Football: Selangor Selection beat Singapore Selection on penalties to reclaim Sultan of Selangor Cup

SELANGOR - It is a rivalry that goes back 97 years and, even though Singapore's Malaysia Cup adventures are over, the footballing ties with Selangor remain strong.

They played out a 1-1 draw in the 16th edition of the Sultan of Selangor Cup on Saturday (Aug 25).

The Cup is an annual friendly match that celebrates the ties between the Republic and the Malaysian state.

And, after Singapore Selection had won the previous two years, Selangor Selection finally triumphed 5-3 on penalties before 60,000 fans at the Shah Alam Stadium.

Captained by Tampines Rovers midfielder Yasir Hanapi, Singapore Selection took a ninth-minute lead through Albirex Niigata forward Shuhei Hoshino.

The advantage lasted just six minutes before Spanish forward Rufino, who played two games for LaLiga powerhouses Atletico Madrid a decade ago, equalised.

There was added intrigue in the game as Singapore international forward Faris Ramli wore the red and yellow of Selangor as he now plies his trade for Malaysian Super League side PKNS.

And it was the 26-year-old who made the difference in the shoot-out as he scored the decisive spot-kick, beating Balestier Khalsa goalkeeper Zaiful Nizam, after Tampines defender Irfan Najeed had missed.

"We had an excellent game. We went 1-0 up, but we lost a bit of focus at a free kick and gave away the equaliser. But we played well for the rest of the match and it was a beautiful game," said Singapore Selection and Balestier Khalsa coach Marko Kraljevic.

"At the end, a draw is a fair result and luck plays a part in penalties. It's part of the game.

"I told the boys to enjoy the game... good stadium, good pitch, big crowd, it's beautiful. These are the best conditions for football players and I think the boys enjoyed it."

The two sides had a fierce rivalry in the Malaysia Cup tournament and both were the most successful teams as well, with Selangor lifting the trophy a record 33 times and Singapore winning 24 times.

Both teams also contested the inaugural Malaya Cup final in 1921.

More than 1,500 Singapore fans, occupying 40 buses, also made their way to Shah Alam for the game.

In Saturday's two other matches, the Singapore Under-16 Selection boys lost 2-0 to the Selangor U-16s while the veterans, led by former Lions captain Fandi Ahmad, drew 1-1 with their Selangor counterparts.

Former Singapore winger Steven Tan scored a penalty but the home side eventually won 3-2 on spot-kicks.