Singapore Cup gears up for new champions this year

Football: Singapore Cup gears up for new champions this year

The RHB Singapore Cup draw threw up some tough encounters on Sunday, as the tournament gears up for new champions this year in the country's most prestigious domestic cup competition.

Thai side Bangkok Glass, the 2010 champions, will not return to defend their title and S-League side Young Lions will also sit out due to international commitments as the Republic's under-23 team. That means 11 S-League teams and five invited sides will fight for this year's crown.

One side of the draw could see S-League title contenders Tampines Rovers, Home United and Etoile FC do battle in the latter stages of the competition, while the other sees the five invited foreign sides competing for a spot in the final, along with a possible SAFFC-Albirex Niigata face-off in the quarter-finals.

While the exact fixture list has not been released, the preliminary round will kick off on June 6 and the final will be held on November 5.

"It's a tough draw. If we beat Geylang in the preliminary round, we might have to face Home and Etoile later but if you want to win a cup tournament, you have to beat all the big teams," said Tampines coach Steven Tan.

SAFFC coach Richard Bok echoed Tan's sentiments.

He said: "The last two years we were knocked out in the first round, by Geylang in 2009, then by Bangkok Glass last year. Right now we just want to make it past the preliminary round fixture against Phnom Penh ... who are a much improved team."

Commemorating their 50th anniversary, RHB Bank renewed their S$1.5 million title sponsorship of the Singapore Cup for another three-year term till 2013.

The bank also donated S$10,000 to the Boys' Town and the Jamiyah Children's Home after a 10-team five-a-side charity challenge on Sunday morning at the Sports Planet East Coast.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~