Courtesy: ESPN Star

Tiger Street Football thrills Singapore

Fans and spectators were treated to sizzling action at the inaugural Tiger Street Football tournament held in the heart of Singapore's shopping district on Saturday.

A total of 32 local teams battled it out within the specially-constructed Tiger Football Stadium - a unique oval, caged, hard-court pitch with no side-lines which provided non-stop play in two six-minutes halves.

Silky skills mixed with full blooded tackles were on display as every team chased that cherished goal - to become champions and represent Singapore in the Grand Finals to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in September later this year.

28 teams were eliminated after some high-octane action and the excitement reached its peak with four teams remaining in the competition. Both semi-finals ended 2-2 and extra-time was needed to separate them.

But it was the game between On the Run and Tiger Airways La Plata that whipped the spectators into a frenzy.

Locked at two goals apiece in extra-time with both teams reduced to two-a-side as part of the rules, a goal was needed to settle the encounter. However, it was the referee who took centrestage.

On the Run thought they had scored the winner and walked off in jubilant celebration - only to be hauled back unto the pitch as the goal was disallowed due to a rule violation. Not to be denied, On the Run proved they were indeed worthy finalists as they went on to score the winning goal - a legitimate one this time around.

So it was down to On the Run and La Plata Juniors B - the winners of the other semi-final - to battle it out for the crown and the opportunity to represent Singapore in the Grand Finals.

All hopes of a close final were dashed though, as On the Run ran riot in a 6-1 dismantling of their opponents - thanks to an early dismissal of a La Plata Juniors B player who was adjudged to have deliberately handled the ball in front of goal.

Mahmod Hashim, who scored a staggering four goals for the winners in the final, admitted he would have much preferred a closer fight but is nonetheless looking forward to representing Singapore in the Grand Finals.

He said: "Our opponents were unlucky to have their player sent-off as that destroyed their chances for the game. But this is football, although I would rather have played against them at full strength.

"Now we are just looking forward to the Grand Finals and we will give our very best."

Mohamad Helmi, one of the star performers for the runner-up, was gracious in defeat and praised the organizers for a job well done.

He said: "It was a really well organized tournament by Tiger and ESPN STAR Sports and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves today [Saturday], although we are disappointed to have lost the final."

Next stop for Tiger Street Football will be Bangkok, Thailand (May) before moving on to Guangzhou, China (July); Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam (August) with the culmination an adrenaline-filled international grand finale in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (September).

At the Grand Finals, the top team from each local leg will not only win attractive cash prizes but also a chance to become Tiger Street Football Champions and win the coveted top prize of USD 30,000.

The tournament has been organized in partnership with ESPN STAR Sports' Event Management arm, - a group vastly experienced in hosting large-scale sporting events across the region.

The goal of the tournament is to elevate the level of play and passion for football on the streets of Singapore, as well as in China, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com