Hosts Singapore got their Youth Olympic football campaign off to a fine start yesterday when they defeated Zimbabwe 3-1 in their opening Group D match at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

Zimbabwe had arrived on the Republic's shores with a formidable scoring record of 39 goals in five warm-up matches prior to the Youth Olympics, albeit against local youth teams in their country.

However, it was Singapore, not the Africans, who scored first - after 10 seconds, in fact.

Winning possession after the Zimbabweans had kicked off, Jonathan Tan laid the ball for Ammirul Mazlan, who then let fly with a first-time effort that crashed in off the underside of the crossbar.

The partisan crowd roared and things got even better for Singapore 10 minutes later, as Ammirul turned provider to send Muhaimin Suhaimi clear through. The forward subsequently unleashed a clinical drive past Zimbabwe goalkeeper Fungai Benard to make it 2-0.

Zimbabwe did come close to scoring twice through Mncedisi Gumede and Liberty Ngorima.

But the game was effectively over by the 29th minute when Muhaimin ran in unchallenged to chest Hanafi Mohd’s inswinger past a stranded Fungai and give Singapore a practically unassailable 3-0 lead.

The Africans did manage a consolation goal, though, as Albert Kusemwa scored from the penalty spot after Radhi Kasim was adjuded to have handled the ball. In fact, they came close to making it 3-2 when Zimbabwe defender Keith Murera missed an open goal by heading the ball well over as the Singapore players watched with their hearts in their mouths.

In an earlier game played yesterday, Bolivia took control of Group C with a comfortable 2-0 win over Vanuatu.

Defender Carlos Anez shot the South Americans in front with a penalty mid-way through the first-half, before substitute Luis Banegas put the result beyond doubt two minutes after the break.

SYOGOC