THAILAND 2:0 SINGAPORE

12 August 1999 16:00 TST.  SEA GAMES 1999, Brunei

Report by: AFC NET

Goals Scored:
Tawan Sripan (THA) (20'), Thawachai Dongtrakul (THA) (74').

Spectator: 8000

Thailand tame the Lions with gutsy performance

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN -- Thailand's soccer squad yesterday presented HM the Queen with a splendid present on her birthday by delivering the promised victory over Singapore in the semifinals.

Before the start of the match, Olympic Committee of Thailand chairman Gen Chettha Tanajaro conveyed HM the Queen's best wishes to the team and said that Her Majesty would be watching the game on television.

The national soccer side responded with an impressive 2-0 victory over Singapore which earned them a crack at what could be their fourth straight gold medal of the SEA Games. They face Vietnam in the title showdown tomorrow.

The crowd at the main stadium of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex was not befitting the occasion, but the Thais still made the semifinal a memorable occasion.

Coach Peter Withe was delighted with the result as he told a crowded post-match press conference: ''It was a great effort by the team.

''Their exists a great rivalry between the teams in this region and Singapore are no exception. It was always going to be a tough match, but we controlled the game well.

''Singapore came on pretty strong in the first 20 minutes, but then we had an early goal that relieved the players of a lot of pressure and they started playing better.

''In the second half, we allowed Singapore space in the midfield and gave them more possession of the ball than I would have liked. Then Wang [Thawatchai Damrong-ongtrakul] scored a beautiful goal and regained control of the game.

''The boys were in high spirits today. It is Mothers Day in Thailand today and they all called up their homes before the match. Maybe that gave them the enthusiasm.''

Thailand were more attacking than their rivals and when skipper Kiertisak Senamuang found it hard to score himself he set one up for Singapore-based midfielder Tawan Sripan in the 20th minute.

The Singaporeans had an opportunity to get on even terms but their bid for the equaliser in the injury time of the first half was thwarted by goalkeeper Virat Wangchan.

Singapore's dreams of a place in the final suffered another jolt in the 85th minute when Thawatchai netted a beauty of a goal to seal a 2-0 victory for the Thais.

Singapore coach Vincent Subramaniam said: ''We did well in the first 20 minutes, but then conceded the goal. We tried to score the equaliser, but it only helped Thailand improve their game.''