FIFA ASEAN Cup: Singapore crash out after 6-0 thrashing by Malaysia

BANDUNG - Singapore's FIFA ASEAN Cup campaign ended in the group stage on Oct 1 after a 6-0 defeat to Malaysia at the Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung, Indonesia, where Bergson da Silva scored a hat-trick and the Lions never recovered after conceding twice in the first 26 minutes. 

Needing victory to finish in Group A's top two, Gavin Lee's side instead finished third on three points, with one goal scored and eight conceded in three matches.

Malaysia and Indonesia both finished on seven points and a goal difference of plus nine, but Indonesia's 9-2 win over Bangladesh in Jakarta sent the hosts into the Oct 5 final on goals scored. Malaysia will play in the bronze final.

The damage was done early. In the eighth minute, defender Ryhan Stewart brought down Fergus Tierney inside the area and, after consulting the video assistant referee, the referee pointed to the spot. Bergson da Silva converted the penalty.

Singapore responded quickly. Song Ui-young was put through on goal in the 14th minute but was denied by goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi, and Kyoga Nakamura's long-range effort six minutes later forced the Malaysia custodian into an awkward save.

Malaysia then struck again. In the 26th minute, Manuel Hidalgo worked space down the left and drew the Singapore defence across before squaring for Stuart Wilkin to tap into an empty net.

Bergson and Hidalgo are two of Malaysia's newly naturalised trio, the "newer players" Lee had said on the eve of the match that Malaysia "didn't have before". Wilkin had also scored against Singapore in the 25th minute of a friendly at Bukit Jalil last September, Lee's first game in charge.

Singapore pushed for the rest of the half without finding a way through.

Malaysia extended their lead in the 62nd minute. Arif Aiman got away down the right and laid the ball on for Bergson, who scored his second goal of the night. 

With Indonesia running up the score against Bangladesh in Jakarta, Malaysia kept pushing for goals to stay in the race for top spot, and Paulo Josue added a fourth in the 76th minute.

Syahir Bashah made it 5-0 in the 87th minute.

Bergson then completed his hat-trick in the third minute of stoppage time, but it was not enough to take Malaysia through as group winners.

The defeat leaves Singapore with just one goal in three matches at the tournament, Harhys Stewart's winner against Bangladesh.

The scale of the defeat is a heavy blow for a side that had spoken all week about the evidence of their progress.

The result ends a tournament Lee had framed as part of a longer plan. He has sought out stronger opponents, accepting that his side "don't always win", to prepare them for the AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia in January, where they are grouped with Australia, Iraq and Tajikistan.

It follows an unbeaten Asian Cup qualifying campaign and a run to the ASEAN Championship semi-finals in August.

"Evidence is one thing, but doing the actual work is another thing," captain Hariss Harun had said a day before the match.

That work resumes in November, when Singapore are due to face Brazil and Paraguay in international friendlies.

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shafiq.apandi@asisaone.com