At the official opening of the Singapore Sports Hub on Sunday, besides the well-choreographed performances by the students and spectacular firework displays ("Stretch your limits, PM tells Singapore youth"; Monday), there was a very meaningful event all the spectators loved.

"Goal for a Cause" was a football match pitting a group of former Singapore national players, including Fandi Ahmad and Lim Tong Hai, against a big group of students from various primary schools.

The soccer field had four goalposts manned by two goalkeepers from the former nationals' team and two from the primary schools' team. There were about 10 former national players and 30 pupils in the field.

In the crowded field, the adult players had to be extra careful. The goalkeepers had a harder time as they had to be highly alert, as there were three footballs in play at the same time.

At the end of the 20-minute match, it was a landslide victory for the primary schools' team, which scored 18 goals, against 11 by the former nationals.

The results were not a a surprise as the main purpose, apart from raising funds for charity, was to encourage and inspire the younger generations to continue with their love for and interest in football.

I am confident that the match will be well remembered by the pupils involved as they played against the popular football stars.

Given the appropriate environment, they can be groomed to become future national football players. Kudos to the former national players, who made the event a great success.

Lim Lih Mei (Ms)