'A serious rivalry': An ASEAN Championship semis spot on the line as Singapore face Malaysia
A win or a draw against Malaysia at the Bukit Jalil stadium will be enough for Singapore to progress.
Singapore's Irfan Fandi leaps for a header against Malaysia on Jan 3, 2023. (Photo: FAS)
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SINGAPORE: It is a game which has always had that added spice and the same will be the case on Friday (Dec 20) as Singapore face Malaysia at the Bukit Jalil stadium in Kuala Lumpur.
And there will be more than just bragging rights at stake for the Causeway neighbours, for this time a spot in the ASEAN Championship semi-finals is on the line.
A win or a draw against Malaysia will be enough for Singapore to progress.
A Malaysian victory, coupled with a Cambodian loss or draw with Thailand will see the Harimau Malaya book their spot in the semis.
If Cambodia beat Thailand, the second spot in the group will come down to goal difference as Malaysia and Cambodia drew 2-2 in Phnom Penh earlier in the competition.
The tournament format dictates teams level on points are first differentiated by their head-to-head record, followed by goal difference.
“I have faced Malaysia a couple of times both home and away and the rivalry we share is indeed something special," said Lions' skipper Hariss Harun at a pre-match press conference on Thursday (Dec 19).
"We also have other players in the squad who have played in these matches like Safuwan (Baharudin), Izwan (Mahbud), and Shahdan (Sulaiman), so we are able to help the younger ones realise the importance of this occasion.”
CAN LIONS PRODUCE QUALITY CONSISTENTLY?
Tsutomu Ogura's Singapore side began their campaign last Wednesday with a 2-1 win over Cambodia at the National Stadium.
A pair of first-half goals from Faris Ramli and Shawal Anuar gave Singapore three points against the plucky away side, who had outplayed the Lions for most of the game.
They then left it late to beat Timor-Leste 3-0 at the Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi, with a penalty from Kyoga Nakamura and second half double from Shawal sealing the win.
Sports broadcaster and former professional footballer Rhysh Roshan Rai told CNA that the Lions were "not very impressive" against both sides, but there were "some encouraging moments".
"The ability to grind out and get those results is really crucial and the good thing for Singapore was they were able to do that in their first two matches," he said.
Compared to the last few editions of the tournament, this Lions side has been "a little bit more exciting" and less defensively-minded, said Scott McIntyre, a football journalist who has covered Asian football extensively and is co-founding editor of football website "The Asian Game".
"We've seen good finishes, we've seen pace which means you play more effectively in transition which I think they've been good at in the tournament," he said.
"And they've still got - generally speaking - that defensive solidity also."
The Lions put in a commendable showing against regional heavyweights Thailand on Wednesday and led by two goals courtesy of a pair of stunners from Shawal and Faris.
But the Thais, who are defending champions, would score four with no reply, with two goals coming in second half stoppage time.
"I thought there were some really encouraging aspects, some really good aspects of their play, especially in the first half. But they still ... allowed Thailand opportunities in the first half as well and Singapore faded in the second," said Mr Rai.
"So again, it's about trying to really have consistency in their play across 90 minutes. That's something that they're trying to develop, they're trying to grow over there."
The Lions will be buoyed by the performances of a number of players, in particular Shawal, who is currently the tournament's top scorer with four goals.
The Lion City Sailors forward has been in scintillating form, with his pace proving a big threat in the first three fixtures.
"His performances have been impressive," said Mr Rai.
"He's such a threat up front in counter-attacking situations, he's really intelligent with his movement and he's shown that he's got that finishing touch as well and that ability to be in the right place at the right time."
TOGETHERNESS AMID TURMOIL
Malaysia, who are ranked 132rd in the world rankings, 29 spots above the Lions, have not had the best tournament so far.
Like a number of other nations, they have a number of key players missing. To make things worse, the Malaysian domestic league is ongoing and with clubs recalling players amid the tournament.
"It doesn't help with clubs calling players back in the middle of a tournament," said Mr Keeshaanan Sundaresan, a host with Malaysian broadcaster Astro.
"I think it disrupts the coach's plans, it alters his strategies, it makes it difficult for him to plan from game to game," he added.
Prior to the tournament, interim coach Pau Marti Vicente also announced that he would be stepping down from his post after the ASEAN Championship, with the Football Association of Malaysia announcing on Monday (Dec 16) that Peter Cklamovski will take the reins.
"As excited as I am for the new era, a small part of me feels (that it was) a bit distasteful that we made the announcement in the middle of the tournament," said Mr Keeshaanan.
"But from Pau Marti's point of view, it's just about trying to make the best of the situation you have and that's what's going to happen this Friday."
After their draw with Cambodia, Malaysia had to come back from behind to beat Timor Leste 3-2 at home.
They put in a stronger showing against the Thais at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, but were edged out 1-0 after a blunder from goalkeeper Haziq Nadzli.
While expectations were "somewhat deflated" prior to the tournament due to the nature of the side Malaysia was able to select, momentum picked up after the game with Thailand, said Mr Keeshaanan.
"The first game was a very frustrating one, the second game against Timor Leste was the one that really angered and frustrated a lot of fans. Even though we won the game, it was the nature of the game, and the fact that we conceded two," he explained.
"Heading into this game, there's a mixture of deflation and optimism."
But what this Malaysian team has is a "real sense of togetherness", said Mr Keeshaanan.
"In a way, I think the reputation of it being a 'second-string' squad is almost a motivating factor for the players, because they are there to show they are not second-string players and they are here to play for the shirt. They are aware of it, and I'm sure it's fueling the fire."
"They've actually displayed the ability to step up when the chips are down. You can expect that they'll be ready for this game against Singapore," added Mr Rai.
Vicente, previously the assistant coach of the team, also has a strong bond with the players, added Mr Keeshaanan.
"There's an element of wanting to send him off in the right way as well," he said. "There's a lot on the line this Friday."
What the Malaysian side will have going for them is the support of passionate home fans, who have shown that they can transform the Bukit Jalil stadium into a cauldron of noise.
"Even though it's not Malaysia's strongest squad, the players that they have available will not want to let the fans down," said Mr Rai.
"I'm expecting a real fierce atmosphere. It's going to be a serious rivalry and I think it's going to be a really competitive and close game of football."
While there were only 7,450 fans present for the thriller against Timor Leste, more than 10,000 tickets have already been sold for the Singapore clash.
INTENSITY, FIGHT AND SPIRIT
Needing to avoid defeat against Malaysia is not an unfamiliar position for the Lions.
At the last edition of the tournament, they travelled up to Kuala Lumpur needing a draw to progress. The Lions had seven points, while Malaysia had six.
However, Singapore would capitulate in spectacular fashion, losing 4-1 as the Harimau Malaya moved on.
While things have changed since then, what will remain is that there will be "a lot of pressure" put on by the Malaysian fans and that Singapore will have to show their mental strength, said Mr Rai.
But the home side will be feeling the heat as well.
"When you take a risk against a team like Singapore and you leave space at the back, you've got to be really careful to not allow that space to be exploited," added Mr Keeshaanan.
"The pressure is a bit more on Malaysia because we need the win, we cannot get away with a draw. I think with Singapore, there is a bit more room for tactical flexiblity, for pragmatism. With Malaysia, there's no room for that at all.
"You only have one job, which is to just attack and win the game."
The Lions last made the semi-finals of the regional tournament in the 2021 edition, where they were eliminated by Indonesia.
"Home advantage is a big thing, particularly in Bukit Jalil, which has maybe some of the best supporters not just in Southeast Asia, but in the world. They are going to make a big noise," said Mr McIntyre.
"But if we just look purely in terms of the football side of things, I think Singapore have played better throughout the tournament."
To beat Malaysia, the Lions will need to strike a balance in their approach, said Mr Rai.
"Playing away to Malaysia, there will be times where Singapore will need to learn to sit back and close off the spaces and frustrate Malaysia," he explained.
"Malaysia are going to be playing with a lot of intensity, a lot of fight, a lot of spirit."
