The iconic Kallang Roar and the hungry Singapore Lions (the national football team) who fuelled that war cry has become stuff of legends.
Those were the days when an insatiable hunger to win for your country by heroes such as Dollah Kassim, Quah Kim Song, Fandi Ahmad and V. Sundramoorthy had Singaporeans going football crazy.
Those players had a passion for the game and their nation embedded deep inside heart and soul and, even though the sport didn’t pay the bills back then, a victory was their sweet reward time.
Since then the Kallang Roar has given way to a cat’s mew and the unending search of the Lions searching for their pride.
On Mar 25, Singapore played out a goalless draw with Hong Kong in the third round of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, a relief for Team Singapore fans who had to hide their identity following a 0-1 home defeat to Nepal in their previous outing.
The Hong Kong clash was their first game in Group C, where they are slotted alongside India, Bangladesh and Hong Kong and have to play six home and away fixtures.
Playing at home, with the fans behind them and under experienced Japanese coach Tsutomu Ogura, was the best chance the Lions had of starting their campaign on a positive note. But it wasn’t to be.
While senior players such as custodian Izwan Mahbud, defender Safuwan Baharudin and midfielder-skipper Haris Harun made their presence felt, the attack lacked bite, with that X factor missing through most part of the game.
Even Ilhan Fandi and Faris Ramli coming off the bench in the 81st minute did nothing to contribute towards a home win.
The other Group C encounter between India and Bangladesh may have ended in a draw, but the road ahead to the 2027 AFC Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia doesn’t get any easier for Singapore.
Tha Lions face Bangladesh on June 10, followed by a trip to India on Oct 9.
Currently ranked 185 in the world, Bangladesh are keen on etching their name on the world football map, like they did with cricket. They are hungry for success and extremely hard working.
They are also stronger when playing at home, with their 2-1 win over 162-ranked Maldives in November last year a testament to this.
Singapore may be ranked 160, but a clash in Dhaka will be a challenge.
The Lions will have to draw inspiration from the last meeting between the sides in 2015, when they won 2-1 away.
India remain the team to beat in Group C. The 126-ranked team are unbeaten in four out of their last five home games, including a 3-0 win over Maldives in March this year.
The team has also been strengthened by the return of ace striker Sunil Chhetri.
The 40-year-old came out of retirement to help his team qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup and, with 95 goals in 153 appearances, poses a huge threat to all the teams in Group C.
Singapore hold the advantage over India on paper, having won two of their four encounters with another clash ending in a draw.
Ogura’s Lions can also take heart from their last match with India on Sept 24, 2022, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
The Lions last appearance in the Asian Cup finals stretches back to a little over three decades, when they hosted the event in 1984.
Now, opportunity knocks on the door once again, with a team that has energetic young stars and experienced players.
A 2-2 draw with China in the 2026 World Cup qualifier on March 21, 2024, showed that the Lions can stand their ground. They came back from two goals down to finish on a par with the East Asian giants.
Can Singapore reach the next Asian Cup finals?
I believe they can, but it will take guts, extreme hard work, discipline, self-belief, passion, patriotic pride and the undying support of the fans.
