Singapore’s Under-23 Men’s National Team will take on Yemen, Vietnam and Bangladesh in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers, and Head Coach Firdaus Kassim called for his charges to display grit and mental fortitude in what is expected to be a demanding group.
“We know it will be a challenging group. Yemen, Vietnam and Bangladesh all bring different qualities to the table,” said Firdaus of the 3 to 9 September tourney that will be hosted in Vietnam’s Phu Tho.
“What I expect from the team in those matches is to stay disciplined, show resilience in every game, and be competitive in every action. If we can do that consistently, we will give ourselves a good chance to perform well.”
They head to Vietnam on the back of a series of friendlies that have sharpened their edge and put them in good stead for the crucial qualifiers.
“Our preparations have been extensive. The closed-door matches against the Philippines and Malaysia were useful to benchmark ourselves against our ASEAN counterparts,” Firdaus said.
The team also travelled to Portugal for a training camp, where the U23 squad (comprising only Singaporean players) played three matches, while the Young Lions – including both Singaporeans and foreign signings – featured in another three.
Describing these matches as a “valuable part of the process”, Firdaus – who also serves as Head Coach of the Young Lions side that plies its trade in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) – noted that it was a fruitful period for the squad.
“Across those six matches, we not only gained competitive minutes but also a clearer picture of where both squads stand in their respective journeys. We also had the benefit of additional staffing support during this period, which has helped us fine-tune the details of our preparation.”
Training and competing together at a centralised training camp has reaped rewards, helping the squad forge strong bonds that could make all the difference as they gear up for the qualifiers.
“The Portugal camp was a really good experience for all of us. Playing six matches there gave us a taste of different styles of football, and I feel it has prepared us well for what we’ll face in Vietnam. More importantly, it brought us closer together as a team, and I think that bond will be important when we step onto the pitch for the qualifiers,” said Amir Syafiz, who earned his senior international debut in June during the 3-1 friendly victory over the Maldives.
With their first test coming against Yemen on Wednesday (3 September) at 5pm SGT, Firdaus is backing his boys to rise to the occasion.
“What has impressed me most is the commitment the boys have shown. They have trained with pride and pushed themselves every day, and I can see the development in their mentality as well as their football. They are starting to understand what it means to represent Singapore at this level, and I am confident that these players will deliver performances that our supporters can be proud of.”
All matches will be streamed live on Mediacorp’s meWATCH platform as well as the Vietnam Football Federation’s official YouTube channel.
