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      Inside incredible journey of former Welsh lifeguard who is now aiming to manage 170th-ranked Fiji at first World Cup

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      ROB SHERMAN knows a thing or two about the beach after his time as a champion lifeguard on the Welsh west coast.But he is certainly not taking things easy in his new role as the national football team manager of Fiji – 10,000 miles from home.
      Rob Sherman is the new national team manager of FijiCredit: www.phototek.nz / Fiji Football Federation
      The ex-footballer, left, with his brother Stuart on the Welsh surf lifesaving tour of Australia in 1982Credit: Rob Sherman
      Fiji have never played at a World Cup but could benefit from the extra qualifying spot for OceaniaCredit: www.phototek.nz / Fiji Football Federation
      The 63-year-old took over as head coach in July.
      As well as his remit to develop the beautiful game in the beautiful South Pacific country, Sherman has strong ambitions of leading the nation ranked 170th out of 207 in the Fifa rankings to their first World Cup.
      Those chances were boosted by Oceania now getting 1.5 qualifying spots, up from 0.5 for Qatar 2022, which will see one country from the federation guaranteed a place at the 2026 tournament and another entering an inter-continental play-off.
      New Zealand are the dominant team, reaching South Africa 2010 before losing play-offs for the last three World Cups.
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      But Sherman, who will get a first proper chance to assess his squad in their Pacific Games opener against Northern Marianas Islands in the Solomon Islands on Saturday, believes Fiji can spring a surprise when qualifying gets underway in September 2024.
      Asked whether the Bula Boys can book a spot at United States, Canada and Mexico 2026, Sherman told SunSport: “The extra qualifying spot raises the ambition of all the nations but in particular Fiji. 
      “The ideal is to win the one slot, that’s not beyond the realms if I’m honest. But at the very least an inter-continental play-off raises the profile of football in the region and if you do make the World Cup then happy days. 
      “Personally, qualifying would be a real moment of actualisation. I’ve coached since I was 17.
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      “Because I didn’t make it as a player, being a decent coach has been my way of compensating – so getting Fiji to the World Cup would be a moment of great satisfaction.
      “Getting to the world’s biggest sporting event would be huge for all Fijians across the world.
      “Fiji are very competitive within Oceania. 
      “New Zealand are the top-ranked country with lots of professional players. Then it’s the likes of the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Papa New Guinea, Vanuatu and ourselves.”
      Sherman, whose son Drew was the youngest international manager when he took charge of the Cook Islands aged 28, is based in Christchurch, doing his job remotely before flying the three-and-a-half hours to Fiji for camps. 
      However, he is unable to select some players due to strict Fijian government laws regarding passports. 
      Anyone applying for a Fijian passport for the first time after turning 18 needs to spend five years living in the country, thus ruling out a host of talent abroad with a Fijian grandparent, for example, who would be eligible under Fifa legislation.
      Many of the stars in the Fiji team play in the amateur national league and have regular jobs, from police and army to labouring. 
      FIJI’S FITNESS FIX
      Therefore improving fitness levels is a key priority for Sherman and his backroom team including ex-Premier League goalkeeper Les Cleevely, especially after the “jaded” Under-23s team lost 9-0 to New Zealand in September’s Olympic qualifying final.
      And he sets a high standard having completed an Ironman in 2000, the year after running the New York Marathon. 
      Born and bred in Aberystwyth, Sherman has always prided himself on his ridiculous fitness levels and even represented his country at THREE different sports – plus played off a single-figure golf handicap.
      Football was his primary sport, playing for the Wales Under-18s after being scouted to join Cardiff City as a teenager. 
      He was also an accomplished athlete, holding the national junior 400m hurdles record, as well as competing for his country at the surf lifesaving championships, too.
      But his football career spiralled downwards thanks to a rotten stroke of bad timing at Cardiff.
      On a Tuesday in November 1978, Jimmy Andrews told Sherman he would get his debut on the Saturday – but the manager lost his job on the Thursday.
      Sherman never played for the first team.
      Sherman, far left, representing his country in the beach sprintCredit: Rob Sherman
      The former footballer played for Wales Under-18sCredit: Rob Sherman
      Sherman, bottom row second right, lines up with his Red Ravens team-matesCredit: Rob Sherman
      Sherman held the 400m hurdles junior national recordCredit: Rob Sherman
      The ultra-fit athlete has also completed a triathlon, marathon and IronmanCredit: Rob Sherman
      The national team is unable to select certain players who live abroad due to strict Fijian passport rulesCredit: www.phototek.nz / Fiji Football Federation
      A brief stint under John Toshack at Swansea followed but his playing days “faded out” and he turned to coaching full-time, migrating with his wife to New Zealand in 2007 when he was headhunted to be technical director of the football federation.
      Sherman, who has coached at three Women’s World Cups and helped Canada win Olympic bronze in 2012, was also technical director of Australia and Wales, training many of the Dragons’ ‘Golden Generation’ that reached the Euro 2016 semi-finals. 
      The Welshman said: “There was a series of things at Cardiff, I was asked to do something and refused, a legal matter, and I never had a look in after that.
      “I was lucky enough to go to Swansea but a little bump in the journey became a mountain. I was damaged goods from a mental perspective. 
      “Ironically I coached my son’s team when he was about seven and realised how little I knew. That was the catalyst and I re-did my coaching awards. I’m in it for the player, not for me. 
      “I patrolled the beaches as a lifeguard in my hometown. I was British beach sprint champion. It’s essentially a 100m sprint, the idea being you get to patients quickly to improve rescue efficiency. 
      The athletic potential of Fijian players is enormous… Oceania is untapped for its talent due to the geographyRob Sherman
      “I did it until I was 16, then had four years without it then the Welsh Championships were in Swansea. We didn’t have a game so I went and won. The following year I was out of football so it was a nice diversion.”
      But super-fit Sherman knows the journey for Fiji to the World Cup is a marathon not a sprint, especially when rugby is the country’s beloved No1 sport.
      Fiji beat England at Twickenham in August then stunned Australia at the Rugby World Cup before losing a tight quarter-final to the Red Rose in France. 
      Sherman is determined to use the Flying Fijians’ success as inspiration for his Bula Boys and believes that can unlock a huge new scouting market for top clubs.
      The head coach added: “The athletic potential of Fijian players is enormous.
      “In terms of inspiration, the rugby performances have shown there are no limitations and there is massive opportunity. 
      “Obviously, rugby is their favoured sport, regularly playing against Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. That illustrates the difference, they are professional players and many play in Europe. 
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      “This is the long-term objective for football. South America and Africa have a traditional yield for scouting whereas Oceania is untapped for its talent due to the geography.
      “Through a World Cup or exposure of a good qualifying campaign, some very talented players could get opportunities in professional football, maybe in Australia or directly to Europe.”
      The U23s reached the Olympic qualifying final while the U20s went to the 2023 World Cup in ArgentinaCredit: www.phototek.nz / Fiji Football Federation
      Fiji’s rugby team stunned Australia at the World CupCredit: AFP
      Sherman coached a number of players in Wales’ team that reached the Euro 2016 semi-finalsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Sherman led Llantwit Major FC to the Corinthian Cup in his first coaching roleCredit: Rob Sherman
      Sherman did not make a first-team appearance for CardiffCredit: Rob Sherman
      Bad timing meant Jimmy Andrews never gave Sherman his Cardiff debutCredit: Rob Sherman
      Sherman represented Wales in three different sportsCredit: Rob Sherman
      Sherman in action on his debut for hometown club Aberystwyth Town as a 16-year-oldCredit: Rob Sherman
      The Welshman has been director of football for three different countriesCredit: Rob Sherman
      Taking Fiji to the World Cup would be a ‘moment of great personal satisfaction’Credit: Fiji Football Association More

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      Jordan James upstaged Real Madrid superstar Luka Modric and hailed it the ‘best night of my life’

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      JORDAN JAMES hailed getting the better of Luka Modric as the best night of his life.The young Wales midfielder has been on cloud nine since last month’s stand-out display against the 170-cap Croatia captain in the shock 2-1 Euro 2024 qualifying win. 
      Birmingham rising star Jordan James has impressed for Wales in his six-cap international careerCredit: Getty
      James not only faced Luka Modric but also Manchester City’s Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo BrozovicCredit: Alamy
      There are 19 years and 164 international caps between James and Real Madrid superstar Modric. 
      When asked about getting the upper hand over the 38-year-old and Manchester City’s Mateo Kovacic in midfield, James replied: “I don’t think it gets much better than that.
      “It was the best night of my life. It was a massive win for the country as well as seeing how proud my family were in the crowd.
      “It’s difficult coming back down to earth from the biggest game of my life. But my mindset is exactly the same as it was before that game. Nothing’s changed.
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      “Whether that’s against Modric or anyone else, I’m still going to play exactly the same and hopefully I can do that in the next two games. 
      “We’ll look back on that Croatia game and take confidence into the next two. Confidence is really high but we can’t take anyone lightly. 
      “We still have a job to do. We know what it means to the country to get to these big tournaments, so that’s our focus and hopefully we can do that.”
      Birmingham ace James, 19, knows he must back up his impressive Cardiff performance in Armenia on Saturday.
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      Wales will qualify for the finals in Germany next summer if they pick up two Group D wins, starting in Yerevan before hosting Turkey on Tuesday
      James said of June’s 4-2 home thrashing by Armenia: “There is a bit of revenge there. You don’t like losing. It’s not nice and we want to get them back.”.
      James, who still lives at his family home in Hereford, admits Wales boss Robert Page picked him following Joe Allen’s retirement after last year’s World Cup.
      The six-cap midfielder is set to start again on Saturday and plans to repay Page by helping the Dragons move one win away from securing a fourth major tournament spot in five attempts.
      James added: “The last few months have been brilliant. All I’ve ever wanted to do is to play for my country. to be able to put that shirt on again and again is something I’ve always wanted to do.
      “I didn’t expect to play in these big games but you have to deal with it and I think I’ve done quite well.
      “That’s massive trust from the gaffer at such a young age. Playing for your country, there is a risk but he took it and I’m just trying to repay him for what he’s done for me.
      “There is a shortage in my position. I knew that. What Joe Allen has done for the country has been amazing.
      “For him to retire has left a space for someone to take. I wanted to be that guy. The last three games I feel I’ve been able to do that. If I can do the same thing over and over again then happy days.” More

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      Tottenham star Ben Davies always believed Wales could reach Euro 2024 – and two wins will do it

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      BEN DAVIES never believed Wales’ Euro 2024 dream was over.Against all the odds, the Dragons lie two wins away from automatic qualification for Germany next summer, starting in Armenia on Saturday.
      Harry Wilson scores twice in Wales’ superb 2-1 win over Croatia to put Euro 2024 qualification in their own handsCredit: Rex
      Boss Robert Page has already led Wales at a Euros and World Cup – and is bidding for a third successive major tournamentCredit: Alamy
      Wales suffered a shock 4-2 home Group D defeat to the same opposition in June as well as away to Turkey.
      And chief executive Noel Mooney planned to review boss Robert Page’s position as manager if they didn’t finish in the top two.
      But last month’s superb 2-1 victory over Croatia galvanised the Welsh and put them into second place above the World Cup semi-finalists on a better head-to-head.
      Now success for Page’s men in Yerevan followed by another win against already-qualified Turkey in Cardiff next Tuesday would book a fourth major tournament finals spot in five attempts.
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      Tottenham defender Davies, stand-in skipper for the injured Aaron Ramsey, said: “We never stopped believing in this group. It was disappointing to lose at home and a real wake-up call.
      “If you switch off and aren’t at your best, you get punished. We won’t be making that mistake again.
      “We’ve had our backs against the wall and we’ve given ourselves a chance. It’s quite clear the second game doesn’t matter if the first one doesn’t go our way.
      “It’s full focus on Armenia. If we don’t get the result then the Turkey one is irrelevant.
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      “We can get a result against anyone – we’ve shown that. It’s another huge chance we’ve got. 
      “Growing up it was a dream of Welsh football to be going to these major tournaments. That dream still exists. Once you qualify, it gives people the chance to dream. 
      “We’ve come into every camp with the focus of getting to these major tournaments with the belief we can do it.
      “We don’t want to sit on the success and say: ‘OK, we’ve been there and had a nice time’.
      “We’ve had a great run so far, but once you get a taste of it you want to do it again. That’s exactly where we are as a group this time.”
      Davies, 30, delivered a rousing ‘huddle’ speech following the Croatia triumph inspired by two-goal hero Harry Wilson.
      Evoking the words of Dafydd Iwan’s Yma O Hyd – the 1980s folk protest song which has been adopted by Wales’ Red Wall as an anthem – Davies declared his team-mates must never give up.
      Davies, who is set to win his 83rd cap, added: “It was just a case of showing the reason why we’re here.
      “People doubted us again but we’re still standing.
      “We’re standing up against the challenges and here we are with two games to go still in the fight.”
      Wales reached Euro 2020 under previous boss Ryan Giggs by winning their final two matches, away to Azerbaijan and then at home to Hungary, in November 2019.
      In the post-Gareth Bale era, Davies – one of four survivors along with Ramsey and keepers Danny Ward and Wayne Hennessey from the Euro 2016 squad which reached the semi-finals – said: “There are similarities from the last time we qualified.
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      “It’s a tight group and they’re always going to come down to the last games.
      “Most of us have been in this situation before and it’s an opportunity for us to do it again. We’re ready for it.” More

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      Wales calm security fears ahead of Euro 2024 qualifying trip to Armenia with Rob Page ‘raring to go’

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      WALES have played down security fears ahead of their crunch Euro 2024 qualifier in Armenia.The Football Association of Wales had been in contact with the UK Foreign Office over recent weeks following conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
      Wales lost the reverse Group D qualifier to Armenia 4-2 at home in JuneCredit: Reuters
      Harry Wilson scores twice in 2-1 success over Croatia last monthCredit: Rex
      The territory, which had been controlled by Armenians for three decades, was seized by Azerbaijan in September. 
      Wales face the hosts on Saturday in the capital city of Yerevan, which is 171 miles from Nagorno-Karabakh.
      But Dragons boss Robert Page calmed any worries over safety when his squad make the trip to Eastern Europe later this week for the vital Group D clash.
      Uefa have also monitored the situation but there have been no plans to move the fixture to a different venue as Wales bid to avenge the 4-2 home loss against the same opposition in June.
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      Page confirmed the FAW contact with government officials and added: “There has been nothing that has been brought to our attention that we have to be concerned about.
      “It’s all good and we’re raring to go.”
      Page’s Wales squad met up in Cardiff at their Vale of Glamorgan base yesterday full of confidence following the superb 2-1 home victory over Croatia last month.
      Two wins for the Dragons against Armenia and then already-qualified Turkey in the Welsh capital on November 21 would book a spot for the finals in Germany next summer.
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      It would also represent a third successive Euros place for Wales. More

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      Saudi Arabia set to host World Cup 2034 after Australia pull out of the bidding leaving no competition

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      SAUDI ARABIA is set to host the World Cup in 2034.That’s after rival bidders Australia pulled out of the running on deadline day, leaving no competition for the Middle Eastern nation.
      Saudi Arabia looks set to host the 2034 World Cup after Australia dropped out of the raceCredit: EPA
      Saudi Arabia launched their bid to host the 2034 World Cup in September.
      Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is looking to transform his country in a project called Vision 2030.
      And that includes building a brand new £1TRILLION mega-city — which could end up hosting the entire World Cup.
      SunSport exclusively revealed this month that Saudi Arabia, a strict Muslim country, is even ready to suspend its ban on alcohol to attract football supporters from around the globe.
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      But there was a fly in the ointment when we also told you that Australia had launched a last-ditch bid to host the 2034 World Cup.
      Having impressed at the Qatar tournament before crashing out in the last-16 to eventual winners Argentina, the Aussies were hoping to succeed with an 11th-hour proposal.
      A joint four-way bid including Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore had even been mooted ahead of today’s deadline.
      But Football Australia have now announced they are out of the running to host the World Cup in 2034, paving the way for sole bidders Saudi Arabia to win.
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      Instead, the Aussies hope to host the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup AND the 2029 Club World Cup.
      A lengthy statement read: “We have explored the opportunity to host the FIFA World Cup and — having taken all factors into consideration — we have reached the conclusion not to do so for the 2034 competition.
      “We wish FIFA and the eventual hosts of the FIFA World Cup 2034 the greatest success for the good of the game and for everyone who loves our sport.” More

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      Why are Saudi Arabia called KSA on TV when playing football?

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      EAGLE-EYED football fans may have spotted Saudi Arabia being referred to as KSA on TV.But why is this abbreviation used, how many World Cups have Saudi Arabia played in and who is currently in the squad? Here’s everything you need to know.
      Saudi Arabia’s name gets truncated to KSA on World Cup scoreline graphics
      Why are Saudi Arabia called KSA on TV?
      KSA stands for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – the country’s official name, which when abbreviated fits inside the small space allocated to the game’s scoreboard on TV broadcasts.
      The country was founded as a kingdom in 1932 by King Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
      According to reports, both FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) use the KSA abbreviation.
      However, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) uses SA.
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      How many times have Saudi Arabia played at the World Cup?
      In 2022, Saudi Arabia sealed their spot in Qatar and made their sixth appearance at the World Cup.
      The national team made their first World Cup debut in 1994 – when they reached the last 16 in the USA.
      They became the second Arab team in history to reach the round of 16 of a World Cup after Morocco at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
      Saudi Arabia then returned to the competition in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, and 2022.
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      In the latest World Cup competition, the team beat eventual champions Argentina 2-1, however, they later lost the following matches against Poland and Mexico.
      As a result, Saudi Arabia were knocked out fourth in the group stage.
      In September 2023, Saudi Arabia launched their bid to host the 2034 World Cup – pushing back their initial plans to stage the 2030 tournament.
      The Saudi FA released a statement which read: “Today, we enter the next chapter of Saudi football: intending to bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
      “Our bid is inspired by Saudi Arabia’s transformation journey, the passion of our fans, and a commitment to deliver an amazing tournament.”
      What other competitions have Saudi Arabia competed in?
      Aside from competing in the World Cup, Saudi Arabia have also competed in a number of other competitions.
      They have won the AFC Asian Cup three times in 1984, 1988, and 1996 and have reached a joint record six Asian Cup finals.
      Saudi Arabia are the first Asian team to reach the final of a senior FIFA competition at the 1992 King Fahd Cup – which would eventually become the FIFA Confederations Cup.
      The national team also regularly participates in the Gulf Cup of Nations and Arab Nations Cup.
      Who is in the current Saudi Arabia squad?
      In August 2023, Roberto Mancini was named as the new manager of Saudi Arabia – two weeks after he resigned as Italy’s head coach, following five years at the helm.
      Mancini’s contract is claimed to be worth a staggering £21.5million per year after tax.
      Saudi Arabia were managed by Herve Renard at last year’s World Cup, but the Frenchman stepped down in order to join his own country’s women’s national team.
      Here we take a look at who is in the current Saudi Arabia squad.

      GK – Mohammed Al-Owais
      GK – Mohammed Al-Rubaie
      GK – Raghed Al-Najjar
      GK – Hamed Al-Shanqiti
      DF – Yasser Al-Shahrani
      DF – Ali Al-Bulaihi
      DF – Saud Abdulhamid
      DF – Sultan Al-Ghannam
      DF – Abdulelah Al-Amri
      DF – Hassan Al-Tambakti
      DF – Ali Lajami
      DF – Zakaria Hawsawi
      MF – Salem Al-Dawsari
      MF – Fahad Al-Muwallad
      MF – Salman Al-Faraj
      MF – Mohamed Kanno
      MF – Abdulellah Al-Malki
      MF – Sami Al-Najei
      MF – Abdulrahaman Ghareeb
      MF – Abdullah Al-Khaibari
      MF – Nasser Al-Dawsari
      MF – Ayman Yahya
      MF – Ali Hazazi
      MF – Faisal Al-Ghamdi
      MF – Eid Al-Muwallad

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      Other members of the squad include:

      FW – Firas Al-Buraikan
      FW – Abdullah Al-Hamdan
      FW – Saleh Al-Shehri
      FW – Haroune Camara
      FW – Haitham Asiri
      FW – Mohammed Maran More

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      Who is Neymar’s sister Rafaella Santos?

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      RAFAELLA Santos has managed to create a successful name of her own despite her big brother’s superstar status.But who exactly is she and why is she famous? Here’s what we know.
      Neymar and Rafaella pictured with their mother Nadine Da Silva
      Who is Rafaella Santos?
      Rafaella Santos is Neymar’s younger sister, who was born on March 11, 1996.
      She legally changed her surname to Beckran once of the appropriate age.
      Brazilian tabloid Globo claims that the surname change was in honour of her childhood idol, David Beckham.
      She was raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil with her older brothers, Joclecio Amancio dos Santos and Neymar Jr.
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      Rafaella had previously been in a relationship with former Inter Milan forward Gabriel ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa who was spotted early in on her modelling career but the couple decided to go their separate ways in 2018.
      The model has an incredibly close relationship with her brother which has stretched as far as them getting matching tattoos and the pair even have tattoos of each other printed on their bodies.
      Speaking about his sister, Neymar once said: “My heart is yours, my love is yours, my smile is yours, my day, my night, my longing, my best company”.
      Their bond has caused a lot of controversies and has even led people to believe that there is a “curse of Neymar’s sister’s birthday”
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      Why is she famous?
      In the last decade, Neymar’s sister’s social media influence has skyrocketed with supporters being treated to the blonde beauty showing off her outfits alongside modelling for a number of organisations.
      She made her name in modelling when she starred in a World Cup-themed advert for Beats by Dre in 2014.
      Since then, Rafaella has gone on to model for a number of clothing brands which has landed her in the limelight along with being related to Brazilian icon Neymar.
      As of October 2023, she has over 6.1 million followers on Instagram.
      You can find her account under the username @rafaella
      With some of the money Rafaella has made, she heavily invested in the charity Instituto Neymar –  a charity her older brother created in 2014 which focuses on helping disadvantaged children who live in their home town of Praia Grande, Sao Paulo.
      What is the curse of Neymar’s sister’s birthday?
      Almost every year around Rafaella’s birthday on March 11, Neymar usually ends up with an injury or suspension.
      Many believe he misses these games so he can celebrate her big day.
      It began on February 28, 2015, when Neymar picked up a yellow card against Granada that caused him to miss the game the following month against Rayo Vallecano – three days before his sister’s birthday.
      In 2016, he missed a game on March 6 due to another suspension from an accumulation of yellow cards in La Liga.
      The curse happened again the following year when Neymar suffered an injury that caused him to be out of action in early March.
      In 2018, he missed the remainder of the 2017/2018 season with a metatarsal fracture.
      The following year, the same issue happened again, although he was able to return to the pitch for PSG in April.
      Many were shocked when Neymar actually played in 2020 on his sister’s birthday, scoring a goal against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
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      But many pointed out that he couldn’t have celebrated with his sister back in Brazil at this point due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
      The curse returned in 2021 as he missed the match against Nantes with a muscle injury. More

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      First teams already eliminated from 2026 World Cup contention – 969 days before the tournament begins

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      GUAM have become the first nation to be eliminated from 2026 World Cup contention – 969 days before the tournament is set to begin.The western Pacific island take part in the AFC’s qualifying path.
      Nations around the globe are already dreaming of World Cup 2026 gloryCredit: EMPICS Sport
      Twenty sides were drawn into two-legged ties, with the losers of each OUT of World Cup contention.
      Guam drew Singapore and were beaten 2-1 in the first leg.
      The two sides met again in Dededo on Tuesday, with Shawal Anuar’s late goal consigning Guam to a 3-1 aggregate defeat.
      Other Asian nations have since also fallen by the wayside, their dreams of competing on the world stage already parked until 2030.
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      Mongolia were beaten 2-0 on aggregate by Afghanistan.
      Yemen overcame Sri Lanka 4-1 across two legs.
      Cambodia were narrowly edged out 1-0 by Pakistan.
      Timor-Leste were beaten 7-0 on aggregate by Chinese Taipei.
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      Macau held Myanmar to a 0-0 draw at home, but were beaten 5-1 by their rivals in the away leg.
      Bangladesh edged past the Maldives 2-1 on aggregate, holding on with ten men in the second clash.
      Meanwhile, Bhutan fell short in their comeback against Hong Kong, only managing a 2-0 win after losing the first leg 4-0.
      Nepal scaped through against Laos 2-1 and Indonesia thumped Brunei 12-0 – with resounding 6-0 wins home and away. More