SINGAPORE — The Singapore national under-22 football team fell out of the group stage following an uninspiring campaign, their latest match a goalless draw against Laos over the weekend. Coach Philippe Aw’s team started the tournament with a 3-1 defeat to Thailand before the Young Lions went down by the same scoreline to defending champions Vietnam in their second game.
To Singapore’s credit, they did dominate the match against the Laotian, but they just lacked the finishing touch in the final third. The Young Lions could have sealed the win in the second half when substitute Nicky Singh earned a penalty moments after he came onto the pitch. But Singapore’s Syahadat Maswani fluffed his attempt and sent it above the goalpost in the 65th minute.
The Young Lions goalkeeper Aizil Yazid ensured Singapore picked up their first point of the SEA Games as he made a point-blank save from an attempt by Athit Louanglath in injury time. With the results, Singapore is now second from bottom in the five-team group. Singapore, who are levelled on one point with Laos, will now take on Malaysia in the final Group B match on May 11.
Thailand and Vietnam are currently the group leaders by six points after two wins in their opening two matches. Thailand will take on Laos on May 8, while Vietnam will face Malaysia on the same day. Victory for both Thailand and Vietnam will seal their spot in the semi-finals. In Group A, Indonesia is on nine points with a match to go and has booked their spot in the last four. Myanmar will need a win against the bottom-place Philippines to finish the group in the second spot.
In the previous SEA Games held in Vietnam last year, Singapore ended the group stage in third place with five points after picking up a win, two draws and a loss. Their only three points were a 1-0 win over Cambodia and they were held by Laos and Malaysia to a 2-2 draw. The Young Lions were defeated 5-0 by silver medalists Thailand, who topped the group stage.
Even when Singapore hosted the SEA Games in 2015, the men’s football team failed to progress from the group stage. They were drawn in A with Myanmar, Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines. Singapore ended the campaign with two wins and two losses under the guidance of head coach Aide Iskandar. Singapore was third in the group with six points, behind Myanmar and Indonesia, who finished first and second, respectively.
One would have to return to the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar to relive the moments when Singapore managed to find their way out of the group stage and won a medal in the football competition. Coached by Aide and led on the field by Hariss Harun, the team got a spot in the semi-finals despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Laos in the opening match. The Young Lions calmed their nerves for their next two matches and won against Vietnam and Brunei before they were held to a draw by Malaysia in their final group match.
It was a tough and gruelling semi-final against Thailand, with Singapore eventually losing the match 1-0 and the Thais seeing off Vietnam 2-1 in the final to win the gold medal. For Singapore, they were up against arch-rival Malaysia in the bronze medal match. A double-quickfire goal by captain Hariss in the 13th and 14th minutes put the Young Lions two goals up early in the match, and Malaysia pulled a goal back through Thamil Arasu in the 68th minute. Singapore hung on to win the match 2-1 and bring home the bronze medal.
Singapore have won three silver medals and seven bronze medals in the men’s football competition in the SEA Games, but the search for the gold medal still continues. The first silver medal in the football competition came in 1983 when Singapore hosted the SEA Games, and the other two silver medals were won in 1985 and 1989.