ESPN Star : "Malaysia are scared of Singapore"

Ahead of their 2014 World Cup second-round qualifier at the Bukit Jalil Stadium, Aleksandar Duric was confident of beating Malaysia.


The Lions enjoyed a 5-3 victory over their arch-rivals, with Duric chipping in with a brace, and according to reports in the Straits Times, the naturalised Singaporean striker was confident that his side would come through victorious, saying: "Malaysia are under huge pressure. They're running scared of us.

"We've the two-goal advantage, but they're making it seem like the heat is all on us for the second leg", he added.

However, he was aware that it would not be an easy fight in the Bukit Jalil, especially with the return of Malaysia's first-choice centreback, Aidil Zafuan Abd Radzak, who missed the first leg as a result of an injured ankle.

Speaking to the New Straits Times after training in Bangi on Monday, Duric revealed: "I have faced him on several occasions before."

"He is a tough defender to play against. If he plays, I will have a harder time.

"Aidil's return is a huge boost to Malaysia as he is an experienced player. 

"Both of us will have different missions on Thursday (tomorrow). As for me, my job is to score goals while his will be to stop me. I am looking forward to this challenge."

The 41-year-old striker believes that his experience will make the difference.

"I've scored against some of the best defenders over a span of 12 years in this region and none of them managed to stop me from getting my name onto the score-sheet. 

"Aidil is a good player but he will need to be at his best to stop me," Duric crowed.

The Tampines Rovers striker did warn his team-mates that they would need to stay focused in the hot cauldron that the Bukit Jalil Stadium could become.

"Our young players must stay focused throughout the match. Fans can be quite intimidating at times. As for me, I am used to it."

He also gave an insight towards what kept him going in football for so long.

"I eat the right food and also train hard. I do not stay up late. My love for football keeps me going", Duric revealed.

While Duric was confident of Singapore's chances, Malaysian coach K.Rajagobal was equally ebullient of Malaysia's ability to overturn the deficit, despite the Lion's "foreign legion" of Duric, Qiu Li, Shi Jiayi, Daniel Bennet, and Fahrudin Mustafic.

"They are Singapore's lifeline. We will pay some attention to them but we will not go overboard," said Rajagobal at Wisma FAM.

"Our priority is to score goals and defend well. I will not resort to man-to-man marking as the system will not work for a team who need to win the match."

Rajagobal believes his players are ready for the challenge.

"My young players made mistakes on the artificial turf in Singapore and lost the match... but this is not an excuse. We played badly in the first half but did better after the breather," he added.

"I have gone through the video with the players to see what went wrong. A few players who did not play well, were also advised to buck up. Overall, everyone is eager."

The former Malaysian international raised the stakes by calling on his compatriots to show up at the Bukit Jalil to support their team.

"I want Malaysians to come in large numbers and play their part in this crucial tie as we play better in front of our fans."

He also revealed Malaysia's long-term plans beyond the qualifier.

"My target is to help Malaysia qualify for the Asian Cup. My main objective is to prepare a formidable team for this challenge.

"We need to do our best in the World Cup qualifiers as a good performance will help in the players' development. It is also important that we at least beat Singapore."