| Singapore qualify for Asian Games
17 May 2010, Dhaka, BANGLADESH | Team Singapore qualified for the 2010 Asian Games in November this year in Guangzhou, China. The Hockey Lions had recovered from a shock 4-1 loss to Chinese-Taipei to draw with Oman and then beat host Bangladesh to be poised to win the qualifiers. However, they could not maintain the rich vein of form and fell to Sri Lanka 3-1 in the final game. Despite the defeat, Singapore held onto their 2nd spot one point behind champions Oman.
The Gulf state were also beaten on the final day by host Bangladesh. The thumping 4-1 loss was testament to the unpredictable nature of the qualifiers of which Singapore should be proud to have finished second. In the final day, the pressure was mounting as a win over Sri Lanka would have placed them in good stead to win the qualifiers. With Sri Lanka playing for nothing but pride, the performance of the two sides was at two extremes.
The Lankans were playing the ball around confidently with no pressure whilst Singapore were jittery and went into the break trailing by two goals. Before they could recover, the South Asians scored once again and Enrico Elif collected a consolation. The gruelling 6-games had obviously taken its toll on the young Singapore side who were missing their captain Harjeet Singh, who got injured a week before the tournament playing for his club, Singapore Recreation Club in the Singapore Premier League.
Nonetheless, the team had performed well to improve on their results against Oman and Bangladesh. The future thus bodes well. The second place finish will allow Singapore to put a strong case forward to the Singapore National Olympic Council who would have to back Singapore's participation in the men's hockey competition at the games and that would be very welcomed by the local hockey fraternity.
|
POS
|
Men's AGQ
|
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts
|
|
1st
|
Oman
|
6
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
16
|
10
|
6
|
11
|
|
2nd
|
Singapore
|
6
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
12
|
11
|
1
|
10
|
|
3rd
|
Chinese-Taipei
|
6
|
2
|
3
|
1
|
21
|
20
|
1
|
9
|
|
4th
|
Bangladesh
|
6
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
18
|
13
|
5
|
8
|
|
5th
|
Sri Lanka
|
6
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
20
|
19
|
1
|
8
|
|
6th
|
Hong Kong
|
5
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
9
|
10
|
-1
|
6
|
|
7th
|
Thailand
|
5
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
13
|
26
|
-13
|
1
|
|
Match no
|
Date
|
Fixtures
|
|
1
|
7-May-10
|
Oman
|
1-1
|
Hong Kong, China
|
|
2
|
7-May-10
|
Sri Lanka
|
3-3
|
Chinese-Taipei
|
|
3
|
7-May-10
|
Singapore
|
5-2
|
Thailand
|
|
4
|
9-May-10
|
Sri Lanka
|
3-4
|
Hong Kong, China
|
|
5
|
9-May-10
|
Bangladesh
|
8-1
|
Thailand
|
|
6
|
9-May-10
|
Singapore
|
1-4
|
Chinese-Taipei
|
|
7
|
10-May-10
|
Oman
|
5-4
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
8
|
10-May-10
|
Singapore
|
3-1
|
Hong Kong, China
|
|
9
|
10-May-10
|
Bangladesh
|
5-7
|
Chinese-Taipei
|
|
10
|
12-May-10
|
Bangladesh
|
2-2
|
Hong Kong, China
|
|
11
|
12-May-10
|
Chinese-Taipei
|
5-5
|
Thailand
|
|
12
|
12-May-10
|
Singapore
|
1-1
|
Oman
|
|
13
|
13-May-10
|
Bangladesh
|
3-3
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
14
|
13-May-10
|
Hong Kong, China
|
1-1
|
Chinese-Taipei
|
|
15
|
13-May-10
|
Oman
|
4-2
|
Thailand
|
|
16
|
15-May-10
|
Sri Lanka
|
4-3
|
Thailand
|
|
17
|
15-May-10
|
Bangladesh
|
0-1
|
Singapore
|
|
18
|
15-May-10
|
Oman
|
5-1
|
Chinese-Taipei
|
|
19
|
16-May-10
|
Hong Kong, China
|
5-1
|
Thailand
|
|
20
|
16-May-10
|
Singapore
|
1-3
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
21
|
16-May-10
|
Bangladesh
|
4-1
|
Oman
|
-story by SHF
|
