Lions to focus on domestic fixtures in September and October

The Singapore football team will not have any international matches scheduled for the next two Fifa windows.

Instead, the Lions will face Malaysia Super League champions Johor Darul Takzim and Singapore Premier League side BG Tampines Rovers in September and travel to Japan during the October international window to play three friendlies against J1 League sides in preparation for the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Championship.

New dates for the biennial Asean competition were announced on Aug 27 with the tournament now taking place from Dec 8 to Jan 5 instead of Nov 23 to Dec 21. 

At a media briefing at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Aug 28, Lions coach Tsutomu Ogura revealed that his men will face Tampines and JDT in training matches on Sept 6 and 7 respectively. 

From Oct 7 to 13, the Lions will be in Japan for three friendlies against top-tier opposition. 

But, during the November window, the Lions will host Myanmar and Chinese Taipei on Nov 15 and 19 respectively at the National Stadium.

Explaining his rationale for September’s training matches, Ogura said: “We want to have more training (sessions). In June, we had two official games. We had to think about conditioning. We could not train for too long before those matches. The games are part of the training.

“For me, it’s the best (preparation). This is the best way.”

For the upcoming Fifa window beginning Sept 2, Ogura has called up 28 players, with Hougang United’s Ajay Robson and Geylang International striker Zikos Chua earning their first call-ups. 

Nine others have earned a call-up under Ogura for the first time – goalkeepers Izwan Mahbud and Rudy Khairullah; defenders Faizal Roslan, Ho Wai Loon, Shakir Hamzah and Darren Teh; midfielders Syed Firdaus Hassan and Naqiuddin Eunos and forward Iqbal Hussain.

The likes of BG Tampines winger Faris Ramli, Geylang International captain Joshua Pereira, BG Pathum forward Ikhsan Fandi, Sailors quartet Zharfan Rohaizad, Lionel Tan, Christopher van Huizen and Song Ui-young miss out. 

An FAS spokesman explained that the squad was selected based on the AFF Championship’s initial dates, which had clashed with the Asian Football Confederation’s Champions League 2 fixtures. Hence, several players from Tampines and Sailors were omitted.

While the Lions play training matches behind closed doors, Singapore’s regional rivals will be taking part in international friendlies.

Vietnam will face Russia (Sept 5) and Thailand (Sept 7) in a friendly tournament at the My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi. 

The Philippines and Malaysia, along with Tajikistan and Lebanon, will compete in the Merdeka Cup friendly quadrangular.

The Azkals take on Malaysia on Sept 4, with the winners advancing to a final on Sept 8 against the winners of the match between Tajikistan and Lebanon. 

SINGAPORE SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Izwan Mahbud (Lion City Sailors), Hairul Syirhan, Rudy Khairullah (Geylang), Syazwan Buhari (Tampines)

Defenders: Jordan Emaviwe, Darren Teh (Balestier Khalsa), Faizal Roslan (Tanjong Pagar United), Irfan Fandi (Port FC), Nazrul Nazari (Hougang United), Nur Adam Abdullah (Young Lions), Safuwan Baharudin (Selangor), Shakir Hamzah (Geylang), Ho Wai Loon (Albirex Niigata)

Midfielders: Syed Firdaus Hassan (Albirex), Ajay Robson (Hougang), Farhan Zulkifli (Young Lions), Hami Syahin, Hariss Harun (Sailors), Glenn Kweh, Shah Shahiran (Tampines), Jacob Mahler (Muangthong United), Naqiuddin Eunos (Geylang), Harhys Stewart (Chiangrai)

Forwards: Ilhan Fandi (BG Pathum), Zikos Chua, Iqbal Hussain (Geylang), Shawal Anuar (Sailors), Taufik Suparno (Tampines)