The deserved winner of the tournament was the Sporting Lisbon U19, who dispatched a determined Liverpool U19 2-0 in the final thanks to 2 goals from Luka Stojanović and Luiz Cortez.

In 3rd place was the Manchester United U19, who fought back from Sahil Suhaimi’s penalty to beat Singapore 2-1, through Shakir Hamzah’s unfortunate own goal and Mats Daehli’s strike.

The Sporting Lisbon U19s from Portgual were crowned champions of the inaugural NexLions Cup as they defeated the Liverpool U19 2-0 in the final.

While both matches produced plenty of entertainment, few would disagree that Sporting Lisbon – who thrashed Manchester United 4-1 in their first match – was the pick of the bunch.

“Not 1, not 2, but 20 of them will be future stars,” said Sporting’s head coach, Abel Ferreira at the post-match press conference.

“I think the score is ‘small’, because in the first half, we had 4-7 opportunities on goal, while Liverpool had 0. From the start, there was plenty of pressure [even] on the goalkeeper every time we were not on the ball.”

“My players and me work every day to win. It may be a surprise for you, but it isn’t for me,” Abel added.

In addition, his player, 18-year-old midfielder Edelino Iè, was crowned the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. However, Ferreira chose to downplay the efforts of the promising youngster.

“Iè is a fantastic player, but no player is alone. He may be a good footballer, but I can tell you that my players play for the team,” he said. “My players just need one opportunity to play in the first team [to make it big].”

THE FINAL
In the final, it was the Portuguese side that dominated most parts of the game, with the first clear-cut chance coming in the 28^th minute when captain Carlos Mané’s effort was cleared off the line.

Sporting took the lead in the 45^th minute, after Stojanović graced past his man to slot it past Reds goalkeeper Ryan Fulton. The goal seemed to spark the Reds to life, as they strove to find the equaliser with Marc Pelosi, 18, carving out a few chances.

The Reds put up a determined performance in the final, but were undone by goals from Sporting Lisbon’s Luka Stojanović and Luiz Cortez.

However, the tie was settled in the 89^th minute when substitute Cortez showed great touch to receive Daniel Podence’s pass, before empathically finishing it past Fulton to make it 2-0.

On the loss, Liverpool head coach Alex Inglethorpe said: “I though we had moments, but they (Sporting) definitely deserved to win.”

NO PUSHOVER
The Singapore Youth Selection, which consisted of an under-21 squad, also didn’t disappoint.

Despite a spirited display in the first match, the Singapore Youth Selection lost to the Reds 1-0 through Samed Yesil’s (falling down) backheel.

Spurred on by an encouraging performance in their first fixture where they narrowly lost 1-0 to Liverpool through a Samed Yesil backheel, the local side went into the 3^rd place play-off full of spirit.

The attacking trio of Safirul Sulaiman, Shahfiq Ghani, and Iqbal Hussain were deadly throughout the game, and they took a well-deserved lead In the 53^rd minute when Suhaimi was brought down in the box by Manchester United’s  Declan Dalley. The 20-year-old striker stepped up and calmly converted his penalty to make it 1-0.

However, the goal would prove to be the turning point, as an initially lethargic Manchester United turned on the style and equalised in the 66^th minute when Singapore’s defender Shakir – who was otherwise rock-solid in the game – accidentally put the ball into his own net.

Norwegian starlet Mats Daehli(in the middle) proved to the be difference for Manchester United, as he scored the winning goal in the 69th minute.

The Red Devils then took the lead 3 minutes later, when James Weir found Daehli in the box, who coolly curled it past Singaporean goalkeeper Rudy Khairullah. It proved to be the final blow for the Lions, as the match ended 2-1.

Singapore’s head coach Aide Iskandar said: “I have to clearly say that we only had 3 and a ½ weeks to prepare, whereas these other teams have been together since they were young.”

He added, “I think we have to give credit to the boys, we gave United quite a fight… they were the better side.”

Singapore’s captain Raihan Rahman also said, “I think my players did very, very well, and I do not blame the goals on my teammates.”

Manchester United’s head coach, Paul McGuinness said, “In the first half, we were still finding it hard to cope with the heat, and didn’t play it quick enough. [But] if you want to [learn how to] play at the top level of football, you have to play when it’s uncomfortable.

He added, “After half time, they found that they could do it, and mentally, they became more confident… and we did step it up, like the first team had done.”

All photos courtesy of Football Association of Singapore (FAS).

For most professional footballers, it’s the lure of money, fame or glory that draws them into the beautiful game.

Not so for 22-year-old Hafiz Sujad, who’s doing it in his late father’s honour.

“[This is] especially [because] for my mother, as me being a footballer for her is like seeing my dad,” Hafiz shared with UrbanWire.

“So, sometimes, I feel the pressure to step up for him.”

His father, Abu Sujad, was instrumental in igniting his love for football, as a 6-year-old Hafiz would enthusiastically tag along while he coached amateur players as a part-time job. It was through these trainings that the young footballer got hooked on the sport.

If it wasn’t for this, the young central midfielder wouldn’t be where he is today: The LionsXII, which is the Singaporean representative in the Malaysian Super League(MSL).

Unfortunately, 4 years later, tragedy struck when his father lost a battle with liver cancer.

“At that time, I was very young, so I didn’t know how bad it was. But slowly, I began to realise what it meant,” he said calmly. “[Now], when I’m feeling down in football, it gives me the extra motivation to push myself.”

Well, looking down from above, the senior Sujad has every reason to be proud of his son.

After rising through the ranks of the youth setups of the National Football Academy (NFA), the former Courts Young Lions captain has progressed to one of the top teams in Singapore – the LionsXII.

Robin Chitrakar, his previous coach at the Courts Young Lions, had nothing but praise for him. He told UrbanWire: “He’s got the potential, and leads by example as seen in the previous season. It’s definitely a good step up for him.”

“Definitely, Hafiz is one player to watch (out for in the future),” he added.

Sazali Abdul Aziz, a sports journalist from The New Paper who has been covering the S-League since 2006, said: “Actually, I’m very surprised that he hasn’t been a regular in the national team.”

“He has the look of a top football player, on a local sense. He has good touch, excellent control, and is physically ready. If he gets the chance, I’m sure he will make a name for himself.”

Hafiz too is also looking forward to embarking on his MSL journey, which will kick off on Jan 9.

He said, “Playing in the foreign leagues always gives us a lot of good experience, and it wasn’t a hard decision to make. I’m looking forward to the new level of play… bottom line, it’s also to prepare myself for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games next year. After all, it will be my last chance (due to the under 23 years-old age restriction).”

“Still, I know I have to fight, as I’m very new to the team.”

A FIGHTER:
Indeed, underneath his shy and conservative shell, lies a real fighter. Time and time again, the Lion City Cup medallist has fought tooth and nail to keep his career on track.

That began when Hafiz, then aged 14, along with then schoolmate and friend Hariss Harun, was roped into the NFA U15 squad led by former LionsXII assistant-coach Kadir Yahya after attending their trials.

However, 2 years later, the former St Gabriel’s Secondary School student struggled with his GCE ‘O’ Level Examination preparations, which affected his football commitment.

He was forced to take a short hiatus, before rejoining the NFA U17 team after a stint at Balestier Khalsa that lasted a few weeks.

Fortunately, Hafiz did well and enrolled for Nanyang Polytechnic’s Sports and Wellness Management Diploma, and he certainly had a good time.

“After entering Poly, I enjoyed myself. The timetable meant that there were morning classes on some days, [but in overall] it’s manageable, if you are disciplined and know what you want.”

Still, when asked about his final results, Hafiz simply smiled and replied with a sheepish “Okay only lah”.

That said, his next setback would come in 2009, when he missed out on a SEA Games squad place due to a bad shoulder injury, which also caused him to be left out from a good chunk of the season.

He said: “It would have been my first SEA Games, and the players who went won a bronze. It was disappointing, as I really wanted to go and win something. It was really hard luck.”

Despite this, there was one thing that kept Hafiz going: his passion for the game, which he feels comes from his family’s illustrious history of footballers.

His father used to represent the old Singapore Malays Football Association Team, and his uncle, Mohd Noh Hussein, was a former international player in the 1970s.

His brother Nadzi Sujad was a former Balestier Khalsa player, while his sister, Nurhafizah Sujad, is the current national team’s physiotherapist. Finally, his cousin is none other than local football legend, Fandi Ahmad.

“Maybe it runs in the blood,” Hafiz said, with a grin.

“When you look up to these people play soccer, it naturally took over me, and gave me that passion.”

REALITY:
Fast forward to today, and that passion has certainly translated into a reality.

It’s been an eventful year for the 2012 S-League Young Player of the Year award nominee, as he took over the Courts Young Lions captaincy from local football hero Hariss.

Yes, the 2 friends were nurtured in the fields of St Gabriel’s Secondary School, moulded in the S-League at the Courts Young Lions, and are now teammates at the LionsXII.

“Now, he’s one of the best midfielders in his age in Singapore, and even though we are of the same age, his level is much higher than me,” said Hafiz. “I mean, sometimes I look up to him. We’ve been playing together since secondary school, and I try to take in the good things from him.”

Another highlight of his year was when he received his first national team call-up for an international friendly against India.

Although Hafiz’s first international appearance was limited to just a few minutes as a substitute, he felt that the experience was invaluable.

The Liverpool fan said: “You could see how the top level of players train, what they do on and off the field, and how Coach Raddy (Radojko Avramovic) prepared them for games and trainings. It was something very new for me.”

While Hafiz didn’t manage to break into this year’s AFF Suzuki Cup squad, he recognises that he still has some way to go.

He said, “Obviously, there was a bit of disappointment, but it’s not that bad. I know there’s a lot more to work on before reaching the Nationals consistently.”

As Hafiz embarks on a new chapter of his footballing career, you can expect that he’ll be giving nothing less than 100%.

He said, “For me, it’s all about working hard, and achieving the goals in my life. I don’t expect anything much, but every day, I just have to be diligent.”

In an event dominated by the Indonesian champions, 2 Singaporean boxers stole the limelight, as Mohd Nor Rizan and Syafiq Bin Abdul Samad, both emerged victorious in their respective fights at the Dragon Fire World Boxing Championship under the bright lights of the Marina Bay Sands on Nov 9.

For the 33-year-old Rizan, it was sweet revenge as he overcame Wang Xinhua, who won their previous meeting in May, by close scores of 39-37, 36-38, and 36-40.

More impressively, Syafiq, 19, in his professional debut, beat England’s James Goyder with a technical knockout in just the first round of his bout no less.

Syafiq cornering his opponent, Englishman James Goyder. The bout went in favour of the Singaporean, who won via a technical knock-out.

To make the win even more special, he dedicated the win to his fellow trainee, Shahril Salim, who was in a coma and is currently fighting for his life after collapsing in a training session.

Both were originally slated to make their professional debuts together that night in the ring, and so Syafiq couldn’t help but pay some tribute to his friend during the post-bout interview.

“This victory, I want to dedicate it a friend who couldn’t achieve his dream tonight,” said Syafiq, who is also nicknamed the ‘Slasher’. “We had already planned (to) fight together in this competition. We were fighting and training together, and stuff happened.”

He told UrbanWire, “For my first pro boxing fight, I think I did pretty good. It was nothing fancy, it was basic stuff and as they say, basics always work. It means a lot to me. I’m not only fighting for myself; I’m also fighting for my friend, who’s fighting for his life.”

The 19 year-old Syafiq Bin Abdul Samad waving to the crowd as he celebrates his first professional win.

Rizan’s fight was no ordinary one either.

Spurred on by a vocal home crowd, he stormed through his opening 2 rounds, as he overwhelmed Wang with a flurry of hits. However, fatigue soon caught up to him, and his opponent made a comeback in the 3^rd and 4^th rounds.

Rizan said: “Usually, I go all out in the first round, which I should have taken it easy to get my body warmed up. I did it too fast, and I should have paced myself a little bit more to get myself going.”

“He threw a lot of punches… but his performance overall [was better than me] tonight. At the end of the fight, I was expecting him to win.”

Singapore’s Mohd Rizan throwing a right hook at his opponent, Wang XinHua.

So when it was announced that he was the victor, Rizan was in disbelief. He disagreed with the decision, and showing good sportsmanship, gestured for his opponent to be the victor, with Wang doing the same.

Eventually, he reluctantly accepted the ruling, and left the ring without giving the post-match interview.

Speaking after the match, the 33-year-old fitness trainer said: “It was all part of sportsmanship. At the end of the day, both of us agreed that we were winners in the ring.”

In the main event of the night, Indonesian boxer Chris John successfully defended his World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight title for the 17^th time.The 33-year-old broke Thailand’s Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo’s unbeaten record by a unanimous decision (117-111, 119-109, 119-109).

Indonesian Chris John launches a left-handed jab against his opponent Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo from Thailand.

Speaking to the UrbanWire, he said: “My records haven’t been broken, I’ve defended my title, and I feel great. My opponent was tough, but I just followed my trainer’s instruction and our strategy, it worked.”

Similarly, his compatriot, Daud Yordan, also defended his International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Featherweight belt, when he defeated Choijiljavyn Tseveenpurev with a score of 117-111, 119-110, and 118-110.

All photos courtesy of Asyraf Rasid (Klix Photography).

V Sundramoorthy, Head Coach of The Chance Singapore, with the selected 5

Just as the Idol series around the world promises a recording contract and super stardom for an amateur singer, The Chance 2012 holds out the offer of a pro football contract and fame on an international stage for the winners.

The hunt that has been spearheaded by Nike since 2010 is on in 55 countries. Each will field 5 football talents for a trial that will shortlist a mere 100, who will be flown to Spain for a final international showdown.

V Sundramoorthy, Lions XII coach, helms the coaching team in Singapore for The Chance 2012, kicked off the talent search by scouting 5 footballers during a match played between Meridian Junior College and Team Eastchester on Mar 30.

Talent is key in propelling young players all the way to the top of the sporting world. Sundram pointed out the qualities present in a successful footballer – “technique and ability”. He added, “Day in day out putting in hours in training, eventually you will make the cut if you have the talent. The talent is the most important factor.”

19-year-old Muhammad Hairi was elated at getting a shot at being among the top 5. He told UrbanWire “This means a lot to me for my football career especially in this school. Given this chance, I’ll see where it takes me to.”

Mohammed Naufal nur Hakim, 19, Mohd Amsyar, 18, Syabil Anwar 16, Mohd Khairul, 23, join him to be part of the 150 local talents who will undergo training and competition under Sundram in May- all to sieve out 5 of the country’s best amateur footballers.

Mohd Khairul was the only player from Team Eastchester to receive the invite

Photos Courtesy of IMSG.

Sundram stated, “Out of the 150, if you can get 1 or 2 players representing the nation in any level, it’ll be a success. I think The Chance has created some players for the country. That is important.” Ahmad Fahmie Bin Jamil is one such star, having emerged champion of The Chance Singapore in 2010.
The regional finals in Jakarta, Indonesia in June will see the 5 players each from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand whittle down to the best 4, who will attend the global finals in Barcelona, where they will get to play in world-class sports facilities and benefit from the best coaching.

As exciting as this prospect may sound, it also holds an immense load of pressure on these young boys. Hairi, however, shows a role-model attitude towards this. “Pressure is what makes diamonds,” he told UrbanWire. “I think intense pressure brings about your greatest abilities, and that is where you show your true qualities.”

However, in a country that focuses largely on academic ability, juggling school and playing football for leisure is especially tough, much less professional football. “Soccer and studies are very tough to handle in Singapore, you need to have good time management,” Naufal shared.

Sundram knows first-hand that this is not insurmountable. “I’ve been a national player, and I’ve played with players who were in university and played in the national team, so I think it’s more of just balancing their lifestyle- putting the right time for study and enough time for training, and they’ll eventually be successful.”

Future Lions XII players could even be identified from The Chance 2012. Says Sundram,  “I believe that if a player … is good enough, why not give him an opportunity?”

The Chance 2012 in Singapore is open to all players aged 16 to 24. To register, players can build a ‘team page’ for their teams on The Chance app via facebook.com/nikefootball. The Chance will also scout for players through a Football Festival from Apr 27 to 29 and players can register for the festival at the hotline, 6570 6315.

Pennetta with her Singapore Women’s Tennis Exhibition trophy

World No. 25 Flavia Pennetta defied naysayers as she outclassed 2 much more highly-ranked opponents at the Singapore Women’s Tennis Exhibition (SWTE) held from Dec 16 to 18.

The tournament was seen as a warm-up for the approaching Australian Open, and also marked the return of top class professional women’s tennis players to Singapore, as the last time the republic hosted a game on this level was in 2007.

With some of the world’s best participating, organisers might have expected the 10,000-capacity Singapore Indoor Stadium to be packed to the rafters, but the friendly tournament only managed to catch the attention of about 1,000 enthusiasts.

However, despite the lack of spectators, there was certainly no shortage of surprises on the court – and after this sneak peak of the Australian Open hopefuls, tennis fans can certainly expect the unexpected at the Rod Laver Arena come January 2012.

Of the 6 tennis players who came for this tournament, many would have expected the finals to be a matchup between world No. 8 Agnieszka Radwanska and the recent US Open winner Samantha Stosur.

IMG 3 Stosur in action against China’s Peng Shuai during the 3rd/4th placing matchup

However, Italian crowd favourite Flavia Pennetta must have got the script mixed up as she powered past Stosur with a score of 7-5, 6-7, 6-2 in the semifinals, before winning the tournament in convincing fashion with a final 6-4, 7-5 victory over Radwanska.

Pennetta breaking into a dance after winning the finals against Radwanska

The way Pennetta came back from the jaws of defeat against her semi-final opponent added to the shock factor, as Stosur had previously defeated no less than powerhouse Serena Williams at the US Open.

Up against Radwanska, an opponent she likened to a Sony PlayStation, Pennetta dispatched the Pole with ease and even had the time to entertain the spectators with little jigs and dances.

Despite being the world No. 8, Radswanka was outclassed in the finals

While the SWTE was only an exhibition tournament, the 30-year-old Pennetta’s colourful antics were well worth the price of the admission.

Despite approaching what most enthusiasts would describe as the tail end of her career, Pennetta’s victory over 2 much more highly-ranked opponents was as unexpected as the footy skills she showed off as she juggled a tennis ball midway through the finals.

Having won the doubles at the 2011 Australian Open, Pennetta could go one better this time as she’s unlocked the secret to staying calm while going against formidable opponents: getting the crowd behind her.

Pennetta in action during the Singapore Women’s Tennis Exhibition

Photos courtesy of Singapore Sports Council, Sebastien Serandrei and Lionel Lim.

“I’m really happy because the crowd was with me since the first match, maybe when you’re relaxed on the court and you smile and you’re dancing, the people also feel what you feel on the court,” said the Brindisi native at the post match press conference.

Compared to rugby or football, tennis seems less of a spectator sport as silence is usually observed during the game. But there was never a quiet moment when the flamboyant Italian stepped onto the court as her graceful strokes and cheeky banter earned her the cheer and support of the crowd.

Judging by the raucous cheers and enthusiastic applause for every point scored, and words of encouragement and support bellowed for every point lost, Pennetta had indeed endeared herself to the spectators.

The Italian was also a favourite among the children who participated in the kids’ coaching clinic on Saturday and Sunday morning and from her on-court antics, it’s not hard to see why.

Though many of the 1,000 or so spectators might not be heading Down Under come January, Pennetta could very well win herself a new legion of fans there, as she’s thinking of showing the Rod Laver Arena audience her wacky dance steps too.

“I hope to play in the same way at the Australian Open, with a smile and dancing. We will see what happens,” said Pennetta.

Having already chalked up 2 unexpected victories in Singapore, there’s no reason why Pennetta shouldn’t rack up a few more in Australia!

China’s Ding Ning in action during the finals of the Volkswagen 2011 Women’s World Cup.)

She’s not part of China’s 2012 Olympic team yet, but World No.2 Ding Ning certainly boosted her selection chances after calmly dispatching her compatriot and World No.1 Li Xiaoxia with a score of 11-9, 11-5, 7-11, 14-12, 11-9 in the finals of the Volkswagen 2011 Women’s World Cup (VWWC) held in Singapore over Oct 28 to 30.

Ding Ning’s immediate reaction after winning the second set against Li Xiaoxia.

The year just keeps getting better for the affable Chinese paddler, as before this win, the 21-year-old had recorded victories in 3 pro tours, as well as a single’s title at the World Table Tennis Championships.

Her debut win at this US$150,000 [S$190,360] tournament also makes her only the third paddler in history to win both the World Table Tennis Championships and the World Cup in the same year.

Speaking in Mandarin, she said, “I’m definitely very happy to win the World Cup and the level of competition was extremely strong.

“But I didn’t think too much before the competition because it was my first time taking part and I just wanted to enjoy the whole process,” added the media-friendly Ding Ning, who’ll be going home with the winner’s cheque of USD $45,000.

On her victory, she commented, “It’s not so much that I’ve beaten the World No.1, I’m just happy that I’ve won the competition. I’ve met Xiaoxia on several occasions before this and we’re also teammates.”

Ding Ning posing for photographers with her prize and the Volkswagen World Cup

However, while she was lapping up her World Cup victory, things were less rosy on the Singapore front as local hope Feng Tianwei had to deal with a harsh dose of disappointment.

Always winning, it’s very rare to see a frown on the face of Singapore’s top ranked paddler.

With Wang Yuegu failing to advance from the quarterfinals the day before and Li Jiawei unable to progress from the group stage, the hopes of the 1,800 spectators along with President Tony Tan rested on the shoulders of World No.4 Feng Tianwei.

President Tony Tan and Er. Lee Bee Wah cheering for Feng Tianwei.

But despite enjoying the raucous support of the local crowd, the 25-year-old couldn’t find an answer to Ding Ning’s comeback, surrendering her first set lead and eventually succumbing to a 1-4 defeat.

“I didn’t handle some situations that well and I didn’t fully utilise my chances,” a disappointed Feng told UrbanWire. “After I won the first set, Ding changed her strategy and I found myself having difficulty keeping up.”

Her disappointment was further compounded when she lost the bronze medal match against Hong Kong’s Tie Yana, an opponent she’d always beaten in their 3 previous meetings.

Hong Kong’s Tie Yana in action during the bronze medal match.

After an 11-3 first set victory over Tie Yana, Feng lost the next 4 sets and crashed out of the bronze medal match with another 1-4 defeat.

“Tie played very well and I couldn’t adjust to the pace of the game. There were also loopholes in my technique,” she explained.

Feng Tianwei was unable to display her usual explosive style of playing. Feng in action against Wu Xue of the Dominican Republic.

Even though the home crowd didn’t get to see a local paddler on the podium, Er. Lee Bee Wah, President of the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) was satisfied by the performance of the 3 national paddlers.

“It was a pity that a Singapore flag was not up there, but the players have done quite well – look at Jiawei, she put up a very good fight against Ding Ning whereas in the past, lots of people have said we are afraid of China,” she said.

Singapore’s Deputy Head Coach of the Women’s Team was delighted to be able to watch the formidable competition first hand, as it would help Singapore prepare for the next Olympics.

“There’s definitely a possibility of us having to face some of these players next year,” said the former national player, who won 2 gold medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Singapore’s Deputy Head Coach of the Women’s Team (right) giving instructions to Feng.

Local sports enthusiasts were also treated to displays of the world’s top 16 paddlers at this prestigious table tennis tournament, where Olympic qualification points are up for grabs. Apart from our local representatives, their constant cheers for foreign players like Viktoria Pavlovich and Ding Ning were very much appreciated.

Belarusian Viktoria Pavlovich’s unique style of playing certainly won the hearts of the fans.

“I heard cheers for other paddlers and myself throughout the tournament and I’m very grateful for their support,” said Ding Ning.

Ding Ning repaying the support by signing autographs for the fans.

Ding Ning hitting autographed table tennis balls into the stands.

Feng will now represent the Republic with the rest of the women’s team at the World Team Cup in Germany before flying to Jakarta to lead Singapore’s charge in the table tennis campaign in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

“Out of the 5 events [to be held there], the target submitted to the Singapore National Olympic Council was 3 gold medals, but unofficially, I want them to do their best. I need not say anything more,” said Er. Lee.