‘We are disappointed with the result’—Singapore men’s national team lost to Malaysia with a score of 2-1

The Singapore Men’s National Team fought hard to make a comeback but still lost to Malaysia in their recent Causeway derby match at Bukit Jalil National Stadium. 

During the match, Malaysia’s Stuart Wilkin and Joao Figueiredo helped their team have a lead with their goals. Even though Singapore’s Ilhan Fandi managed to score late in the game, it was not enough for the national team to bring home the victory. 

“I think the boys tried their best. I tried my best. It wasn’t enough to get the win, or even a draw, but that’s not the main goal. I think the main goal is to focus on the next window against India,” Ilhan expressed on social media. 

The athlete also acknowledged that the Malaysian squad was a strong opponent, and this match made them grasp more opportunities for improvement. 

“We are not far off, and we just have to improve,” he added. 

 

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Moreover, Interim Head Coach Gavin Lee admitted that some mistakes made on the field were costly for the Lions, but he was glad that the team played well in the second half. 

“We always play to win, so we are disappointed with the result… There were quite a few good phases in our game, but we were not calm enough in critical moments. That’s a consequence of not trusting ourselves more.” 

Gavin stated that when the team is less conscious in the game, that’s the time when they find solutions in their attack and defence. “We will try a few things that are relevant to our India approach in the next friendly. A lot of video work has been done, so we’ll continue to do that to prepare ourselves for the next challenge,” he declared. 

In another social media post, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) thanked the fans who supported the team. Several netizens stated their opinions on the results. 

One remarked that the team would be better if they had finalised a head coach, stating that they need someone more experienced to guide them. Another netizen thanked the team for their ‘heart work’ and hard work. 

“Kudos to the team for trying their best and @ilhanfa for scoring such a banger, hoping to see victories soon,” one more netizen said. 

 

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The Lions will now play against Myanmar in a private friendly match on Sept 9, and this will be their last game before their significant matches against India in October for the Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 qualifiers.