Tampines-Selangor AFC Cup match at National Stadium
Tampines Rovers will play their AFC Cup Group E match against Selangor on May 10 at the National Stadium.
The New Paper reported on Feb 28 that the Stags, five-time Great Eastern-Yeo's S.League champions, were eyeing the 55,000-capacity venue for the game instead of the Jalan Besar Stadium, where they are scheduled to play all their home games in the continental competition.
Last night, club chairman Murali Krishna Ramachandra confirmed to TNP that Tampines have been given the go-ahead by all relevant parties, including the Asian Football Confederation.
This will make the Stags the first S.League club to play a competitive match at the centrepiece facility of the $1.33 billion Sports Hub, which was opened in mid-2014.
Tampines were also the last local club to play a competitive match at the old National Stadium, when they beat Thai side Chonburi 3-2 to lift the Singapore Cup in front of 18,000 fans in November 2006.
Krishna said: "I'm over the moon. If you were to rank all the achievements of Tampines over the past few months, I would say this is the highest.
"We are a proxy for Singapore (in the match against Selangor) and this makes me so proud."
Tampines have created waves in the local scene over the last few months.
A month after he was officially announced the new chairman - taking over from Teo Hock Seng last November - Krishna roped in Brazilian great Ronaldinho to launch a football academy here.
Two months later, Tampines signed former Arsenal and Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant for the Great Eastern Yeo's S.League, creating headlines worldwide.
And two weeks ago, the club snared former Liverpool and France manager Gerard Houllier to be an international ambassador.
Tampines top Group E after three matches in the AFC Cup and play Philippines side Ceres la Salle in Bacolod City tonight.
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