Singapore need to 'embrace the occasion' against giants South Korea, says Lions captain Hariss
The two teams will meet in Seoul for a World Cup qualifier on Thursday, Nov 16.
Singapore being put through their paces in Seoul on Tuesday (Nov 14). (Photo: FAS/Stefanus Ian)
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SEOUL: They may be up against the weather and world-class opposition but Singapore are raring to go ahead of their World Cup qualifier clash with South Korea on Thursday (Nov 16).
Speaking to CNA on Monday (Nov 13) at the team’s hotel on the outskirts of Seoul, captain Hariss Harun said Singapore would need to “embrace the occasion”.
“It is not (often) that we get the chance to play a team that plays regularly in the World Cup - one of the top teams in Asia … We have to embrace the occasion, look forward to it, try to show what we can do,” he said.
“It’s no secret that they are miles and way above our level … We are not expected to do anything magical. So for us, it's going out there, trying to prepare as best we can, set up nicely, try to be competitive, make sure they feel our presence and try make a game out of it.”
The current FIFA rankings underscore the task ahead: Singapore are ranked 155th, a good way off South Korea's 24th.
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Vietnam, ASEAN's highest-ranked team, were on the wrong end of a 6-0 thrashing the last time South Korea faced Southeast Asian opposition. The win, which came in a friendly match in October, was head coach Jurgen Klinsmann's third on the trot.
On current form, a fourth looks likely on Thursday.
“The onus is on them being the home team, being the favourites in the group, top-ranked team in the group, to go out there and do something,” said Hariss.
“We have to really be ready for the challenge on Thursday and not shy away from a challenge.”
GOOD START WILL BE "CRUCIAL"
Tickets for the evening match at the Seoul World Cup Stadium are sold out, according to the Korea Football Association.
Playing away from home in front of a packed crowd, a good start could make all the difference, said Singapore head coach Takayuki Nishigaya.
The first 15 minutes of the game will be particularly crucial as the team gets used to the atmosphere and tempo of proceedings, he said.
“We understand that the Korean national team is a different level compared to what we’ve played (against) until today,” he added.
When we play the game against our opponent, we cannot give too much respect to them. We are (all) human … they make mistakes, we also make mistakes. We should focus on our game and what we can control.”
One of Singapore’s most notable results in the past decade was a gritty 0-0 draw away to Japan at the Saitama Stadium in 2015. The parallels have not gone unnoticed.
“It’s pretty much a similar situation this time round,” said captain Hariss, who was part of that 2015 team. "I hope that when we train at the stadium the day before, the boys will realise that this is a massive stage for us, and the standing of the opponents that we are going to face.”
South Korea boast a clutch of stars: Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min, Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Hwang Hee-chan, Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in and Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae.
But the visitors must not be overawed, said Hariss.
“You don’t want to waste your time coming all the way here just to be starstruck and waste everybody’s time … We are competing, we are not fans.”
Individually, South Korea are streets ahead so how Singapore plays as a team will be key.
“We have to be organised no matter what the approach is towards to this game,” Hariss added.
“Playing in such an occasion, a full stadium, us being not used to the weather, it can be tough to keep talking, communicating and helping each other throughout the 90 minutes. The longer we do this, the better for us, and hopefully that will bring a result for us as well.”
Echoing that view was Zulqaraen Suzliman. "We just want to perform and show what Singapore football can deliver. And this kind of stage is the best platform to show it," said the fullback.
The rest of the players are also looking forward to the match, said head coach Nishigaya.
"They are not afraid to play against the opposition ... They are excited to play against such good players, in order to improve Singapore football."
While Nishigaya has come under fire for some of Singapore’s performances and results, he is approching the match as a chance to prove himself.
Instead, he believes it is an opportunity to showcase Singapore football and inspire the next generation.
“I’m not thinking about myself,” he said. “I’m thinking that this is a very good opportunity to show Singapore football."
The Lions progressed to the second round of qualifying after beating 203rd place ranked Guam 3-1 over two legs.
At this stage, aside from South Korea, Singapore will also have to contend with Thailand (112th) and China (79th).
Singapore return home to play Thailand on Nov 21. The first two rounds of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifying for the 2026 World Cup also serve as the first two stages of qualifying for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.
The top two teams from each group will move on to the next round of the World Cup qualifiers and also qualify for the Asian Cup. The remaining teams will continue to play qualifying matches, but only for entry into the Asian Cup.
The Lions' subsequent qualifiers will be played next year. They will meet China at home on Mar 21 and away on Mar 26 before the return fixtures against South Korea and Thailand on Jun 6 and Jun 11 respectively.
COLD IN SEOUL
Nighttime temperatures in South Korea’s capital have dipped below zero in recent days, a far cry from the tropical weather the Singapore squad is used to.
“It’s really cold here. We heard of the (low) temperatures … when we were back home but to really experience it is different,” said Hariss.
After touching down on Sunday, the Lions were put through their paces during their first training session with small sided games and possession drills at Goyang Auxiliary Stadium on Monday evening.
“We felt dry in the mouth, in the throat … It is quite normal. But I think it is important we had the session today - it was a little bit more of an intense session,” said Hariss.
“We needed this to go out there, give our body a run out to try to get used to the weather and for us to be used to breathing in this dry, cold weather … To be honest, we were struggling, but we enjoyed it at the end of the day.”
Nishigaya added that the team’s training camp in Japan last December ahead of the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup would come in handy as well.
“We have three sessions in Korea, so players will be able to adapt to the situation, to this weather,” he added.
Having donned the Lions’ colours in sub-zero temperatures in the past, Hariss is no stranger to frigid conditions.
“It’s part and parcel of playing football as a professional. On the international stage, we have to travel all around, play in different countries, in different climates. No complaints as of now, we just have to find a way around it,” he said.
Singapore will be boosted by the return of key players such as defender Safuwan Baharudin and forward Ikhsan Fandi, who have not played for the national team since 2022. Ikhsan’s older brother Irfan is also back in the squad.
Safuwan was cleared to return following a concussion last year while Ikhsan missed about 10 months after suffering a knee injury during an international friendly against Maldives in December 2022.
“It’s massive for us because we know what these players bring to the team in terms of experience and quality and we have missed that for a while,” said Hariss.
“Having said that, in their absence the team has done well. Players have stepped up well, but they just bring that extra bit of quality to the team and we are really happy to have them back.”
Catch South Korea vs Singapore LIVE in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifying Round 2 on Thursday, Nov 16, from 6.50pm on Mediacorp's Channel 5, mewatch and Mediacorp Entertainment on YouTube.
