S'pore U-18s end India tour with encouraging win
Singapore's Under-18 football team ended their training tour in Goa, India, with an encouraging 1-0 victory over the India Under-19s on Wednesday.
Both sides went into the break tied goalless, with hardly any goalscoring opportunities created by either team in the first period.
Christophe Chaintreuil's boys slowly asserted themselves after the break, with the breakthrough coming in the 72nd minute.
Danial Zulkifli converted from the penalty spot, after an infringement in the box that also saw an Indian player sent off for a second bookable offence.
Either side could have scored in the dying minutes of the game, with five minutes added on, but the Singaporeans held on for the win at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim.
Chaintreuil's side had lost 7-2 to the same side at the same venue on Monday.
He said his team played a high-pressing game in the first match, and were punished in the second half when the Indians played long balls to their forwards, who were bigger sized and faster than the Singaporeans.
"In the second game, we pulled back more and didn't give them the space or the solutions," said Chaintreuil, upon the team's return yesterday.
"We were compact and we created good situations for ourselves."
Chaintreuil said the experience of playing international matches was invaluable, as the players typically play in Prime League matches.
He added that he is looking to arrange for more matches, either locally or overseas, in October or November.
The training tour was part of the team's preparations for next year's Asian Football Confederation Under-19 Championship qualifiers in November.
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