Singapore Lions aim to halt losing streak in FIFA World Cup ...

SINGAPORE: Intensity is the buzzword in the Singapore national football team, as the Lions prepare to host China in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium on Thursday (Mar 21).

Newly appointed head coach Tsutomu Ogura believes the key to beating the Chinese, who are ranked 88th in the world according to FIFA’s rankings, is to work harder than them.

Ogura, a former assistant coach of the Japanese national football team, is relishing the challenge of imparting his football philosophy.

He took over the reins last month, and the match against China will be his first competitive game in charge of the Lions, who are currently ranked 156th in the world.

The last time Singapore beat China in a competitive match was at the 1983 Merlion Cup, with the Lions winning 1-0 in the semi-final, according to the Football Association of Singapore (FAS). 

Focusing on physical fitness, Ogura wants his team to play with a high intensity, running harder and farther than their opponents throughout the match.

“The goal is winning. Everybody wants to win. Not just the players, the supporters (and) the coaching staff. Everyone wants to win. It's a goal. The only target is winning,” he told CNA in an exclusive interview during the team’s training camp ahead of Thursday’s showdown.

Ogura's debut match comes at a challenging period.

The team’s players are currently in their pre-season phase, which could signal a shortage of competitive match fitness.

Beyond being just a competitive match, the fixture against China is a chance for the Lions to reconnect with fans who have had to endure some disappointing results in recent times.

Singapore lost their first two matches in their qualifying group last November, with a 3-1 loss to Thailand and a 5-0 drubbing by South Korea.

"We can show to our supporters that 'this is our football'. We want to win of course, but how to win? We can show that to our supporters,” said Ogura. 

He also hopes that fans will change their perception towards the national team over time, and feel more positively than before.

Already, the players are feeling the difference in the new head coach’s management and playing style.

Captain Hariss Harun told CNA that Ogura is clear in terms of what he wants the team to achieve, and how he wants them to achieve it.

"He emphasises a lot on the intensity of trainings. He believes that training has to be harder than the match itself,” said Hariss.

He added that it may be tough adapting to this new style of play, especially as many of the players are coming back from the off-season, “but I think that’s exactly what we need to prepare us for the long season ahead”.

“On a personal level, I welcome this kind of training and I think it is exactly what we need. Hopefully in the longer run it bears fruit for us and takes us to positive results,” he said.

Hariss noted that while the “last couple of years haven't been too good for us in terms of results”, the team aims to give supporters something to cheer about against China, especially as it is a home game.

While coach Ogura's debut squad selection includes mostly familiar faces, he has also welcomed new blood in the 26-men squad.

Among the youngsters getting a first call-up is 19-year-old defender Fairuz Fazli, who is excited to work under the new coach.

"He (Ogura) has been saying just to work hard and obviously learn more from the more senior players because they are much more experienced. He keeps saying to work hard and I will get there,” Fairuz told CNA.

He added that he is “very happy and grateful” to be given the chance to represent his country.

Coming through the Young Lions programme, it has been a dream all along to make the national team, said Fairuz.

The Young Lions is a developmental football club, under the direct control of FAS, playing in the Singapore Premier League.

Fairuz added that training with the more senior players has taught him how to think quicker in a match setting, as the pace is generally quicker than at the lower levels such as the under-23s.