Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Singapore drawn with Myanmar and co-hosts Indonesia in AFF Suzuki Cup 2008
Defending champions Singapore have been drawn in Group A alongside Myanmar, co-hosts Indonesia and the qualifying round’s runner-up for December’s AFF Suzuki Cup 2008. Group B will feature the other co-hosts Thailand as well as Malaysia, Vietnam and the qualifying round winner.
The qualifiers are scheduled from 17 to 25 October in Phnom Penh and will involve Cambodia, Brunei, Laos, the Philippines and Timor Leste with the top two going through to the tournament proper.
The draw took place this morning at the Mulia Senayan Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Singapore, winners of the biennial tournament on three occasions – 1998, 2005 and 2007 – will return to the venue where they famously beat Indonesia 3-1 in the first leg of the 2005 final.
It will be the first time that the Lions have been drawn to meet Myanmar in the group stage of the championship. In the 12-year history of the tournament, Singapore have met Myanmar only once – in the two-legged semi-finals of the 2004 / 05 tournament.
Both Singapore and Indonesia also met in the group stage in the last two tournaments with the Indonesians missing out on a place in the semi-finals for the only time in their history last year.
Singapore National Coach Radojko Avramovic gave his reactions following the draw: “We have six teams who are very strong in this tournament and it’s a fair draw for all of them. All six have an equal chance to go to the next round and we can expect a lot more from Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.
“It will be good to play Indonesia (in Jakarta) as the atmosphere there is really special and it’s great for football. Our target for this tournament is like the last one which is to reach the final once again.”
Group Fixtures
Friday, 5 Dec 2008
Group A
Singapore vs Qualifiers Runners-up
Jakarta, Indonesia
Indonesia vs Myanmar
Jakarta, Indonesia
Saturday, 6 Dec 2008
Group B
Malaysia vs Qualifiers Winner
Bangkok, Thailand
Thailand vs Vietnam
Bangkok, Thailand
Sunday, 7 Dec 2008
Group A
Singapore vs Myanmar
Jakarta, Indonesia
Qualifiers Runners-up vs Indonesia
Jakarta, Indonesia
Monday, 8 Dec 2008
Group B
Malaysia vs Vietnam
Bangkok, Thailand
Qualifiers Winner vs Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand
Tuesday, 9 Dec 2008
Group A
Myanmar vs Qualifiers Runners-up
Jakarta, Indonesia
Indonesia vs Singapore
Jakarta, Indonesia
Wednesday, 10 Dec 2008
Group B
Vietnam vs Qualifiers Winner
Bangkok, Thailand
Thailand vs. Malaysia
Bangkok, Thailand
Semi Final Fixtures (First Leg)
Tuesday, 16 Dec 2008
Runner-up A vs Winner B
Wednesday, 17 Dec 2008
Runner-up B vs Winner A
Semi Final Fixtures (Second Leg)
Saturday, 20 Dec 2008
Winner B vs Runner-up A
Sunday, 21 Dec 2008
Winner A vs Runner-up B
Finals (First Leg)
Wednesday, 24 Dec 2008
Finals (Second Leg)
Sunday, 28 Dec 2008
my heart is bleeding -7:42 PM
