China lifted the inaugural National Day Challenge Cup after holding their nerves to beat Singapore 4-3 in a penalty shootout.

By Ian Griffiths

Aleksandar Duric's missed spot kick eventually handed China the win after goals from Noh Alam Shah and Yang Hao had left the game level at 1-1 after 90 minutes, a result that owed as much to China's profligacy in front of goal as it did to Singapore's positive and impressive approach.

With key Asian Cup qualifiers looming large on the horizon for both teams, Singapore's spirited display will have encouraged head coach Radojko Avramovic far more than China's stop-start performance would have done his opposite number Gao Hangbo.

On a night when China were lucky not to be left ruing crucial misses from Hao Jun Min and Qu Bo as well as a superb reflex stop by Singapore goalkeeper Hassan Sunny, it was Singapore who grabbed the lead after only seven minutes.

Having failed to clear a corner properly, the Chinese defence compounded their error by allowing an unmarked Noh Alam Shah to bullet a header past visiting goalkeeper Yang Zhi following Rosman Sulaiman's pinpoint delivery.

Stung into action China responded through Jiang Ning and Zhao Xu Ri who both fired shots from distance wide of Hassan's goal. It was a sign of things to come.

With Singapore struggling to cope with China's fine approach play and constant probing, the equaliser came shortly before the half hour mark.

Yang, a shining light in China's midfield, rose majestically to head home a left wing cross and send the vociferous Chinese contingent amongst a sparse crowd into raptures.

Four minutes later, the ever-lively Jiang had a shot smartly saved by Hassan before, in the last meaningful piece of first half action, the equally impressive Hao looped a shot over the bar when well placed.

Stung no doubt by Avramovic's half-time lecture, Singapore started brightly after the break with striker Duric shooting badly over from inside the box after being released by Alam Shah.

From being second-best in the latter stages of the first half, Singapore were suddenly a team transformed, the spectre of their recent 5-0 defeat at the hands of Premier League giants Liverpool suitably banished thanks to a combination of spirit and brief flashes of neat football.

With Duric leading the line superbly, and twin midfield terrors Noh Rahman and Hariss Harun to the fore, the ASEAN nation repeatedly matched China blow-for-blow.

Crucially though, Singapore failed to land a knockout punch.

Singapore's inability to ram home their moments of superiority clearly lifted the Chinese, a fact underlined when, given far too much time and space, substitute Qu burst clear down Singapore's right only to lift his effort just inches over the bar on 74 minutes.

Zhang Long and Deng Zhua Xiang then both had shots saved before Zhao Peng's headed effort was spectacularly turned away by Hassan.

The penalty drama was soon to follow with missed attempts from first Fazrul Nawaz and then - oh so cruelly - from Durric handing China the honours.