Lions beat Timor Leste to secure perfect start to Asean Cup
The Lions continued their flawless run in the 2024 Asean Championship, defeating Timor-Leste 3-0 on Saturday (14 Dec).
Off to a perfect start
The breakthrough came after a penalty was awarded in the 76th minute for a foul on substitute Shawal Anuar.
A video assistant referee (VAR) review confirmed that Olagar Xavier had pushed Shawal, a forward, inside the box.
Japan-born playmaker Kyoga Nakamura calmly converted the penalty, scoring his first goal for Singapore by wrong-footing goalkeeper Junildo Pereira and landing the ball into the bottom corner.
Shawal then stole the show with a late brace, bringing his international tally to 16 goals in 39 matches.
He first decisively slotted home Safuwan Baharudin’s cross in the 83rd minute, before capitalising on a setup by fellow substitutes Jordan Emaviwe and Farhan Zulkifli in the 90th minute.
Tactical changes pay off
Lions coach, Tsutomu Ogura, made seven changes to the lineup following the Lions’ 2-1 win against Cambodia on 11 Dec.
This was likely to manage a packed schedule of four matches in 10 days.
Two of his changes included forwards Abdul Rasaq and Naqiuddin Eunos, who made their first starts of the tournament.
The changes initially left Singapore, which is ranked No. 161 according to FIFA’s rankings, struggling to create clear chances in the first half.
However, the substitutes proved decisive, turning the tide in the second half.
Timor-Leste almost caused an upset
Despite ranking No. 196, Timor-Leste came close to opening the scoring. Captain Joao Pedro dispossessed Singapore centre-back Lionel Tan and unleashed a long-range chip that beat goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud, only to hit the post.
Ogura admitted that luck was on Singapore’s side, saying: “Although we made some individual mistakes in the first half, the team also did well to cover for each other’s mistakes.”
“We were much improved in the second half, allowing us to go forward and score the goals.”
Lions eye knockout round
Post-match confusion briefly arose when the official website initially listed the score as 2-0 before correcting it to 3-0.
The Lions now look ahead to matches against defending champions Thailand on 17 Dec at the National Stadium and Malaysia on 20 Dec.
Securing a win in either game — or two draws — will guarantee their progression to the knockout rounds.
Reflecting on the match, Shawal said: “We could have done better in the first half. We had a few chances but didn’t convert. But in the second half, we played well and got the three points.”
Looking ahead, Ogura said the team’s focus is now on preparing for the challenge against Thailand. “I know they are one of the best teams in Southeast Asia, but we want to put up a fight against them.”
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Featured images adapted from Football Association of Singapore.
