Sambal Boys dance at Jalan Besar

TNP PICTURE: GARY GOH

The home fans had to pinch themselves as the goals rained in.

Few would have predicted the “Sambal Boys” running all over the samba boys from Brazil with their own brand of lightning-quick attacking football.

But the scoreboard at Jalan Besar Stadium didn’t tell a lie at the end of the second semi-final of the 24th Canon Lion City Cup last night -– the Singapore Under-16s had just put Vasco da Gama to the sword, posting a 4-0 win to set up a date with Holland’s Ajax Amsterdam in tomorrow’s final.

The speed of Singapore’s front three of Zulfadhmi Suzliman, Rashe Abdul Rahman and Faridzuan Fuad, along with the guile of Man-of-the-Match Adam Swandi, proved too much for the Brazilian youngsters to handle.