SEA Games 2023: Singapore men’s football squad announced; includes 14 players from Young Lions

The Singapore men’s football team for the 2023 SEA Games has been announced.

This year’s tournament will be competed entirely among Under-22 football teams, with no overage players allowed.  

Twenty players have been selected, including Lion City Sailors forward Abdul Rasaq. The 21-year-old is in fine form, having bagged five goals in eight Singapore Premier League games.

Other players that made the cut include familiar faces from last year’s SEA Games, such as Jordan Emaviwe and team captain Harhys Stewart. 

The team will feature a total of 14 players from the Young Lions. 

The final selection was trimmed from a provisional squad of 25 players that had been undergoing centralised training since Apr 17. Young Lions’ Amir Syafiz, Raoul Suhaimi, Umayr Sujuandy and Tampines Rovers’ Iman Hakim and Ong Yu En were the five players that missed out.

Head coach Philippe Aw said that the players selected suited the team’s desired tactics and game plan for the competition. They also showed “great commitment, hunger and discipline” throughout the centralised training. 

“I am confident that they will provide a tough challenge for their opponent and continue to push on until the final whistle. Given their attitude they have displayed so far, I know they will be playing with fighting spirit and a never-say-die attitude,” he added. 

The Lions will face Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Malaysia in the group stages of the SEA Games competition. The squad will travel to Cambodia on Apr 28 and start their campaign against the Thais on Apr 30. 

They will then face Vietnam on May 3, Laos on May 6 and Malaysia on 11.

All games will be streamed live on Mediacorp’s meWATCH platform, said FAS. 

The full squad list is as follows: 

Goalkeepers: Muhammad Aizil Bin Mohamed Yazid, Wayne Chew (both Young Lions)

Defenders: Muhammad Ryaan Bin Sanizal (Tampines Rovers), Bah Bill Abuzar Mamadou, Muhammad Nur Adam Bin Abdullah (both Lion City Sailors), Adam Reefdy Bin Muhammad Hasyim, Kieran Teo, Mohamed Ilhan Bin Mohamed Noor, Muhammad Aqil Bin Mohamed Yazid (all Young Lions)

Midfielders: Ajay Robson S/O R Muralithran (Hougang United), Muhammad Fathullah Bin Rahmat (Tanjong Pagar United), Andrew Aw Yong Rei, Elijah Lim Teck Yong, Harhys Rizal Gareth Stewart Bin Muhammad Ian Stewart, Jared Sean Gallagher, Muhammad Fairuz Bin Muhammad Fazli Koh (all Young Lions)

Forwards: Abdul Rasaq Ishiekwene Akeem (Lion City Sailors), Nicky Melvin Singh (Albirex Niigata),  Jordan Efa Okwudili Emaviwe, Muhammad Syahadat Bin Masnawi (both Young Lions)