Stephen Ng: Lionesses have ‘fairly open’ chance against Indonesia
Singapore women's football team coach Stephen Ng will be relying on a blend of youth and experience for this month's Women's Asian Cup qualifiers against Indonesia in Tajikistan.
The youngest player in Ng's squad is Danelle Tan, 16, while captain Ernie Sulastri Sontaril, the most senior player with 40 caps, is twice her age.
The squad has an average age of 23, with seniors such as Ernie, Noor Kusumawati, Ho Hui Xin and Lim Li Xian set to guide their newer teammates, six of whom are debutantes.
Ng believes his world No. 130 team have a "fairly open chance" against the 96th-ranked Indonesians. He said: "I see it as playing two finals - we will give our all and take it one game at a time."
But he will be without Australia-based defenders Priscilla Tan and Suriya Priya, and US-based striker Putri Nur Syaliza due to "travel challenges". Defender Siti Rosnani Azman is also unavailable after joining Japan's International Athletic Club Kobe Leonessa.
Singapore and Indonesia are the only teams left in Group C of the qualifiers, after the withdrawal of Asia's top-ranked side North Korea and Iraq.
The team that gets the most points from the two matches on Sept 24 and 27 will qualify for next year's Finals in India. If they are tied, a penalty shoot-out will decide who advances.
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