Football: Singapore beat Bahrain 3-2 to boost hopes of qualifying for Asiad

Singapore's Sahil Suhaimi celebrates a goal at the SEA Games in December 2013. He scored a brace against Bahrain's U-23 side to help Singapore's Under-23 football team win 3-2 in a friendly match on Tuesday in Manama, Bahrain. -- PHOTO: ST FILE 
Singapore's Sahil Suhaimi celebrates a goal at the SEA Games in December 2013. He scored a brace against Bahrain's U-23 side to help Singapore's Under-23 football team win 3-2 in a friendly match on Tuesday in Manama, Bahrain. -- PHOTO: ST FILE 

Singapore's Under-23 football team beat Bahrain's U-23 side 3-2 in a friendly match on Tuesday in Manama, Bahrain.

A brace from Courts Young Lions striker Sahil Suhaimi and a Bahrain own goal put the hosts - which had a man sent off in the 52nd minute - to the sword.

For Tuesday match, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) had selected a squad that could play in September's Asian Games (an Under-23 competition) - in the hope that a good result can boost their hopes of being selected by the Singapore National Olympic Council to go to Incheon, South Korea.

The deadline for submission of appeals for the Asiad closed last Friday, but the FAS will still submit a report of the Under-23 side's results this year to SNOC.

Said national head coach Bernd Stange, who led the team for this match: "This was an important game and win for the team. The players were committed to show that they deserved to be nominated to the Asian Games.

"It has always been difficult for Singapore to get a result in the Middle East, and it was a difficult task against a team that is ranked 14th in Asia. We had to bring everything out on the field and the players delivered."

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