Archive for the ‘V Sundramoorthy’ Category
SINGAPORE : In a see-saw battle, the Young Lions had enough in the tank to pip Albirex Niigata 3-2 in an exciting NTUC Income-Yeo’s S.League 2008 battle at Jalan Besar Stadium on Sunday night.
The home side took the lead in the 19th minute through young midfield prodigy Hariss Harun, who powered home a header in off the ground from a corner by Yan Minghao.
Albirex drew level four minutes from the break when skipper Ryota Doi flicked home with his head to give goalkeeper Jasper Chan no chance.
The Japanese side took the lead 10 minutes after half-time when Doi scored again with another header.
Rising star Hariss proved his worth in the 72nd minute when he poked home after a neat turn in the box, off a free-kick by Yan.
Yan, the Young Lions’ new striker, turned goalscorer seven minutes later when he nodded home after a fine run and measured cross by Khairul Amri.
Young Lions’ coach V Sundramoorthy was delighted with the win, and was pleased with the performances of newcomers like Izzdin Shafiq, Afiq Yunos and even substitute, Gabriel Quak.
“I would like to give them more opportunities and they did very well tonight,” said Sundram after the game.
“The more games they get, the better they will be.” –
Channel News Asia
SINGAPORE: Some 45,000 people descended on the National Stadium on Saturday evening to bid farewell to the Grand Old Dame of Singapore Sports.
Activities started early with DJs getting the crowds all geared up for the closing ceremony show.
The stadium is best known for football, so a veterans match involving past stars from Singapore and Malaysia was part of the programme.
For some former international players, the stadium definitely brought back fond memories, having played there on numerous occasions.
Says V Sundramoorthy, ex-football player from Singapore, “Every time I entered the Stadium, the fans’ support was greatwe’re going to miss this great stadium here.”
“During the 1980s, in one of the pre-Olympic matches where we played KoreaI was one of the up and coming youngsters, and that was when I made my name. Through the years we always played in front of 40-50,000, and it always brings back memories,” says David Lee, also an ex-football player from Singapore.
Apart from the players, many in the stands spent some great moments at the 34-year-old stadium.
“I like the national day parades here…that’s my most interesting event,” says one fan.
“The Pope visited here. I was here as well. Those are the memories I have and treasure!” says another.
“During the Malaysia Cup times, I used to come and see the [matches] between Singapore and the Malaysia team. That’s the best time in Singapore,” says fan Tan Keng Jin.
And the walk down memory lane continued on Saturday evening as sprinter C Kunalan ran into the stadium with a torch.
Flanked by six other athletes, he lit the cauldron for the very last time.
The stadium is to be demolished to make way for the new Sports Hub. – CNA/yy
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Come Sunday, Kit Chan will hold the distinction of being the last singer ever to belt out a song in front of a crowd of thousands at the National Stadium.
That’s something definitely worth bragging about, considering that the venue has played host to the biggest names in pop music: Mariah Carey and Michael Jackson.
And aptly, Chan, 34, will be performing ‘Live Our Dreams’ at Field Of Dreams – A Tribute to the National Stadium, the stadium’s official closing ceremony on Saturday.
The song was commissioned back in 2005 by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) for Team Singapore in preparation for the country’s participation in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in Manila.
“It’s the most appropriate song,” she said in a phone interview yesterday prior to official rehearsals tonight. She then recited a lyric from the song written by David Tan and composer Thomas Sch‶nberg: “There’s no place I’d rather be.”
“This song is about the sportsmen and women of Singapore,” the regional superstar said, adding that she’ll be getting help when Team Singapore members – from anywhere between 30 and 100 – who will come on stage for the chorus part.
“It’s a very ‘We Are The World’ thing,” she said with a laugh. Chan admitted she has never actually performed the song live, as only a video was made for TV in 2005.
Field Of Dreams, which is organised by SSC, kicks off with a rocking set by the John Molina-led band Krueger, followed by a short friendly match between legendary footballers from Singapore and Malaysia, including Fandi Ahmad, Quah Kim Song, Samad Allapitchay and V Sundramoorthy.
Team Singapore athletes, led by ex-national sprinter C Kunalan, will take charge of a lighting ceremony before Singapore faces off against Australia in a match.
After this, father-and-son sports presenters Brian and Mark Richmond will host a tribute video presentation before Chan takes to the stage – as a symbolic caldron flame is doused.
It is a fitting moment for a singer whose career has, in some ways, been associated with the Grand Old Dame.
Chan has performed for two National Day Parades at the stadium. She first sang the theme song ‘Home’ in 1998.
In 2004, she did a reprieve during fellow Singapore singer J J Lin’s hip-hop rendition of the same song. This year, she is set to sing the theme song – but the festivities will be held at the 27,000-seater Marina Bay Floating Stadium, which is currently under construction.
“I’ve sung on stage at the National Stadium three to four times for various events, but the most significant would be in 1998. It was the first time (a) song for the National Day Parade (was sung) and everyone was ‘kancheong’ (Hokkien for “uptight”).
I wore a big burgundy gown and high heels, and walked down an incredibly steep flight of stairs,” Chan reminisced.
Singing at the home of the Kallang Roar has always been a unique experience.
“The stage is 360 degrees and there’s no other venue that will give you this kind of feeling,” she said, adding however that the place can be a nightmare for performers.
“The echoes will kill you, and you have to rely on ear monitors all the time!”
Like everyone else, she has her own memories of the place – and not all of them from the stage. Recalling the national sports meets she attended in her younger days, the country’s first National Youth Ambassador said: “I used to be a cheerleader at Raffles Girls’ School and we were notorious for being very loud!”
But in the end, practicality wins, she agreed. “As much as you love her, the National Stadium is kind of crumbling. You can never be too sentimental especially when it comes to stadiums that hold sports events that need state-of-the-art facilities. But it is good that we are able to end on a big bang.”
And a Big Bang it will be, courtesy of a fireworks display after Chan’s performance.
After which, the second part of the night’s festivities begin.
The pitch will then be transformed into a dance floor for LightsOut, a dance party with Zouk DJs B and Andrew Chow spinning hip-hop and a mishmash of retro music from the club’s iconic Mambo Jambo Wednesday nights. According to Zouk marketing manager Tracy Philips, around 6,000 people are expected to join in the fun.
Take it from Kit Chan: There’s no place you should rather be, indeed. –
Channel News Asia
SINGAPORE : Showing their new-found resolve, and quality as well, Sengkang Punggol earned a deserved 3-3 draw against the Young Lions in a highly entertaining NTUC Income-Yeo’s S.League 2007 clash at the Hougang Stadium on Sunday night.
Suriyandi Naib took centrestage in the last few minutes, first firing in a 30-metre thunderbolt that drew Sengkang level at 3-3, then getting himself sent off for an ugly two-footed lunge on Che Hao that drew a straight red card.
In front of a crowd of 1,433, the visitors went into the lead after 20 minutes when Khairul Amri was brought down in the box and Leandro Rodrigues stepped up to send Amos Boon the wrong way.
Fazrul Nawaz’ strike four minutes later gave the Young Lions a comfortable two-goal cushion, but Cole Tinkler kept the Dolphins in the hunt with a 39th minute effort.
Amri’s strike four minutes after the restart put the visitors back in the driving seat, but Jonathon Angelucci’s 69th minute effort once again gave Sengkang hope of getting something from the match.
They poured forward and just when it seemed as if they would come up short, Suriyandi struck.
Sengkang manager David Rowe felt his side deserved all three points, when he said: “We could have won the game if not for some refereeing decisions that didn’t go our way, like the penalty for example.
“After good performances against SAFFC and Albirex Niigata in recent weeks, we felt we had a good chance going into the game.
“Credit to the players, they never gave up and kept on fighting until the very end.”
Young Lions coach V Sundramoorthy also felt it was a case of two points dropped, when he said: “This will be a lesson for the boys. Leading 3-1 in any game, the only way to win is to work hard and score the fourth.
“They are youngsters and we must give them time to mature. I do think they are ready for anyone in this league.
“It’s not easy coming to Sengkang because they play high balls into the channels.
“At least we got a point.” –
Channel News Asia
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