Singapore keeper Ng Jia Fa claims the ball in the Cubs' AFC U-16 Championship clash with Bahrain.TASHKENT – Bahrain registered their first win in this year's AFC U-16 Championship with a 3-0 victory against Singapore in their second Group A match at Pakhtakor Stadium on Monday.
Salman Ahmed gave Bahrain the lead just four minutes before the end of the first half while Sayed Dhiya Saeed doubled their advantage on 57 minutes before Dheya Salman scored his side’s third goal with 15 minutes remaining.
Both sides made a slow start before Singapore had the first chance in the game after 17 minutes when Muhammad Muhaymin shot wide from just inside the area.
On 21 minutes, Muhammad Fazli tried his luck with a long range effort which went near the right upright just three minutes before Bahrain’s Ali Muneer sent the ball over the crossbar at the other end.
Saeed’s run through the middle of the Singapore penalty area on the half hour mark unleashed Mohamed Adel but, with only Ng Jia Fa to beat, he could only fire into the body of the Singapore goalkeeper.
Singapore were denied by the woodwork on 33 minutes when Muhaymin beat Abdulla Khalifa to the ball before shooting past Bahrain goalkeeper Ahmed Abdulrasool, but the ball slammed against the right post.
Bahrain, however, took the lead four minutes before the break when Ahmed unleashed a powerful effort from 40-yards out which seared into the top left corner of Ng’s goal.
The Bahrainis continued to push at the start of the second half and by the 57th minute they had gone further ahead when Saeed picked up a loose ball and played a neat one-two with Ahmed Isa inside the area before slotting home.
Singapore tried to fight back and they went close in the 72nd minute when Muhaymin headed the ball over Bahraini goalkeeper Ahmed Abdulrasool but Abdulla Khalifa cleared off the line.
However, Bahrain put the result beyond doubt when Salman took advantage of a poor clearance from Kenneth Chang to go into the area, round Ng and score into an empty net with 15 minutes remaining.
Bahrain could have added a fourth four minutes from time when Hussain Jalil’s free kick from the left his the right post while Ng’s quick reaction save denied Jalil in the final minute of the game.
Source:The AFC.com
