Only China enter this match with the dream of qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil still intact. Singapore ended any slim chance of progress with a 2-0 defeat to group leaders Jordan in Amman on Friday. But even China's hopes of clinching the runners-up slot in Group A remain bleak, with results elsewhere needed to go in their favour. Nevertheless, the match in itself should be a heated affair, with Singapore's sizeable Chinese migrant population expected to lend vocal support to the visitors.
Singapore's squad has been depleted with a number of key players involved in the concurrent staging of the 2011 South-East Asian (SEA) Games in Indonesia. Hariss Harun, Safuwan Bahrudin and Izwan Mahbud, who all started the match in September, are part of the Singapore Under-23 team competing in the SEA Games.
China, meanwhile, will have to contend with the absence of Linpeng Zhang. The defender will be suspended after being shown a straight red card against Iraq in his previous match for bringing down Younis Mahmoud, who was through on goal.
www.goal.com
No comments:
Post a Comment