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Source: gmanews.tv

-- The Philippines blew its chance to win the gold medal after yielding a 1-8 loss to defending champion Singapore in the water polo competitions of the 25th Southeast Asian Games Sunday at the National Sports Complex Swimming Pool in Laos.

Philippine Aquatics Sports Association (Pasa) president Mark Joseph admitted that the Filipinos had difficultly keeping in step with the Singaporeans, rulers of the SEAG water polo wars for a record 22 successive times.

“Majority of our team are new faces and had a hell of a time against the most experienced team in Southeast Asia," said Joseph, adding that the mighty Singapore team is well prepared for the hostilities, having spent $14 million for its water polo program.

The setback effectively slammed the door on the Filipinos’ bid to wrest the crown from Singapore in the tournament that uses a round-robin format.

The Singaporeans now carry a 2-0 win-loss card and could wrap up title No. 23 with a win over Thailand. The Filipino pool aces dropped to 1-1 after opening with a 6-4 trampling of Thailand, and could seize the silver medal with a victory over Indonesia on Monday afternoon.

Singapore opened the first period with a 3-1 lead against the Filipinos, their strongest rivals in the region, then added three more goals to break the game wide open.

The Singaporeans knocked in a goal each in the final two periods for the final score.

The water polo bets, who have placed runner-up to Singapore seven times in 14 SEA Games, are the first to see action for Team Philippines in the Laos joust, their event scheduled days before the Games’ opening on Tuesday.

The rest of the RP team arrived from Manila in two batches Sunday morning, bent on improving the Filipinos sixth place finish the last time around in Thailand.