S.League: Oh you beauty!

He took a touch, shifted his body and let rip from all of 20 metres.

Courts Young Lions striker Muhaymin Salim then watched as the ball zipped through the air and dipped beyond the reach of Tanjong Pagar goalkeeper Aurelien Herisson, bulging the net.

Despite the wonder strike, Muhaymin ended up on the losing side that night.

A hat-trick from Jaguars striker Monsef Zerka stole the headlines and sealed the three points on offer as Tanjong Pagar won 3-2 in their Great Eastern-Yeo's S.League clash last Wednesday.

However, there was no denying the quality of Muhaymin's goal.

"It was a fantastic goal," said Young Lions coach Aide Iskandar, who is also the national Under-23 coach.

"To beat a goalkeeper of (Herisson's) calibre shows how good the goal was. I hope he can do it more consistently."

Recalling the strike, Muhaymin, 21, said: "I asked for the ball and I could sense two players closing me down, so I took a touch and just shot at goal.

"I didn't want to think too much. We were down 2-1, and I just wanted to make sure I got it on target.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHT

"To watch the goalkeeper dive and see the ball go over his arms and into goal... I was so happy.

"After the match, I kept replaying a video highlight of the goal. It was as though I was the only one who scored in that game!"

The stunner against Tanjong Pagar was only the national serviceman's second goal in senior football.

He scored his first last season with a modest tap-in from two metres, when the Young Lions beat Warriors FC 2-1.

After playing for the National Football Academy from the age of 13, Muhaymin joined the Prime League teams of Gombak United in 2011 and Balestier Khalsa the following season.

It was at Balestier that he got his first taste of S.League action, albeit in a midfield role.

After enlisting for NS in the middle of 2012, he returned to S.League action last season with the Young Lions.

He scored against the Warriors in the sixth of his seven league appearances last term.

Muhaymin hopes his eye-catching strike last week will be the start of a breakout season.

Already, he was rewarded by Aide with a starting berth when the Singapore U-23 team took on their Indonesian counterparts last night.

"He's a natural striker, the type we lack," said Aide. "We hope he can progress even further from here."

Said Muhaymin: "The goal has given me confidence.

FACTFILE

Name: Muhaymin Salim

Date of birth: 5 May 1992 (21)

Height: 1.69m

Weight: 70kg

Previous club: Balestier Khalsa

Favourite food: McDonald's Filet-O-Fish burger

Hobby: Hanging out and chilling with friends

Football idol: Didier Drogba

msazali@sph.com.sg

This article was published on April 3 in The New Paper.

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