, took the lead in the 17th minute off Pham Thanh Luong before Nguyen Vu Phong added a brace with goals in the 72nd and 86th minute. Malaysia scored both their goals off Indra Putra Mahayuddin in the 20th and 85th minute.

Given the importance of the match, both teams started off a lot more cautious as they assess each other's parameters of strength and weakness. But it took Malaysia less than two minutes to test Vietnam keeper Duong Hong Son when striker Mohd Safee Sali blasted in a shot which was denied. Vietnam then press forward and in the 17th minute, they took the lead when Nguyen Vu Phong rifled in a shot from 25metres out past a rooted Mohd Helmi Eliza Elias to send the few hundred Vietnam faithful all dressed in red to a frenzy.

But their lead did not last long. Malaysia strung two passes together and off a shot from Mohd Zaquan Adha which came off the crossbar, Indra Putra Mahayuddin was waiting in the wings to slot the ball home. The goal drew cries of off-side from the Vietnam bench but referee P. Pandian stood by his decision and following the incessant arguing from Vietnam coach Henrique Calisto, duly sent the Portuguese to the stand. The game took a low key after the emphatic two goals with Indra again coming close which was parried over by Hong Son in the 33rd minute while some time later, Zaquan almost doubled the lead for the Malaysian but his attempt was denied by a recovering defender.

And while Malaysia created several clear chances with Safee's attempt coming off the crossbar in the 71st minute, there was no denying Vietnam the lead a minute later when Vu Phong blasted in the goal off a cross from the centre of the park. But Malaysia fought back in the 85th minute when Indra Putra Mahayuddin swerved in a freekick to put both teams on level terms. And while Malaysia were entertaining thoughts that they would at least get a point from this tie, Helmi conceded a mistake a minute later when he misdjudged a lob from Vu Phong for the ball to bounce into an open goal.


Thailand 6 - 0 Laos

Thailand confirmed their place in the semi-finals of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2008 when they blasted Laos 6-0 in their second match of Group B here at the Surakul Stadium.

The Thais, who had beaten Vietnam 2-0 in their first game, made sure of the win with goals off Suree Sukha in the 20th minute, Pattipan Phetphun (30th minute), Arthit Sunthornphit (40th and 52nd minute) and Anon Sangsanoi (79th and 89th). The low-key match for the hosts gave them the confidence to field an almost second stringers with Suree Sukha and Niweat Siriwong the only two familiar faces in the Thai starting line-up.

But in spite of the heavy rain, the more than 10,000 fans were at the stadium for a show, a football show of attacking football and that was what they got. Playing in slipper conditions do not make for the slick passes that the hosts were famous for but they did have enough talent in their second squad to put pressure on the largely inexperienced Laotian.

Ronnachai Rangsiyo tested Laos keeper Sengpachan Bounthisanh with a grounder early in the fourth minute which missed the upright while several minutes later, Arthit Sunthornphit's freekick forced a clearance from Laos defender Saynakhonevieng Phommapanya on the line. But in the 20th minute, Vietnam finally went ahead when Suree scored the opener with a superb flick. Laos tried to get back into the match when they introduced Phayvanh Lounglath but it was the Thais who went further ahead with the second goal of the game when Pattipan Phetphun blasted in a corner right at the half hour mark. And five minutes to the break, the Thais went 3-0 up when Arthit floated in a freekick for them to be comfortably in front.

Thailand continued very much in the same vein after the break as Arthit nailed his second of the evening and Thailand's fourth goal with another well-taken freekick on 52nd minute. Anon Sangsanoi then grabbed a brace for himself with two goals in the closing stages – the first from inside the box in the 79th minute and then a swerving freekick a minute to the end.


Next Fixtures;

9/12/08 - Group A
17:00 : Indonesia v Singapore
19:30 : Myanmar v Cambodia

10/12/08 - Group B
17:00 : Thailand v Malaysia
19:30 : Vietnam v Laos

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Singapore 3 - 1 Myanmar

A stunning first minute goal from Mohd Noh Alam Shah paved the way for defending champions Singapore to book their place in the semifinals of the AFF Suzuki Cup.

After convincingly defeating Cambodia 5-0 in their opening game two days ago, Singapore knew that a win today would ensure their place in the last four. And with that in mind, the Lions went for the kill but they probably even surprised themselves with such an early strike. Singapore pulled away in the 16th minute through Agu Casmir before Myanmar struck back through Myo Min Tun. Agu sealed it for Singapore with a quickly taken freekick in the 74th minute which the Myanmar team protested to.

In today's match, Singapore certainly could not have asked for a better start. In their very first move up, the Lions struck gold through Mohd Noh Alam. Due to the horrendous blunder, Myanmar were forced to play catch up from then on. The rain which started 15 minutes before the game began to ease up and Singapore began to intensify their attacks. Their efforts paid off in the 16th minute when Agu doubled the score. A defender cleared a corner kick from Shi Jiayi but it landed at the feet of Agu who volleyed it home for his third goal of the tournament.

Myanmar made some moves up but they hardly caused Singapore coach Raddy Avromovic any concern. Myanmar, with their confidence boosted, began to push forward more, providing the Singapore defence with more anxious moments. Myanmar came on strong after the break and began to ush up in search of the equaliser. Their spirit and determination were remarkable and they continued to pile the pressure but the Lions were able to absorb anything that went their way.

Singapore's experience was obvious and it especially showed when they qere quick to take a freekick in the 74th minute that led to the goal. Myanmar were not happy and protested which led to goalkeeper Aung Aung Oo being given the red card. Worse still for Myanmar was when Myat Min had to be sacrficed to bring in reserve keeper Kyaw Zin Htet. Play was held up for about eight minutes. Myanmar eventually continued with the match which ended in a 3-1 win for the Lions.


Cambodia 0 - 4 Indonesia

Striker Budi Sudarsono blasted a hatrick against Cambodia tonight at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium to sensationally send hosts Indonesia into the semifinals of the AFF Suzuki Cup.

Indonesia's second straight win today, a convincing 4-0 victory over Cambodia, has set the stage for a thrilling battle against defending champions Singapore to determine the Group A champion. Despite winning tonight, Indonesia are second in the group behind Singapore on an inferior goal difference.

In today's match, Indonesia, who had expected Cambodia to play defensively, were caught off when their opponents launched into attack. Budi, who had scored once in Indonesia's 3-0 win over Myanmar two days ago, opened the scoring act with a superb strike in the 16th minute. But if Indonesia thought that first goal would open the floodgates, they were absolutely wrong. Cambodia, led by up and coming striker Khim Borey and partner upfront Chan Rithy, tried to make their way back into the game. The speedy Khim managed to break through on several occassions but could not get his shots on the mark.

Indonesia continued to pressure after the break, in fact, Budi and Bambang were all over the place and kept the defenders busy. The Cambodians could only defend so long and finally broke for the second time in the 55th minute. A fine cross from Ponaryo Astaman found the Budi who headed Indonesia further ahead. Budi was not done yet and completed a hattrick, the first of the tournament, in the 70th minute, once again a header that sailed beyond the reaches of keeper Samreth Seiha. Bambang made it a superb night for the 30,000 fans when he crashed home a cross from Firman Utina in the 76th minute.


Next fixtures;

8/12/08 - Group B
17:00 : Malaysia v Vietnam
19.30 : Laos v Thailand

9/12/08 - Group A
17:00 : Indonesia v Singapore
19:30 : Myanmar v Cambodia

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Malaysia v Laos

Malaysia staged a late show in the opening game of Group B of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2008 to beat Laos 3-0 at the Surakul Stadium. Following a first half deadlock, substitute Mohd Safee Sali nailed a brace with goals in the 68th and 90th minute as Indra Putra Mahayuddin scored the other goal in the 72nd minute for the win.

The heavy rain just before the start of the match affected the quality of the pitch as both teams struggled to maintain possession and make the clean passes in slippery conditions. It was Malaysia who dictated the early pace with Shukor Adan and Mohd Hardi Jaafar stoking the engine room for the strike pair of Hairuddin Omar and Indra Putra Mahayuddin.

But in spite of the early effort, Malaysia just can't seem to break through the Laotian defence which defended in numbers. The best that they could muster in the opening half was two freekicks which came frustratingly close off Hardi and Indra Putra Mahyuddin.

Malaysia then made several changes after the break when they brought on Zaquan Adha Abdul Razak for Mohd Hardi Jaafar and Mohd Safee Sali for Mohd Amirulhadi Zainal. That change the rhythm of the game as Malaysia pushed forward and in the 68th minute, they finally broke the deadlock when Safee blasted in a corner from Indra. Four minutes later, Malaysia went 2-0 off a freekick from Indra who slammed home to the right of the Laos goal. Safee then wrapped up the night with the third goal deep in injury time.


Thailand v Vietnam

Two goals in the first half was enough for hosts Thailand to see off Vietnam when they scored a 2-0 win in the second game of Group B of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2008 here at the Surakul Stadium. The Thais, playing in their first competitive tournament under head coach Peter Reid, blasted in the lead on 34th minute from Sutee Suksomkit before Suchao Nutnum added the second in the 45th minute.

Spurred by an almost full attendance, the Thais started the match confidently and although the knock on midfielder Datsakorn Thonglao has now caused a worry on his continued participation for the next match. But with Thailand clearly winning the midfield battle, the constant pressure on Vietnam caused them to make several mistakes. And add to the slippery conditions, tempers flared in the opening half as referee Abdul Malik Basir flashed out several cautions.

In the 34th minute, the Thais finally went in front when Sutee curled a freekick past a Vietnam wall to push the fans to their feet. With seconds remaining to the break, Thailand nailed their second goal when Sutee capitalized on goalkeeper mistake to put the Thais comfortably in front. Vietnam made a flurry of changes in the second half but that did little to change the result as Thailand just sat back all the way to the finish line.


Next Fixtures;

7/12/08 - Group A
17:00 : Singapore v Myanmar
19:90 : Cambodia v Indonesia

8/12/08 - Group B
17:00 : Malaysia v Vietnam
19.30 : Laos v Thailand

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Cambodia 0 - 5 Singapore

Singapore’s Noh Alam Shah, the Most Valuable Player and the Golden Boot Award winner for hammering home 10 goals in the 2007 tournament, put a troubled recent past behind him by coming off the bench and scoring Singapore’s final goal in their 5-0 win over Cambodia in Group A.

Alam Shah, sporting dyed blond hair, was delighted to get amongst the goals to kick-start his international career after an enforced layoff. The talented but temperamental striker only returned to competitive action in September following his seven-month ban for violent conduct during the 2007 Singapore Cup final.

Although Singapore took until just before half-time to score the opening goal, coach Radojko Avramovic was delighted that Alam Shah, captain Fahrudin Mustafic, Indra Sahdan Daud and Agu Casmir with two tap-ins handed the Lions a dream start to the competition.

The win extended Singapore’s unbeaten streak in the tournament to 18 games, 16 of them under Avramovic. The only worry for the titleholders was an injury to in-form striker Aleksandar Duric who was unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet in the first half when he was twice denied by the woodwork and had a goal ruled out for offside.


Indonesia 3 - 0 Myanmar

Indonesia as the hosts defeated Myanmar 3-0 in the second Group A match of the AFF Suzuki Cup at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium here tonight.

The Indonesian players were clearly energised by the over 40,000 screaming fans and there was nothing Myanmar could do to stop them from winning tonight. Budi Sudarsono, who is still not 100 precent fit, scored the crucial opening goal in the 26th minute. The wily striker waltzed past two defenders and blasted his team ahead.

Before the Myanmar players could recover, Firman Utina sent the fans into a frenzy again. Firman cooly rounded a defender and placed it beyond the reach of keeper Aung Aung Oo.
Star striker Bambang Pamungkas sealed a sensational victory for Indonesia in the 65th minute to place his team second in Group A.

The next matches will take place on Sunday with Singapore taking on Myanmar and Indonesia facing Cambodia.


Next fixtures;

6/12/08 - Group B
17:00 : Malaysia v Laos
19:30 : Thailand v Vietnam

7/12/08 - Group A
17:00 : Singapore v Myanmar
19:90 : Cambodia v Indonesia

suzukicup.com

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