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Soccer: Tigers Were totally Lost In The First Half - Coach

SINGAPORE, July 23 (Bernama) -- The Malayan Tigers were totally lost in the first half of their first leg match against Singapore in the Asian Zone World Cup Qualifier Saturday night, coach Datuk K. Rajagopal said.

"They didn't know what they were doing...but in the second half they came back aggressively," he said at the post-match press conference at the Jalan Besar Stadium here.

He also said that the Singapore Lions, especially Aleksander Duric, Qiu Li and Shi Jiayi, had given his team a hard time, causing the Tigers to trail 1-4 in the first half.

Despite adopting an aggressive game in the second half and managed to score another two goals, the Tigers succumbed to a 3-5 defeat.

Rajagopal was however caustically optimistic when asked about their second leg encounter at the Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur on July 28.

Mohd Safee Mohd Sali who scored twice tonight, admitted that his team was a bit out of rhythm in the first half but said they had a good come back after the breather.

He too was optimistic about the team's chances in the second leg.

Singapore's coach Radojko Avramovic was excited and said he was satisfied with the performances of the Lions.

He said both teams were all out to win the important match.

Avramovic was confident his team could make it and move to the next round of the qualifier.

-- BERNAMA

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