Monday, November 14, 2011

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15.11. (Tue) 12:30 Singapore - China

Singapore U-23 SEA Games
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PROBABLE LINEUPS

SINGAPORE

Singapore
Lewis L
Shaiful E, N Rahman, Bennett, Juma'at J
Ismail Y, Fahrudin M
Shi J, Shahril I, Fazrul N,
Duric
CHINA

China
Z Yang
X Sun, W Li, Zheng Z, Liu J
X Zhao, Hao J, H Yu, J Liu, Z Zheng
G Lin

Only China enter this match with the dream of qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil still intact. Singapore ended any slim chance of progress with a 2-0 defeat to group leaders Jordan in Amman on Friday. But even China's hopes of clinching the runners-up slot in Group A remain bleak, with results elsewhere needed to go in their favour. Nevertheless, the match in itself should be a heated affair, with Singapore's sizeable Chinese migrant population expected to lend vocal support to the visitors.
Singapore's squad has been depleted with a number of key players involved in the concurrent staging of the 2011 South-East Asian (SEA) Games in Indonesia. Hariss Harun, Safuwan Bahrudin and Izwan Mahbud, who all started the match in September, are part of the Singapore Under-23 team competing in the SEA Games.
China, meanwhile, will have to contend with the absence of Linpeng Zhang. The defender will be suspended after being shown a straight red card against Iraq in his previous match for bringing down Younis Mahmoud, who was through on goal.

DID YOU KNOW?
  • Singapore's only goal in third round qualifying came against China. It was scored by Aleksandar Duric.
  • The previous meeting between the two sides was on September 2 at Tianhe Stadium. China won the match 2-1 with goals from Zheng Zi and Hai Yu.
  • To maintain mathematical hopes of progress to round four, China needs to win against Singapore and hope Jordan overcome Iraq.
  • Singapore are one of only three South-East Asian teams involved in this round.
  • Of those three nations, only Thailand retain hopes of reaching the next round, with Indonesia boasting the same record as Singapore in Group E.

Prediction
Editor's Prediction
Singapore 2-1 China