Water-polo: S'pore men end losses to Kuwait

SINGAPORE - They were up against opponents they had not beaten in their last three meetings.

But the winless streak mattered little to the Singapore men's team on Wednesday on day two of the Asian Water Polo Cup.

Led by inspirational goalkeeper Nigel Tay, the hosts beat Kuwait 8-4 on Wednesday at the Toa Payoh Swimming Complex.

The hard-fought victory has fuelled the team's belief that they can go on to lift the Cup.

Tay, who preserved his side's lead with several top saves, said: "We're aiming for the gold medal. That's our goal and we're confident of achieving it."

Said coach Lee Sai Meng: "It's good that the boys are confident.This is definitely a morale-boosting win for us."

They had also defeated the Philippines on Monday. Their toughest challenges will come from regional powerhouses Iran and China, with the latter fielding the same team that contested but lost in the semi-finals of the youth competition last week.

Lee said: "This is just one obstacle cleared. To get first place, we have to see how Iran perform against Kuwait, and also how we play against China."

Meanwhile, the Singapore women's team recorded their first win on Wednesday, beating the Philippines 20-4. They had lost to China in their first game.

siangyee@sph.com.sg

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