After years marked by disappointment, lofty ambitions, painful collapses, and brief moments of misplaced hope, Singapore finally experienced a breakthrough of historic proportions. The Lions clinched their first-ever AFC Asian Cup qualification on merit, overturning Hong Kong 2-1 at the Kai Tak Stadium on November 18—arguably the greatest achievement in the nation’s footballing history.
Super-sub Ilhan Fandi turned the match on its head with two goals in the span of four minutes during a 28-minute cameo before leaving the pitch with an ankle injury. The forward noted that everyone played their part and that he simply sought to fulfil his role when called upon. He entered the match confident he could influence its direction, and expressed deep pride—both for his teammates and for the supporters back home—insisting the milestone belonged to the entire country.
Singapore’s qualification was built on a flawless away run, defeating Bangladesh, India, and Hong Kong en route to 11 points in five Group C matches. The Lions, ranked 155th in the world, sealed top spot with a match to spare. Even if 148th-ranked Hong Kong win their final game, they cannot overhaul Singapore, having now lost and drawn against them.
The match itself began in a tense environment. More than 47,000 fans—about 2,000 of them Singaporeans—created a charged atmosphere. Hong Kong’s veteran goalkeeper, 41-year-old Wang Zhenpeng, fumbled a free-kick from Song Ui-young early on, but the hosts soon found their rhythm. Singapore failed to clear a loose ball in the 15th minute, allowing Brazil-born Everton Camargo to send in a cross that Matt Orr headed home, stealing between Hariss Harun and Harhys Stewart to put Hong Kong ahead.
From there, Ashley Westwood’s team sat deep, defended compactly, and relied on fast breaks—primarily through Camargo. With sharper finishing from Juninho or Orr, they could have doubled their advantage. Singapore, meanwhile, struggled to respond. Their attacking quartet of Ikhsan Fandi, Shawal Anuar, Song, and Glenn Kweh rarely troubled Wang in a lacklustre first half.
But as they had shown in a comeback win against India the previous month, the Lions possess resilience in tight moments. Interim coach Gavin Lee introduced Ilhan for Kweh in the 57th minute, and the change immediately shifted momentum. Singapore began to find pockets of space, and cracks started to emerge in Hong Kong’s previously disciplined defence.
The equaliser arrived in the 64th minute, when Shawal exchanged passes with Ilhan before delicately guiding the ball beyond Wang. Moments later, Singapore struck again. Goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud held a firm shot from Camargo and sparked a swift counterattack that ended with Ilhan rifling a left-footed effort into the net—sending the Lions into ecstasy, and the nation into celebration.
Defender Safuwan Baharudin, who delivered an immense performance beside Hariss with several vital interventions, reflected on the team’s perseverance. He acknowledged that the early setback surprised them, but praised the squad’s composure, fight, and collective journey through years of obstacles—both in this campaign and beyond.
On the touchline, Lee remained remarkably composed even after his team took the lead. But he admitted to becoming emotional once the final whistle blew and senior players embraced him. The 35-year-old stressed that football mirrors life—unpredictable and imperfect—and emphasized that success stemmed from the unity of players, staff, and everyone who contributed to Singapore football over the years.
Singapore’s achievement comes against a historical backdrop filled with missed opportunities. Despite ambitious attempts to target the 2010 and 2034 World Cups, the Lions had never qualified for a major tournament outside the 1984 Asian Cup, which they joined automatically as hosts. They fell painfully short in 1996, squandering a 2-0 lead to draw with Thailand, and again in 2011 after losing to Jordan when a draw would have sufficed.
Since their fourth ASEAN Championship title in 2012, the senior team endured a prolonged decline. Only twice—2020 and 2024—did they reach the semi-finals, while youth-level success dried up apart from a 2013 SEA Games bronze. Stability was also elusive, with Singapore cycling through five full-time coaches since 2012. Even this qualifying run was disrupted when Tsutomu Ogura departed in June for personal reasons, prompting assistant Lee to step in.
Still, Ogura’s short tenure had instilled professionalism, courage, and belief in the squad—qualities that aligned with Lee’s approach and helped create continuity despite ongoing searches for a permanent head coach. Concerns persisted about aging core players—Izwan, Hariss, Shawal, Safuwan, and Song—and the readiness of younger talents, yet the blend of experience and youth ultimately gelled at the perfect moment.
There were rocky moments along the way: two disallowed goals in the goalless home draw against Hong Kong, a nervy 2-1 win in Bangladesh, dropped points after a late equalizer from India, and comeback victories in India and Hong Kong. Yet each setback became part of the story that brought the Lions to this long-awaited summit.
Back home, around 500 fans gathered at the Festive Plaza at Our Tampines Hub to watch the match live. The celebrations were joyous and emotional. Supporters spoke of renewed pride, memories of past disappointments, and belief that this qualification could inspire a new generation.
Online, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam led the tributes, praising the team for their composure and courage in hostile conditions. Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo also saluted the Lions for playing with heart throughout the qualifiers and called on Singaporeans to rally behind the team as they prepare for the Asian Cup.