S’pore Football Team Scores 0 Goals In The Past 3 Matches; Fandi Ahmad Apologises

SEA Games 2019 has been very exciting, with our national athletes representing our country and flying the country flag high.

Many have achieved commendable results, and we are very proud of their success, like Wushu exponent Yong Yi Xiang, who clinched a gold medal for Singapore.

However, we should not only celebrate those who are triumphant but all who have worked very hard to do us proud as well.

The Singaporean National Football Team dubbed the Young Lions, is no exception despite a bitter season.

A Bitter Season At The SEA Games

On 1 December, Sunday, Singapore lost to defending champions Thailand 3-0 (no, Ben Davis wasn’t playing for Thailand), unable to convert any goals.

However, this was more significant than it seems.

It marks the first time in a long time, that the Singaporean Football team had failed to score a single goal in three consecutive matches.

In its first match, the Singapore team drew with Laos, at a score of 0-0. In the second match, the Young Lions lost to Indonesia by a score of 2-0.

The previous time Singapore ever went three consecutive matches without scoring at the SEA games was in 1987, more than thirty years ago. The Singaporean team then failed to qualify for the semi-finals.

Odds Are Bad

It seems to be extremely difficult now for Singapore to proceed to on to the semi-finals of the SEA Games.

Only the top two teams from each Group will proceed on to the Semi-Finals.

Despite having two more matches to play, Singapore finds itself in a precarious position – it only has 1 point from the three games it has played. That places Singapore at 5th out of 6 teams in Group B.

The top teams right now are Thailand and Vietnam, with 6 points each.

Coach Fandi Ahmad said, “For us, it will be a mountain to climb because we have to win the last few games, (but) we never give up.”

It seems that the Young Lions will not wave the white flag anytime yet, and shall continue to fight to make Singapore proud.

Singapore will face the formidable Vietnam on Tuesday, 3 December, and Brunei on Thursday, 5 December.

Coach Fandi Ahmad Apologises

Coach Fandi Ahmad spoke to The Straits Times after the match against Thailand and apologised for his team’s less than stellar performance in the SEA Games.

He also said that their performance was not on par with expectations Singaporeans had of him and of the football team.

“I am sorry we could not deliver a medal this time but I must repeat that it is no fault of the boys. They have been fighters throughout all the tough times.”

No matter the results, we are always proud of the effort and sacrifices our national athletes have put in to fly the country flag high.