Singapore’s trouncing by Malaysia at ASEAN Cup a ‘painful’ wake-up call, say observers

JAKARTA – A 6-0 thrashing by Malaysia has delivered a sobering reality check for the Lions, with just three months to the Asian Cup.

Observers, who described the heavy defeat at the FIFA ASEAN Cup in Bandung on Oct 1 as “unacceptable”, “painful” and “humbling”, also believe that tough questions must be asked of the Singapore national football team.

The manner of the loss – their worst defeat by archrivals Malaysia since losing by the same scoreline in 1978 – was something that concerned former Lions Noh Alam Shah and S. Subramani, and former Singapore Premier League coach Khidhir Khamis.

‘Lost control’

Alam Shah, a two-time ASEAN Championship winner, said: “It’s a very painful result, especially against Malaysia. But more concerning than the scoreline is how we lost control after going 2-0 down. At this level, we have to be able to stay competitive and manage difficult moments.

“The result should create a serious review of our identity and whether the current approach gives us the best chance at the Asian Cup.”

The Lions allowed the Tigers to score four in the last 30 minutes. In the face of incessant pressure, the Singapore backline just crumbled as Brazil-born striker Bergson bagged a hat-trick.

Subramani, who won the ASEAN Championship three times, said a setback of this scale demands accountability.

“A 6-0 defeat to Malaysia is not just another defeat,” said the 54-year-old. “When you wear the national shirt, you know what these games mean. You can lose a football match, but you cannot ignore the manner of the defeat.”

Khidhir, who called the result “humbling and unacceptable”, said it should be a “wake-up call”.

“We need an honest review of why we conceded six goals and could not stop the game from getting further away from us – coaches and players share that responsibility,” added the 40-year-old.

“With the Asian Cup three months away, this is certainly a reality check. Qualification was an achievement, but competing there requires another level.

“Our immediate priorities must be defensive organisation, decision-making under pressure, physical readiness and a reliable attacking outlet.”

Playing against foreign-born players

In the longer term, Khidhir also believes the growing gap in the naturalisation strategy between Singapore and its neighbours needs to be addressed.

Malaysia fielded nine naturalised or heritage players in their first XI against Singapore, while Indonesia did not have a single home-grown player in their starting line-up for the first time when they beat the Lions 2-0 in their opening game.

Other regional teams like Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Cambodia have also boosted their ranks with foreign-born players.

Khidhir believes strengthening the local pipeline can go together with naturalisation of foreign talent.

“Many countries are already doing this. We need to keep pace, or risk remaining stagnant while our neighbours move further ahead,” he added.

Singapore currently have two naturalised players – midfielders Song Ui-young and Kyoga Nakamura, who were born in South Korea and Japan respectively.

Coach Gavin Lee will be able to call up another foreign-born player, Perry Ng, in future after the 30-year-old received his Singapore citizenship in September.

The England-born defender, who plays for Cardiff City, could make his international debut next month, when the Lions take on Paraguay and five-time world champions Brazil at the National Stadium on Nov 13 and 17 respectively.

These matches, which are part of the Mizuho Blue Challenge, will help Lee’s men prepare for their Asian Cup matches against Australia, Tajikistan and Iraq in January 2027.

‘Need urgency’

With the continental competition just three months away, the observers were also asked if Lee should remain as coach.

While Alam Shah feels it is up to the Football Association of Singapore, he questioned whether the “current game model is bringing out the best in this group”.

The former striker pointed out Singapore’s lack of attacking threat, noting that the team scored only once in three matches in Indonesia.

“The question is whether a possession-oriented approach is the best fit for our country’s football style,” the 46-year-old added.

“Possession is only useful if it leads to penetration, chances and goals. At the moment, I’m not sure we are getting enough of that.”

Khidhir feels that one result should not determine Lee’s future, but he must “demonstrate that he understands the problems and can make the necessary adjustments, while the players must respond with better performances”.

Subramani believes there is “no need for panic but a need for urgency”.

He added: “The next few months will tell us a lot. I hope the response is strong, because wearing the Singapore shirt comes with responsibility.

“We owe it to the country, and we owe it to the generations of players who wore it before us.”

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