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Singapore Trounce Malaysia 3-0 In Group B Of AFF Suzuki Cup

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- The national football squad were humiliated by Singapore after losing 0-3 in a Group B match of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2012 competition at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Sunday night.

The two teams traded attacks as soon as the whistle was blown for the start of the game by Uzbekistan referee Kovalenko Valentin, but both sides failed to find the net.

Striker Norshahrul Idlan Talaha almost scored in the 20th minute but his shot went past the Singapore goal mouth.

Three minutes later, national team captain Safiq Rahim almost gave Malaysia the lead through a free kick but it went straight into the arms of Singapore goalkeeper, Mohamad Izwan Mahbud.

The negligence of Harimau Malaya's defence line-up was punished by Singapore through a goal by their captain, Shahril Ishak in the 32nd minute, after he received a pass from a team mate before unleashing a powerful shot to beat national goalkeeper, Khairul Fahmi Che Mat.

Mohd Shahril was once again a thorn in the flesh of the national football squad with his second goal five minutes later through a header after a scramble in front of the national squad's goal mouth.

Startled by the two goals, national squad chief coach Datuk K. Rajagobal replaced Mohd Khyrill Muhymeen Zambri with Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor to beef up the attack machinery but they still failed to penetrate the invincible wall of the tall Singapore defenders such as Baihakki Khaizan and Daniel Mark Bennett.

Their naturalised player from Bosnia, Aleksandar Duric sealed Singapore's victory through their third goal in the 75th minute.

The victory enabled the three-time champions, in 1998, 2004 and 2007 to top Group B with three points while the Harimau Malaya squad are now at the bottom of the table involving four teams.

Harimau Malaya will next meet Laos while Singapore will face the runners-up in 2010, Indonesia on Wednesday and both matches will take place at the same stadium.

-- BERNAMA

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