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Minnows Guam shock Bernd Stange's Singapore in 2-2 draw

SINGAPORE -- ASEAN powerhouses Singapore were held to a 2-2 draw by visiting Guam in an international friendly at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Lions never got going and it was Gary White's Pacific Island minnows who came intent on causing an upset at the 8,000 seat stadium.

A series of opportunities came the Guamanians' way early, with Shane Malcolm looking threatening with his smart runs behind a static home defence.

Malcolm intercepted a poor backpass from Baihakki Khaizan in the fourth minute before rounding Izwan Mahbud only to see his shot ripple into the side netting from a tight angle.

Three minutes later, captain Jason Cunliffe swung in a free-kick that almost found a charging Brandon McDonald before Malcolm shot wide again 60 seconds later.

The Lions began finding some rhythm in the 11th minute and had their first clear chance when Sahil lobbed a rebound straight into the arms of Dallas Jaye.

Hariss Harun and Shahril Ishak combined well a minute later with the latter executing a overhead kick that sailed wide.

Frustration started to get the better of the home side in the 28th minute when Safuwan Baharudin kicked out at Justin Lee to earn himself a yellow card. Then the home crowd were silenced eight minutes later with Shawn Nicklaw scoring the first goal for Guam.

Malcolm went on another one of his mazy runs and got the better of Safuwan before drilling a low cross across the box to leave Nicklaw with the simple task of tapping the ball into the net.

Singapore almost found an immediate reply but Faris Ramli curled his shot over the bar after a nice cross-field pass from Shahril as Malaysian referee Nafeez Wahab blew for half-time.

Bernd Stange's team came out with renewed faith in the second period with Gabriel Quak replacing Sahil Suhaimi.

The home team looked the hungrier and in the 53rd minute, a well-worked move saw right-back Ismadi Mukhtar put in a perfect cross for an unmarked Faris to head past Guam's substitute keeper Bijan Gloston.

With the game tied one apiece, both teams had a couple of goalscoring opportunities. But it was Guam who stunned the Lions yet again in the 72nd minute when a quick throw-in found captain Cunliffe who unleashed an unstoppable lob that sailed past Izwan for a 2-1 lead.

Shahfiq Ghani came on for Khairul Amri as Stange looked to salvage lost pride for the Lions. He stung Gloston's fingertips as the stopper turned it out for a corner in the 79th minute.

Singapore scored their second from the subsequent corner when Shahril swung in a delightful delivery that was flicked into the back of the net by a lurking Baihakki.

With 10 minutes to go, the Lions poured forward in search of a late winner. But it was not to be as the 167th ranked Guamanians held on to secure a historic result against the four-times AFF Suzuki Cup champions, who are 14 places above them on the FIFA list.

Singapore Lineup: Izwan Mahbud (GK), Shakir Hamzah, Baihakki Khaizan, Zulfahmi Arifin, Ismadi Mukhtar, Hariss Harun, Shahril Ishak (C), Safuwan Baharudin, Faris Ramli, Khairul Amri (Shahfiq Ghani 72'), Sahil Suhaimi (Gabriel Quak 45')

Guam Lineup: Dallas Jaye (GK) (Bijan Gloston 45'), Alexander Lee (Min Choi 89'), Nathaniel Lee (Micah Paulino 57'), Justin Lee (Dylan Naputi 68'), Brandon McDonald, Mason Grimes, John Matkin, Jason Cunliffe (C), Ryan Guy, Shawn Nicklaw, Shane Malcolm (Jan Staman 84')