Hope lives on for Singapore football, after AFF Suzuki Cup tournament exit that saw the Lions bow out at the semi-final stage with 8-men
PHOTO: JUNPITER FUTBOL
A month of intense drama, highs and lows eventually culminated in the Lions bowing out doggedly in their first semi-final appearance since 2012. SportPlus recaps the key moments of Singapore’s memorable 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup campaign.
“Ayuh Ayuh Ayuh !! Ayuh Ayuh Singapuraaaa !!” Those were the words echoed incessantly by the Singapore crowd for the 13 minutes separating Shahdan Sulaiman’s perfectly bended free-kick and Indonesia’s Pratama Arhan’s offside equaliser.
Yet the lyrical cheering of Singapore’s famous “Satu Nada” (One Voice) chant did not stop after that.
Singapore was down in numbers on the pitch, but the home crowd made up for the numerical deficit with their deafening voices.
PHOTO: JUNPITER FUTBOL
The Lions bowed out in style, living up to their nickname by fighting doggedly right till the final whistle, even though they were eventually reduced to eight men on the pitch.
The day was October 8th. Singapore’s head coach Tatsuma Yoshida’s 27-man provisional squad for the tournament left some fans puzzled as experienced stalwarts Madhu Mohana and Yasir Hanapi were unceremoniously left out.
The duo from Tampines Rovers share 73 international caps amongst themselves and could have proven to be important figure heads in the dressing room. In their place, Iqram Rifqi and Adam Swandi were selected. Both players were returning from long-term injuries and had restricted minutes in the recently concluded Singapore Premier League season.
“If they are able to perform and reach my expectations that I have set for them, they can serve as very good options for the Lions,” responded coach Tatsuma.
Perhaps this was all part of the Japanese native’s grand masterplan for Singapore.
PHOTO: JUNPITER FUTBOL
Fallout with the SingaBrigade
Off the pitch, more controversy was about to ensue. Moments after releasing ticketing details for the tournament, the Football Association of Singapore announced that in order to comply with prevailing Covid-19 regulations, musical instruments were not to be permitted in stadiums.
The regulation instantly drew the ire of a group of passionate Singapore football fans, more commonly known as the SingaBrigade. The 150-man strong fan group have followed the Lions across borders and make up the bulk of chants heard during Singapore’s matches.
Drums are used by the SingaBrigade to create a lively atmosphere, making up a big part of their matchday identity.
PHOTO: JUNPITER FUTBOL
"We are the hosts and we had been looking forward to the tournament to support the team like what we've been used to. You can ask anyone who has attended Lions matches and they will know the impact when we have our drums,” said Syed Faris, 33, a member of SingaBrigade.
The FAS reached out to offer assistance, but both parties failed to arrive on a compromise. One week before the tournament was slated to begin, the fervent fan group announced their decision to sit out the tournament as “a message to relevant parties”.
Football fans will know the positive impact a boisterous home atmosphere has for the players, as the ‘12th man’ in the stadium. The absence of the SingaBrigade would be sorely felt, but team Singapore still had to fight on.
PHOTO: JUNPITER FUTBOL
The Tournament Kicks-Off
Fast forward to the opening game of the tournament, Singapore were due to face Myanmar on December 5th. This would prove to be the first significant indicator of the national team’s progress under Tatsuma, as the Lions romped to a comfortable 3-0 victory.
A pinpoint header from Safuwan Baharudin was swiftly followed by an Ikhsan Fandi brace, as Singapore killed off the game within the first half.
Just two years prior, Singapore were beaten 2-1 by the same Myanmar team in an international friendly. Tatsuma said from that day: “Our boys sometimes switch off but in the first half for 40 minutes, they played (well). But, in the first five minutes, we were a little bit rushed.”
There were no such issues from kick-off in front of a 7,588-strong crowd.
PHOTO: JUNPITER FUTBOL
Opting to keep 2020 SPL Player of the Year Gabriel Quak on the bench, Tatsuma gave newly declared Singapore citizen Song Ui-Young his first competitive start for the nation. Song did not disappoint, dictating the midfield with his composure and nifty passing reminiscent of Shi Jia Yi’s creative abilities back in the day.
Speaking to the media after the win, a patriotic Song chipped in: "When I entered the field and heard the fans, I realised: 'Ok, this is different, this is special. This game is huge'."
Excitement was building around the country after a convincing win, but the job was far from finished. Singapore have failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the AFF Suzuki Cup since the team led by legendary coach Radojko Avramovic won the tournament in 2012. As hosts of this year’s edition, the unspoken expectation around the neighbourhoods was to break that duck at the very least.
PHOTO: JUNPITER FUTBOL
Next up for the Lions were the Philippines, who famously knocked them out in the group stages of the 2018 edition, courtesy of a late Patrick Reichelt strike in Bacolod city. Singapore were out for revenge.
A do-or-die clash
Buoyed by the advantage of playing in familiar surroundings this time round, the Lions also had the benefit of playing a Philippines side missing several foreign-based players due to restrictions travelling into Singapore.
This was a game of paramount importance to the Lions as the Philippines stood out as Singapore’s closest rivals for second place in the group, which would guarantee qualification into the semi-finals.
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Tatsuma made four changes to the team that beat Myanmar three days ago. Fan favourite Gabriel Quak was handed his first start of the tournament, whilst overseas-based players Zulfahmi Arifin and M Anumanthan were introduced for Song and Shahdan.
Again, fans were left bemused by the Japanese tactician’s selections given the latter duo’s encouraging performances in the previous game. It turned out to be a situation of load management as Tatsuma made a tactical tweak, setting up in a 3-4-3 formation for this crucial clash.
It proved to be the right decision, as Singapore began the game on the front foot with the extra centre-back providing control and stability for the Lions to construct their attacking plays. After a deadlocked first half, disaster struck early in the second half.
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Star forward Gabriel Quak belligerently knocked into Philippines defender Justin Baas and cried out in pain, hitting the Sports Hub grass patch clutching his left shoulder. A collective sigh rang out around the stadium as the crowd waited anxiously to see what developed.
Unfortunately, Gabriel’s tournament was over despite his attempt to solider on for another five minutes. The 31-year-old dislocated his shoulder in an international friendly prior to the tournament and the collision with Baas aggravated the injury.
The Lions did not give up. Fired up to wreak vengeance without Gabriel, the constant waves of attacks finally paid dividends in a rapid three-minute spell.
Captain Hariss Harun was quickest to react to a flick-on from a corner to send the home crowd into raptures. Barely after the cheering had stopped, mercurial winger Faris Ramli sprinted the length of the pitch to get onto the end of wing-back Zulqarnaen Suzliman’s perfectly weighted cross to give Singapore the overwhelming advantage.
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Despite conceding from a set-piece with a quarter of the game to play, the Singapore players held firm and showed immense determination and belief to secure the three points.
Tatsuma was quick to praise his players in the post-match conference, lauding them for “showing their Singapore spirit”. This was a landmark victory for Singapore football, as it put them within touching distance of qualifying for the semi-finals.
South-east Asian minnows Timor Leste were Singapore’s next opponents after a restful six-day break.
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Breaking the nine-year duck
Singapore was expected to win this game, with a spot in the semi-finals at stake. The build-up to the match was filled with optimism. Singapore football was back on the rise after a statement victory, fans were happy to see the progress of the team moving forward.
Tatsuma handed youngsters Hami Syahin and Adam Swandi their first starts of the tournament. The latter swept home Singapore’s first goal of the day to vindicate Tatsuma’s selection, as well as any doubters who questioned the Lion City Sailors midfielder’s inclusion in the tournament squad.
Yet, instead of adding on to their advantage, the Lions were instead put on the backfoot by their counterparts, cueing frustration from the home fans. Having beaten Timor Leste by a margin of 7-1 in their last Suzuki Cup outing, the Singaporean fans were certainly expecting better from the players.
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Any potential of an upset was put to bed by a second half strike from veteran defender Shakir Hamzah. It was sufficient to seal the win and officially book Singapore’s berth in the semi-finals. Fans stayed well beyond the final whistle and gave the team a rousing ovation, as they did for the previous two games.
After nine years of heartbreak, Singapore finally delivered another semi-final appearance. It was an inflexion point for Singapore football, whose fans have been beleaguered with repeated disappointments over the past decade.
A shoot-out for top spot in the group followed for Singapore, facing fierce regional rivals Thailand, who also won all three of their opening group games.
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Drowning out the boos
“Come on Singapore, you have nothing to lose!” shouted a fan from section 136 of the Sports Hub, as the referee blew the whistle to signal the start of the game.
Additionally, the SingaBrigade were back in the stadium. Dressed in black, the fan group made a grand entrance walking in unison down the steps belting out familiar chants to give players that extra boost on the pitch.
Answering pleas from former and current national team players for the vociferous fan group to return, the SingaBrigade could not bear to leave the Lions hanging any longer.
Motivated by the fans, Singapore started the game with ferocity, taking the game to their talented opponents. The Thais had rotated heavily for this clash, resting star striker Teerasil Dangda as well as eventual tournament MVP Chanatip Songkrasin.
But the home side were dealt a huge blow early on when Shakir Hamzah had to be stretchered off after a collision with a Thai player. On came Zulfahmi as his replacement.
PHOTO: JUNPITER FUTBOL
The substitute turned out to be at fault for both Thailand goals; first switching off during a free-kick before giving away the ball cheaply for the War Elephants’ second and final goal of the night.
The Singapore fans were not impressed and audible boos rang out from a small section of the crowd when Zulfahmi was replaced by Amirul Adli in the closing moments of the game.
Singapore’s Japanese coach, who took over the reins in 2019, was visibly emotional when asked about the home crowd’s reaction.
“I feel sad .. very very sad .. But I’m proud of them (players) always. We have to work together to improve Singapore football. I love Singapore football. Singaporeans must believe football. I want to cry now,” quipped an emotional Tatsuma Yoshida.
Hands on his head, Tatsuma ended the press conference prematurely. The reality was slowly starting to sink in. Singapore were comfortably beaten by a second-string Thai side.
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Fans were unhappy, but the team had to move on. It became apparent the frustration merely came from a minority of the home crowd. The SingaBrigade never stopped singing throughout the game and were constantly cheering the team on regardless of the result.
A crucial two-legged semi-final clash with Indonesia, who finished first in group B, beckoned for the Lions.
Drums, Flags and Fanfare
The atmosphere was feisty for the first leg. In a surprising change of stance, the relevant authorities had finally granted SingaBrigade permission to bring in the drums they wanted. The national stadium was fired up.
Even the Indonesian fans held their own. Waves of red and white, colours of the Indonesian flag, decorated the away end. “Indonesia Raya” was sang loudly and passionately, followed quickly by uniformed chanting once the match began.
It was a cagey start. Both teams were cautious in possession and aggressive in their individual duels. But it was Team Garuda who had the first breakthrough. A marauding run from captain Asnawi Mangkualam down the right flank saw him exchange a quick one-two with Poland-based midfielder Witan Sulaeman, and the latter side-footed the cutback to hand Indonesia the early advantage.
Tatsuma Yoshida was quick to respond. The Singapore head coach quickly brought out his enormous tactics board during a break in play, instructing captain Hariss to play in defence, as the middle centre-back in a back three.
PHOTO: JUNPITER FUTBOL
The tactical change worked wonders. The Lions came out roaring in the second half, almost as if they were a different team. Faris Ramli fired narrowly over from the edge of the penalty area, but shortly turned provider as talisman Ikhsan Fandi coolly beat the Indonesian goalkeeper from close range to level the tie.
The Singapore crowd willed their players on, whom rode the momentum in an attempt to find a winning goal. The Indonesians held firm, and even had a late penalty call denied when Singapore defender Nazrul Nazari fouled Indonesian midfielder Ricky Kambuaya in the 18-yard box.
It would end all square heading into the second leg on Christmas Day, which proved to be a game for the AFF Suzuki Cup history books.
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The Game of Their Lives
Fans were dressed in red, had scarves around their neck, and were whistling familiar tunes en route to the national stadium. Instead of celebrating Christmas however, Singaporeans only had one thing on their minds as the melodies of “Jingle Bells” were traded for “Majulah Singapura”.
Tatsuma Yoshida’s selection for this crucial game turned a few heads. Key players Faris and Ikhsan were dropped to the bench, presumably due to load management. Attackers Amy Recha and Hafiz Nor were handed their first starts of the tournament, with the latter recently recovered from a bout of Covid-19.
Despite murmurings of discontent around the Sports Hub, the crowd were fully behind team Singapore once the game kicked off.
PHOTO: JUNPITER FUTBOL
It was a case of deja vu again as Indonesia went ahead early in the first half. A miscued kick from Singapore custodian Hassan Sunny was intercepted by Witan, who skilfully dribbled past Singapore’s hapless defence before squaring for striker Ezra Walian to prod home.
The Lions had to dig deep once again. The task was made harder for the home side when defensive stalwart Safuwan Baharudin was sent off during a tussle with an Indonesian defender before a Singapore set-piece, right before half time.
There was no explanation as the referee seemingly made light of a momentous occasion drawing vehement protests from the Singapore dugout and jeers from the outraged home supporters. To make matters worse, Safuwan’s first yellow card minutes prior was arguably uncalled for as he won the ball with a legal shoulder check.
Singapore kept their heads down and a perfect delivery from Shahdan’s resulting free kick was turned into the net by Song. The scores were level once again. The home crowd erupted into waves of cheers, but joy quickly transformed into outrage as the referee and match officials were booed off the pitch into the break.
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There was a sense of foreboding amongst the home fans, as Singapore still had 45 minutes of football plus potential extra time to play with 10 men.
The Lions came out from the tunnel raring to go. They may have been one man short on the pitch, yet they made up for it with their unnerving grit. Challenging for every loose ball and clearing crosses into the box, Singapore’s defence held tight.
When it rains, it pours. Tatsuma’s Lions truly felt the meaning of the quote when defender Irfan Fandi, who had been outstanding all tournament, was sent his marching orders in the 67th minute for a last man foul. Singapore were down to 9 men.
It was nine versus eleven. But Singapore refused to throw in the towel. The Lions were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box. As Shahdan placed the ball and began his run up, the 10,000-strong crowd held their breaths.
‘Swish!’ The ball hit the back of the net, sending the Singapore fans into a wave of frenzy. Singapore were ahead with 16 minutes to play. The stands erupted. Strangers were hugging each other screaming and jumping for joy. Singapore’s ‘Kampung’ spirit had returned through the power of football to unite people from all walks of life. It was a magical moment.
PHOTO: JUNPITER FUTBOL
However, four minutes before the final whistle, young player of the tournament Pratama Arhan was quickest to react to a loose ball to level it up for Indonesia. But still the Lions fought on.
Minutes after, A long ball into the penalty area was chased down by Singapore’s Shawal Anuar, who was brought down to give the referee no choice but to point to the spot.
This was it. One kick to send Singapore into the Suzuki Cup finals. With designated penalty taker Safuwan Baharudin off the pitch, up stepped the brave Faris Ramli, carrying the weight of the nation on his shoulders.
Alas, it was not to be. Indonesia custodian Nadeo Argawinata guessed the right way and palmed away Faris’ effort from goal. And that was the final page on a historic night for Singapore football.
The Lions conceded two quickfire goals in extra time and eventually fell 4-2 to their south-east Asian neighbours, eventually ending with 8 men on the pitch as goalkeeper Hassan Sunny was given a red card for a last-man tackle.
PHOTO: JUNPITER FUTBOL
A New Chapter for Singapore Football
The reaction from the home supporters was encouraging. The SingaBrigade performed their usual tradition of singing the national anthem with the players after the final whistle. Singapore fans were still chanting even as they exited the stadium. A night marred by controversial refereeing decisions could not take away the fact that the Lions fought with all their might till the end.
"I always tell the boys, my staff. You must believe (in) yourself. You can do it ... Singapore fans I hope, I want them to support the boys and Singapore football," Tatsuma said. It turned out to be his final game in charge of a three-year spell with the country, as the now Ventforet Kofu manager returned to his home country citing family reasons.
Tatsuma revived the hopes of an ailing football nation. He gave belief to the players and fans, albeit his tenure was short lived. This tournament served as an inflexion point for Singapore football. It showed the country that there is hope for the sport, and the stakeholders involved are ready to commit to Goal 2034.
PHOTO: JUNPITER FUTBOL
But this must not be the end. All focus will be on the Asian Cup qualifiers in June, a tournament Singapore have not qualified for since hosting in 1984. Hiring a coach that can continue Tatsuma’s playing philosophy will be crucial. The foundations have been laid and Singapore football must press on.
Football will always be unpredictable. One month ago, no one could have predicted Singapore bowing out of the Suzuki Cup semi-finals with 8 men on the pitch and Ikhsan Fandi in goal.
Just like the lyrics to the ‘Satu Nada’ chant sang loud and clear on Christmas Day, Singapore fans must not give up hope in the national team.
‘Satu Bangsa dan Negara, Satu Singapura.’ (one people, one nation, one Singapore)
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