Singapore men’s football team finish third in Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers

The Singapore men’s football national team did not qualify for the Asian Cup, after finishing third in Group F of the qualifiers. 

The Lions’ only win came against Myanmar on Tuesday (Jun 14). They suffered narrow defeats to hosts Kyrgz Republic (1-2) and Tajikistan (0-1) . 

Only the group stage winners and the five best runners’ up will qualify for the continental competition. Southeast Asian rivals Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia will be among the 24 teams that will compete in the tournament next year. 

The victory against Myanmar – an inconsequential match given that both teams had been eliminated from qualifying by then – was the first under head coach Takayuki Nishigaya. 

Ikhsan Fandi scored his first hattrick on the international stage to lead the way for the Lions, while Song Ui-young, Gabriel Quak and Hafiz Nor were on the scoresheet too. 

Defenders Ryaan Sanizal, 20, and Ryhan Stewart, 22, both made their senior international debut in the game too. 

Singapore have not competed in the Asian Cup since 1984, when the country hosted the competition. 

The Lions will be back in action during the next international break in September.