S'pore fail to qualify for semis after shock loss to Laos

AFF U-16 C'SHIP

LAOS 4

(Sinthanong Phanvongsa 34, 75, Somxay Keohanam 44, Laithaya Sisongkham 79)

SINGAPORE 2

(Syukri Bashir 9, Amer Hakeem 88)

They needed to beat Laos by four goals to secure a place in the semi-finals.

But Nazri Nasir's national Under-15 side lost 4-2 instead to the group's whipping boys in their final Group B match on Thursday at the AFF Under-16 Championship in Naypyidaw, Myanmar.

Malaysia and Indonesia were the two teams from Group B who qualified for the tournament's semi-finals, after they played a goalless draw simultaneously on Thursday.

Laos were soundly beaten by both Malaysia (4-1) and Indonesia (4-0) in their earlier group games.

Singapore started brightly yesterday, with striker Syukri Bashir opening the scoring after just nine minutes.

But the Cubs capitulated following their early strike, with Laos scoring four times through Sinthanong Phanvongsa (two goals), Somxay Keohanam and Laithaya Sisongkham.

Cubs defender Amer Hakeem pulled a goal back for his side two minutes before the end, but it was too little, too late.

Singapore began the AFF Under-16 championships well, drawing with Malaysia 1-1, beating Philippines 2-0 and then drawing with Indonesia 1-1.

Unfortunately, they tripped up when they needed a win most.

Singapore team manager Alim Omar said: "We played very well at the beginning and scored the early goal, but playing four games over the last seven days really showed.

"The boys were very tired, and also lost concentration after conceding the second goal."

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