Even if the odds are against them - the teams are separated by 75 places in the world rankings - Singapore will continue their attacking football against Oman in the final of the AirMarine Cup tonight.
The world No. 90 Omanis hammered Afghanistan 5-0 on Wednesday, while 165th-ranked Singapore pulled off a 1-0 win over hosts Malaysia in the four-team invitational tournament.
The Republic's victory at Bukit Jalil Stadium was achieved through hard work, a dedication to pass the ball out from the back and players expressing themselves up front.
Caretaker national coach Nazri Nasir wants more of the same in tonight's clash.
Oman reached the round of 16 in January's Asian Cup finals.
Nazri, 48, told The Straits Times yesterday: "We can expect a very tough game, especially since Oman had beaten Afghanistan by a good score.
DEFENSIVE DISCIPLINE
Malaysia penetrated our flanks a few times and I will make sure that won't happen again. We need fresh legs on the flanks who can track back as Oman have fullbacks who are very fast. Whoever gets to play will have to stay very focused.
NAZRI NASIR, caretaker national coach (above), on tonight's final against Oman.
"They will be confident and their morale is boosted. But nevertheless, anything can happen."
The former national captain will stick to the 4-3-3 formation deployed against Malaysia, but he wants the Lions to be more compact defensively to keep the pacy Omanis at bay.
Nazri explained: "I have studied Oman's attacking patterns. Malaysia penetrated our flanks a few times and I will make sure that won't happen again.
"We need fresh legs on the flanks who can track back as Oman have fullbacks who are very fast. Whoever gets to play will have to stay very focused."
Nazrul Nazari and Irwan Shah started in the fullback positions but Emmeric Ong and Faritz Hameed are in consideration for starting places.
And Nazri has reiterated his faith in his men - especially 34-year-old veteran Khairul Amri, who laid on the pass for Faris Ramli's 82nd-minute winner against Malaysia.
Nazri said: "Amri pushed till the last minute. I believe in him and he delivered.
"He is still a very dangerous player who is very intelligent and he waited till the right moment to create that goal."
But the Lions can expect no favours from Oman, who are led by Erwin Koeman, the older brother of Netherlands national coach Ronald. The 57-year-old Dutchman, who was capped 31 times, told the Malaysian media: "In football, there can be no excuses, you have to win. We are here to win the cup, as simple as that.
"The expectations will be higher, but that's normal everywhere. It's good, as it will push the staff and players to do a little better.
"It's the mentality, what's inside you, what you can bring, and everybody can always bring a little bit more."
But Nazri believes that the Lions have bought into his ideas, saying: "They (the players) believe in my style. We are not going to sit back (against Oman).
"We will attack them, but we cannot leave gaps behind. When we don't have the ball, everyone is a defender.
"Honestly, I'm very happy with the team, there is nothing more I can ask from them, they gave 100 per cent (against Malaysia). Determination is our weapon."
AIRMARINE CUP
3rd Place: Malaysia v Afghanistan (4.25pm), Final: S'pore v Oman (8.40pm) - Singtel TV Ch111
Maurizio Sarri has downplayed Pep Guardiola's suggestion that Chelsea are still in the Premier League title race as he prepares his team to face leaders Manchester City on Sunday. The 60-year-old Italian said his side were "lucky" to beat City in December when they ended the champions' 21-match unbeaten run with a 2-0 win at Stamford
Football: Chelsea not in Premier League title race, says Sarri
Win over Watford more like draw: Ole LONDON • While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was able to mark his first game as Manchester United's full-time manager with a victory, he was far from impressed by the "slow and sloppy" performance by his players.
"It was more like a draw" | Ole after Watford Match - YouTube
Newcastle (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer joined Matt Busby in the Manchester United record books on Wednesday as his inspirational decision to bring on Romelu Lukaku as a substitute
Solskjaer extends perfect record as Man United beat Newcastle
Former England star Wayne Rooney scored three goals on Saturday night to lead DC United to a crushing 5-0 victory over Real Salt Lake. Rooney bags first MLS hat-trick in DC romp.
Watch: Rooney bags first MLS hat trick in DC United romp
England soccer captain Harry Kane received the MBE award on Thursday for services to football after leading the national team to the World Cup semi-final in Russia last summer.
England soccer captain Kane honoured at Buckingham Palace
The Barcelona quartet of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba have been named in FIFA 19's Ultimate Team La Liga Team of the Season.. Between the posts, Atletico Madrid's Jan
Football: "Stratospheric" Messi scores 400th La Liga goal in
AIRMARINE CUP. Malaysia 0. Singapore 1. The easy part was to promise entertaining, attacking football but Nazri Nasir walked the walk when he guided the Lions to a 1-0 win over Malaysia in the AirMarine Cup last night, in his debut as the caretaker national coach.
Malaysia 0-1 Singapore: Faris' late objective settles derby
Wolves reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1998, beating United 2-1 Jimenez, Jota slay United as Wolves reach FA Cup semis by beating last year's runners-up
Jimenez, Jota slay United as Wolves reach FA Cup semis
Liverpool send classy message to Spurs after Champions League triumph against Pochettino's men A video posted by BT Sport shows footage of Henderson going up to Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino as Liverpool's players and fans celebrated inside the stadium.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino 'disappointed' with Premier
Feb 27, 2019 · A portrait of Emiliano Sala on the pitch at Nantes before a match there on 10 February. Photograph: Loïc Venance/AFP/Getty Images Nantes have complained to Fifa that Cardiff have not paid the
Cardiff to tell Fifa that Emiliano Sala's transfer from
Returning Ozil has Arsenal future says Emery getty, Shaun Botterill Mesut Ozil will return to the Arsenal squad for Saturday's Premier League visit of Burnley, with manager Unai Emery saying he believes the midfielder has a future at the Emirates Stadium.
Premier League: Returning Mesut Ozil has Arsenal future says
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has urged his fellow Paris Saint-Germain teammates to show "a spirit of sacrifice for the team" with Edison Cavani and Neymar out for the match against Manchester United.The Italian goalkeeper, who has lost three Champions League finals, moved to the French capital last summer in a bid to
"We Have To Improve Mentally" - Gianluigi Buffon Warns PSG
Crystal Palace put a dent in Arsenal's Champions League qualification hopes after strikers Christian Benteke and Wilfried Zaha made the most of defensive errors in a 3-2 win at the Emirates
Football: Palace punish sloppy Arsenal in 3-2 win at the Emirates
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has unfinished business with Chelsea The suspended England midfielder could only watch helplessly from the stand. Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has unfinished business with Chelsea as the 2014 defeat to Jose Mourinho's side which sank their Premier League title bid still hurts.
Jun 04, 2019 · The U.S.-China trade war and the threat that Chinese firms could be cut off from American technology is boosting China's push for its own semiconductor industry. Still, experts say it would take
Football in China - Wikipedia
0 comments:
Post a Comment