NO REVENGE FOR CUBS

Singapore U-16s lose 1-0 to BG Pathum in repeat of 2023 Lion City Cup final

- Melvyn Teoh

Plagued by a perennial problem of finding the net, the Singapore Under-16s lost 1-0 to holders BG Pathum United in the Lion City Cup semi-finals on Oct 4.

Having omitted midfielder Nathan Mao, who scored two goals in the 2023 edition, Cubs coach Angel Toledano said they have been working on their movements in the final third of the pitch.

But while the Cubs created chances, they could not make any of them count before the 1,450 spectators at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

They will need to improve on their finishing in the third-place play-off on Oct 6 against Johor Darul Takzim, who were trounced 8-2 by Japan's Tokyo Verdy in the earlier semi-final.

Toledano also flagged other areas where they fell short, as they prepare for their Asian Football Confederation U-17 Asian Cup qualifying campaign at the Bishan Stadium from Oct 23 to 27.

The Cubs are in Group J with Oman, Tajikistan and Guam.

The Spaniard said: "I feel we didn't enter the game well. (Pathum) dominated possession in the first half, and when we had possession, we were not able to find the spaces to progress.