An experience I will never forget for a lifetime...

8th July 2011, this date will forever be etched in my heart. It maybe a World Cup qualifier game, but this is the first time I'm experiencing an International game. Malaysia vs Singapore, a feast which was enticing for many fans in Malaysia.

It was approximately, 12.30 p.m when I took the bus from Medan Gopeng to Puduraya. Normally, during a journey, you would be sleeping or reading a magazine. However, I started calling my friends and told how excited i was to watch this game and also cover for it. At one point, one of the passengers asked me to calm down and just soak in the atmosphere.

Stepped foot on Puduraya and I was well on my way to Bukit Jalil. Taking the trains in Kuala Lumpur has been a breeze for me as my 2 week stint in Kuala Lumpur helped me understand the train system in Kuala Lumpur.

It was about 4.00 p.m, when i reached Bukit Jalil, and the atmosphere was yet to peak but it was boisterous. While waiting for the game to start, i was walking around to soak the atmosphere and even had the chance to talk to some fans.

Their sheer passion and determination, can be seen when talking about the national team. However, I met some veterans who were at the game and they told us that the days of Mokhtar Dahari, Santokh Singh, Soh Chin Aun and James Wong were the best era.

When i asked them about the current era, they claimed that they are getting there but some of the players must change their mentality. Several times, they echoed the name of Safee Sali, as he is one of the burgeoning stars in South East Asia.

One of the veterans, Abdul Rosman Roshidi, 65, stated that Safee is almost on par with 'Super Mokh'. He even showed a newspaper cutting of Safee and he told me that Safee will one day go to Europe. His prophecy is coming true as Safee is currently at Cardiff on trials.

I was loitering around till 8 p.m and I didn't feel bored at all. Interacting fans, seeing banners that can tickle your senses and kids running around claiming that they are safee or safiq, it was a joyous occasion but as a reporter I knew where my task was.

I immediately set up my laptop and my external hard drive and started making rough predictions on the game. In the mean time, I met, I also dusted the lenses of my company's camera as I've been tasked to snap pictures and also report on the game.

It was 8.15, and I went straight to the field. With the camera body and the two lenses, I teared when i entered the stadium. We might be losing 5-3 on aggregate but seeing the fans passion, their screams of joy and uncanny characters, I was brought aback.

This is one atmosphere that i will always relive in my life. 85,000 fans, all in for the National team. We all knew, it was an arduous task for the team to come back but with a 2 goal deficit, anything could have happened.

I fixed the kit lens and started snapping photos of the fans. It was a great joy snapping those photos as they obliged and gave their best impressions. Then the team came in, the crowd when into raptures and the shole stadium sounded like a thunder. Just phenomenal and hard to explain. For such a long time, the atmosphere is back for Harimau Malaya.

K.Rajagopal has done wonders for the team but before the game he was ridiculed for his squad selection. I'm one of them, as i felt that he should have made some changes to the squad. I'm a big fan of S.Subramaniam after his game against Chelsea but the man wasn't selected. I just felt that he warranted the place in the tea,

However, K. Rajagopal knows best and he knew what he wanted to do with his team. When he watched the players warm up, I saw determination in his eyes and he was eager to beat the lions of Singapore. Safiq Rahim, who was suspended, cut a desolate figure as he wanted to be in the team. When i talked him, he sounded down but he was optimistic that the lads would do well.

8.35 p.m and the teams came out from the stadium. The cameraman's and photographers took their spots and started to weave their magic. I was part of them and I was trying my best to get the best shots.

Here is the snippet of the match report

By Avineshwaran Taharumalengam –
Malaysia’s national Harimau Malaya team could only manage a draw with Singapore for the Asian Zone 2014 World Cup Qualifiers at the Bukit Jalil stadium in Kuala Lumpur last night.


It was a nerve-wrecking game not just for the Malaysian team but its fans as well who made up the major proportion of some 90,000 supporters at the stadium.


The draw last night meant Malaysia has lost out to Singapore which becomes one of the three Southeast Asian teams to qualify for the next step as it had earlier beat Malaysia 5-3 in a first leg match held at its home ground.


Malaysians from all walks of life overwhelmingly drowned the support of some 200 Singaporeans but that didn’t help much.


Neither did their supportive banners and placards create magic for our boys to overcome their southern rival.

First half wasn’t a feisty affair as both teams had their share of possession and there were few chances created from each side.


Ismail Faruqi who played in Safiq’s position couldn’t muster any chances for Safee who cut a forlorn figure in the first half.


Second half started off well when the Malaysian team upped their tempo to search for the elusive goal.


Singapore’s 41 year old, Aleksandr Duric, showed great work rate and composure but he was tightly marked by the improved Mohammad Fadhli Shas.


In the 58th minute, Safee Sali scored after a great play by Selangor’s winger, Amirulhadi Zainal.


However, in the 73rd minute, the crowd was silenced with an equaliser by Singapore.


Knowing, that the game was in their hand, Singapore defended resolutely to ensure that they nail the aggregate.


The Malaysian strike force tried very hard to penetrate the defence but Daniel Bennett’s comrades pulled it off by frustrating Safee and substitute, Ahmad Fakhri Saarani.


To make matters worse, Malaysian striker, Fakhri Saarani was sent for a second bookable offence in stoppage time. 


Referee, Takayumi Hiroyoshi blew the whistle at stoppage time and it ended Malaysia’s hopes of qualifying for the group stages.

After the game, bottles were pelted in the pitch and one of the photographers got hit by one of the bottles thrown by Malaysian fans. Knowing that my safety was at stake, i immediately ran to to the media section of the stadium and immediately uploaded the photos on my computer.

Though I wanted to go for the press conference as i knew K. Rajagopal will be grilled by the media, i had to go to Bukit Bintang, as i had to attend to personal reasons.

I was disappointed about the loss but hey, you should take heart that the support is coming back. When I took the train back, the Malaysian fans were optimistic and many of them pledged that they will come back to the fortress to witness our Olympic squad take on the likes of Japan in the 2012 Olympic Qualifiers.

I also wished that i was able to grill K. Rajagopal but the likes of Rizal Hashim, Haresh Deol and other reporters did that job. When i read the news the next day, K. Rajagopal's statement made me believe that he is being realistic with our fortunes.

When i came back to Ipoh, i was a happy man. I've got to thanks Peraknews.com for giving me this opportunity to witness games of such stature. After that game, I've decided to become a sportswriter and hence, the creation of Rumblings of a Wannabe sportswriter. I have lots more to come but this experience will surely be one of the highlights of my developing career.

Avinesh's hope: Hopes this magic will be recreated again.. Win or lose, Harimau Malaya will always be in our hearts.. Harimau Malaya..Gemparkan lah arena bolasepak dunia!! namun mula dengan Asia dulu yee =)