Aleksandar Duric breaks fibula and will undergo surgery

By Les Tan

Mt. Alvernia Hospital, Wednesday, December 10, 2008 – Sitting in Mount Alvernia Hospital waiting to see the doctor, an upset Aleksandar Duric contemplated what could have been.

Aleks started his first-ever ASEAN Football Championship (Suzuki Cup) with the game against Cambodia but the first-choice striker of the Singapore national football team saw his dream disappear in 56 minutes when he went down to an injury inflicted by a Cambodian player.

What was thought to be a calf injury turned out to be a more serious fracture that rules him out of the championship. At 38, this could well be his first and last appearance in the ASEAN championship.

“My left fibula is broken, eight weeks out,” said Aleks as he waited to see the doctor. “I am so upset now.”

Aleks is scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning at 9am at Gleneagles Hospital to facilitate the healing process.

The absence of the big striker upfront was particularly obvious last night in the game against Indonesia. Neither Agu Casmir and Indra Sahdan scored. Both Singapore goals came from set pieces. Baihakki Khaizan scored the first off a John Wilkinson free kick while Shi Jiayi arrowed a brilliant free kick for the second.

However, the lack of a strong enough player who can hold the ball and bring his teammates in to play was obvious and Singapore were on the back foot for most of the match and gave up possession quickly. Indonesia however could not translate their greater possession into any goals.

The Singapore strike force is now depleted with Noh Alam Shah unfit and carrying a hamstring injury. Indra had another quiet game creating nothing of note and had no shots on target. Agu Casmir did not score against Indonesia yesterday to add to this tally of four goals.

N.B. Check back for more details of the story later as we find out more.