As Singapore prepare for their next test in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup™ Saudi Arabia 2027 qualifying campaign, Lions captain Hariss Harun has called for belief and unity.
Singapore will take on Maldives at home in an international friendly on 5 June before traveling to face Bangladesh on 10 June in Group C of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
The Lions began the campaign at home with a goalless draw against Hong Kong, China in March, and Hariss believes the team can build on that result in the upcoming international window.
“We could have gotten the three points against Hong Kong, but we’ve already put that behind us and we must look ahead. It will be a long and challenging campaign to qualify for the Asian Cup so we must stay focused and continue to push ourselves to the levels that we know we’re capable of,” said Hariss.
“As a team, we’ve shown glimpses of our true potential, but we’ve also experienced some disappointing results along the way. It hasn’t been easy, but I feel the team is in a better position now. We know what must be done to prepare, to compete and ultimately, to gain the belief that will drive us to a higher level.”
The Singaporean football scene has also been lifted by Hariss’ exploits with his club, Lion City Sailors. In a span of one week, the Sailors lifted the Singapore Premier League trophy and became the first Singaporean side to feature in the final of the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2).
Unfortunately, their fairytale run in Asia ended in heartbreak when they were edged out 2-1 by United Arab Emirates’ Sharjah FC.
However, the Singaporean club’s historic run to the ACL2 final has injected fresh optimism to the state of football in the country. Hariss hopes the positive momentum will have a trickle-on effect and inspire the National Team to rise to the occasion.
“It’s been a dream season for Singapore football but there is a chance to achieve more. The boys are all hungry for that success,” said Hariss.
“This is an opportunity for us to show what Singapore football can do and everyone wants to be a part of this story.”
The next chapter of the Lions’ story continues on 5 June as they host Maldives in an international friendly.
