U-16 girls get 1st win, won't relax in next game

After a 9-0 thrashing by South Korea in their opening game, Singapore's Under-16 girls bounced back with a timely victory over Hong Kong in the Lion City Cup (LCC), prevailing 2-0 at the Jalan Besar Stadium on July 10.

- Samuel Tan

Battle-hardened after their defeat on July 8, the hosts put in a much-improved performance. They showed tenacity in their tackling and were more cohesive in the final third, an area in which they did not spend much time against the Koreans.

Singapore U-16 girls' coach Yeong Sheau Shyan said: "The way that we play in this match makes it so much easier for us because they (the players) understand their roles, and that allowed the team to settle into how we wanted to play much faster offensively.

"Our players are very focused on trying to improve themselves using this tournament (and) they are thinking more as a team."

Singapore started on the front foot and took the lead after just four minutes. Striker Nur Ain Salleh struck a volley that squeezed under Hong Kong goalkeeper Chan Tsz Yiu for the Republic's first goal in the competition.