Ten man Singapore suffer home heartache vs. Syria in WC qualifier

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Singapore suffered a last gasp 2-1 loss at the hands of Syria in an AFC World Cup Group E qualifier at the National Stadium in Kallang on Tuesday night.

Omar Khribin's brace -- with the winning goal coming in the last seconds -- gave the West Asians victory against a Singapore team reduced to 10-men after a straight red card to defender Madhu Moana after 55 minutes.

The home side showed great character to equalise through a penalty from midfielder Safuwan Baharudin in the 89th minute before Khirbin's late heroics.

The win gives Syria a five point lead over Singapore in Group E, with the Southeast Asians having played an extra match.

The early warning signs were there for the home fans in the ninth minute when a quick throw-in from Mahmoud Al Mawas released Alaa Al Shbli. His cross should have been put away by Youssef, only for the forward to sky it high and wide.

Singapore's first decent opportunity came in the 16th minute. Christopher Van Huizen, making his first start for the Lions, swung in a pinpoint corner that was glanced over the bar by Baihakki Khaizan.

Syria opened the scoring four minutes later when Singapore failed to clear their lines. The ball fell to Al Mawas who picked out Khribin at the far post, and the striker planted a downward header past Izwan Mahbud for a 1-0 lead to the visitors.

It was Khribin who almost doubled the advantage on 30 minutes, but Izwan managed to get his fingertips to turn the ball onto the post as the crowd heaved a collective sigh of relief.

With a minute left to the break, Izwan saved his team again when he pulled off a miraculous point blank save from Sanharib Malki to send Singapore to the break with a fighting chance.

Syria started the second half with a barrage of long range shots. But it was Singapore who came closest in the 52nd minute when Van Huizen's cross met Safuwan. However, the former Melbourne City utility sent his header centimetres wide with goalkeeper Ibrahim Almeh caught in no man's land.

Just when the home side seemed to have come to terms with the visitors, centre-back Madhu was given a straight red two minutes later for an off-the-ball scuffle with Khribin as both sets of players confronted each other.

Syria made use of their numerical advantage and could have doubled their lead in the 70th minute. Nadim Sabag's overlapping run provided a perfect cross for Malki, who somehow headed over the bar right in front of goal. 

There was further drama with two minutes remaining when justice was served onto Syrian right-back Shbli, who spent much of the game trying to rile the home team. A seemingly innocuous corner kick from substitute Shaiful Esah was met by Shakir Hamzah's header, only to be handled by the Syrian defender.

Safuwan stepped up and fired in the resulting penalty to level the score but there was still time for a late winner from the mercurial left boot of Khrbin.

The Syrian forward cut in with seconds left on the clock and sent an unstoppable, angled shot past the outstretched arms of Izwan to give the visitors all three points.

Singapore's final Group E match will be on neutral territory in Tehran against Afghanistan in March while Syria will take on Cambodia before heading to Saitama to face group leaders Japan.

Singapore: Izwan Mahbud (GK), Shakir Hamzah, Baihakki Khaizan, Madhu Mohana, Nazrul Nazari (Faritz Hameed 45'), Izzdin Shafiq, Hariss Harun, Zulfahmi Arifin, Hafiz Sujad (Shaiful Esah 69'), Christopher Van Huizen (Fazrul Nawaz 78'), Safuwan Baharudin

Syria: Ibrahim Almeh (GK), Ahmad Alsaleh, Hamdi Al Massri, Alaa Al Shbli, Nadim Sabag, Zahir Almedani, Osama Omari (Abdulrazak Al Housain 64'), Omar Khribin, Mahmoud Al Mawas, Fahad Youssef, Sanharib Malki (C) (Nassouh Nakkdahli 82')