[Instant Reaction] A revenge that came 10 years later

After 3-0, Harimau fans started to exit (credit: Mr Milton Tan)

For many Singapore fans, the date 18th December 2002 will always be remembered for the wrong reason.

It was the day when the Lions lost 4-0 to Malaysia in front of a crowd of 40,000 in that year's Tiger Cup opener.

Since then, despite an unbeaten run against its neighbours across the Causeway, which ended June this year in the Causeway Challenge, that remain the sore point in the recent years of Singapore football (notwithstanding the two Asean titles and reaching the highs in the World Cup qualifiers).

So sweeter could it not be that at the same setting of a regional showdown like Suzuki Cup with the fearless Singapore side triumphed 3-0 (double from skipper Shahril Ishak and header from Aleksandar Duric) over the defending champions on their home turf to exorcise that ghost that haunted the Republic since 2002.

Like they always said, the victory from the first match of any group stages ushered in an auspicious start, let's celebrate now till the end of the night and kept the sleeves rolled up since it's just the start of another tough journey ahead.

Well Done, Lions and thanks for allowing me to put aside that anguish feeling (Finally) when 10 years ago I received text message of the whitewash at Kallang during my mourning period.