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AFF Suzuki Cup 2012 Champions - Singapore

AFF Suzuki Cup, Champions 2012

Singapore

Avramovic mindful that it's only 'half-time'

Football: Avramovic mindful that it's only 'half-time'

Radojko Avramovic (TODAY File Photo)

National coach Radojko Avramovic broke with form on Wednesday night at the post-match press conference.

Best known for his surly and serious demeanour, the 63-year-old Serbian could not stop himself from smiling as he addressed the media in the wake of his Lions' resounding 3-1 win over Thailand in the first-leg of the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup, admitting "it felt good".

The feel-good factor, however, was due more to the way everything went to plan on Wednesday night.

"You know you have worked hard in wanting to achieve something, plan everything in detail and finally you see the result. That was what happened tonight," said Avramovic.

"But of course, we also put in our share of hard work, showed tremendous team spirit, which was crucial in a match like this."

Nonetheless, Avramovic did not allow himself nor his players to get carried away with the result, which means Thailand must chalk up a 2-0 result in the second leg on Saturday in Bangkok in order to win on the away goals rule.

"The Thais are an exceptionally gifted team and there is still another 90 minutes to be played in Bangkok on Saturday," warned Avramovic.

That was also why Thailand coach Winfried Schafer declared that his team's quest for a record fourth AFF title is not over yet.

"I know my players. I trust them and I have confidence in them," said the German. "And we still have time to work things out for the return match. I am sure Singapore will have a match on their hands come Saturday."

Meanwhile, it looks like the head injury that left-back Shaiful Esah had picked up in the final moments of the game is not as serious as had been initially feared. The 26-year-old, whose cross led to Baihakki Khaizan's goal in stoppage time, landed on the back of his head during an aerial challenge with a Thai player. Grimacing in pain as medical staff huddled over him, he was put in a neck brace and stretched off the pitch as his team-mates watched on anxiously.

However, team manager Eugene Loo later told the media that the defender was "all right".

"But we are not taking any chances. We are sending him to the hospital for further checks," said Loo.

- TODAY

Coaches agree best teams are in AFF Suzuki Cup final

Football: Coaches agree best teams are in AFF Suzuki Cup final

Winfried Schafer (L) and Raddy Avramovic (R) at a news conference before the AFF

Both Singapore's and Thailand's coaches have agreed that the two countries have performed the best in this year's AFF Suzuki Cup competition.

They have also said that it is no surprise both countries are in the final.

Singapore's preparations were not the best going into the tournament; the Lions have clawed their way into the final and can now make regional history by beating Thailand.

Lifting the Cup will be all the more special, given the speculation that it could be coach Raddy's last tournament with the team.

"I'm very happy that we are here because not many people gave us a chance. But our players have done an absolutely great job and we are in the finals, why don't we try to win," said Raddy Avramovic, head coach for Singapore's team.

Many expect Thailand to win; the team is seen by many as the favourites. Expectations are high back home as well, and the Thai coach is targeting a win.

"I hope we have a good result tomorrow and (recreate) the big success in Bangkok. That is our target, our goal," said Winfried Schafer, coach for the Thai team.

Some 180 Thai fans have followed the team to Singapore to lend their support.

The first leg kicks off Wednesday night at the Jalan Besar Stadium, with the return leg on Saturday in Bangkok.

Thailand and Singapore are the only two teams that have won this title on three previous occasions.

Both teams will not be holding back over the two legs as they vie for the honour of being the first country in Southeast Asia to win the Cup for the fourth time.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Singapore, Thailand vie for record fourth title

Football: Singapore, Thailand vie for record fourth title

Philippines player Phil Younghusband (C) vies for the ball with Singapore players during the AFF Suzuki Cup semi-final in Singapore on December 12, 2012. (AFP/Roslan Rahman)

Singapore and Thailand will vie for the honour of becoming Southeast Asia's first four-time champions when the AFF Suzuki Cup final gets under way on Wednesday.

Both teams have won the title three times, during a period in which they shared it for the first six editions, and they are reunited in the two-legged final after both failed to reach the semis at the last tournament in 2010.

But two years after those disappointing campaigns, normal service has been resumed as they topped their respective groups before battling through tricky semi-finals to reach the final once again.

The Thais have done it in impressive fashion, winning all of their group games against the Philippines, Myanmar and Vietnam before disposing of defending champions Malaysia 3-1 on aggregate in the last four.

The "War Elephants" have not won the regional title in a decade but Winfried Schaefer's vibrant side will be favourites after netting 12 times in five games with striker Teerasil Dangda bagging a tournament-leading five goals.

And in Datsakorn Thonglao, they have a talented and combative midfielder who is determined to lift the title after finishing with runners-up medals in 2007 and 2008.

"I have never been on the winning side in the AFF Suzuki Cup. It is a gap in my career. I want to put that right this year," said the 28-year-old.

Datsakorn will be gunning to avenge the loss to Singapore in the 2007 final when Khairul Amri's thunderbolt with nine minutes left in the second leg gave the Lions a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Amri has been hobbled by a series of injuries in the past four years but he netted the only goal over two legs in a hard-fought semi-final victory against the Philippines.

That followed a group stage in which Singapore stunned neighbours Malaysia 3-0 and lost 1-0 to Indonesia, before they came from two goals down to beat unfancied Laos 4-3.

Captain Shahril Ishak has led by example by scoring four goals while 42-year-old Aleksandar Duric, set to retire after the tournament, became the competition's oldest goal-scorer when he found the net against Malaysia.

"Like us, Thailand have a good mixture of old and young players and I think that it will be a great final with the two best teams playing for the most prestigious trophy in Southeast Asian football," said the veteran striker.

"For me, playing my last game at the Jalan Besar Stadium for the national team will be a special moment for me. I have two games left and I will be enjoying every moment especially knowing that it is the final."

The first leg will be played on the artificial pitch of Singapore's Jalan Besar venue on Wednesday, with the return game at Bangkok's Supachalasai Stadium on Saturday.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~