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Singapore Football

Third win on the trot for Lions

Coach Fandi pleased with his boys' fighting spirit that saw them come back from a goal down to defeat Cambodia

If Fandi Ahmad's approach for the national football team could be summarised, it would be encapsulated in a piece of action in the 74th minute of last night's 2-1 friendly win over Cambodia in Phnom Penh.

There was no danger for the Angkor Warriors as centre-back Hong Pheng attempted to shepherd a long punt back to goalkeeper Um Vichet. But the lurking Ikhsan Fandi pounced, pressed and profited to score the winning goal for the Lions.

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(Ho Wai Loon 17-og) (Jacob Mahler 61, Ikhsan Fandi 74)

The victory was the third in four matches under the interim national coach, after 2-0 wins over Fiji and Mongolia and a 1-1 draw with Mauritius in his first game in charge last month.

Yesterday's triumph marked the first time since 2015 that Singapore have won three matches on the trot (beating Bangladesh 2-1, Brunei 5-1 and Cambodia 4-0 then).

It is also the Lions' first away win in 13 attempts since a 1-0 victory over Myanmar in Yangon in the invitational tournament AYA Bank Cup in 2016.

Speaking to The Straits Times after the game in Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium, Fandi revealed: "Ikhsan came to me and said he needed more balls played to him.

"But I told him he has to keep asking his teammates to pass to him, or else he has to make things happen himself.

"Later, he wanted to be taken off because he was cramping up, but I told him, 'Don't come off until you have scored'. I'm just happy that he kept trying and he has that ambition to score."

The Lions, now 166th in Fifa's world rankings, had gone three years without a competitive win and saw regional rivals overtake them.

But the team have shown signs of recovery under Fandi, whose appointment will end after the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup, which starts next month.

Singapore face defending champions Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Timor Leste in Group B.

While the 56-year-old could do little to improve the players' technique given that he was appointed in May, what he managed to do in five months was to stir up their fighting spirit.

The Lions started poorly against Cambodia when a cross from left-back Sath Rosib was deflected into the net for an own goal by left-back Ho Wai Loon in the 17th minute.

Things looked dismal as Singapore failed to register a shot on target in the first half.

But, with the introduction of attacking midfielder Adam Swandi and defensive midfielder Jacob Mahler, and moving midfielder Zulfahmi Arifin to left-back, the Lions fought their way back.

Jacob, 18, equalised in the 61st minute with a close-range finish for his first Singapore goal after the hosts were unable to clear Zulfahmi's free-kick.

Ikhsan then completed the Lions' comeback in the 74th minute when he dispossessed Hong before poking the ball past goalkeeper Vichet for his third international strike.

Fandi said: "I'm very happy with Jacob, he was very determined to win every tackle, he pressed the opponent well with (midfielder Izzdin Shafiq) and his hard work paid off with that goal.

"There was no need for angry words at half-time. I just told the boys to focus and keep pushing forward.

"We have a good team spirit to see us through, these boys have determination and, even right till the end, they never stopped fighting."

Singapore Football