At just 18 years old, Chloe Koh’s rise has been anything but ordinary. Since making her senior debut in 2023, the forward has already earned 12 caps and established herself as a regular with the Lionesses— notably featuring in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers and the AFF Women’s Cup 2024 squad.
Now, she heads into another key milestone: the Lionesses’ final preparatory match against the Seychelles tomorrow, a last checkpoint before her first-ever Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
The team got an early taste of their 174th-ranked opponent in a closed-door match two days ago, yet Chloe remains focused on what still needs to improve.
“They played a very high backline which caused us to struggle a little with the offsides, so looking ahead to Friday, we want to keep building the confidence on the ball, and also putting into use the high press that we’ve been training on,” she said.
With the SEA Games looming, preparations have been dialled up. Following a short break after last month’s double-header against Saudi Arabia in Abu Dhabi, the Lionesses are now training five times a week. For the UTR scholar, who has one semester left at IMG Academy in Florida, the focus is on keeping the momentum going and applying everything they’ve learned so far.
“The goal of the team is to use this Seychelles match to find good momentum and head off to the SEA Games on a high. Everyone’s pushing each other at training and keeping one another accountable,” she said.
“We also do extra fitness (training) on most days to make sure we are reaching the same intensity as in a game. We know what’s ahead and are doing everything we can on and off the field to best prepare ourselves mentally and physically.”
Still, amid the intensity of training and tactical drills, Chloe admitted that it still feels like a pinch-me moment every time she recalls getting the call-up to the SEA Games, which has been a dream for her.
“Whenever I get the chance to be called up, I’m just very excited and grateful for the opportunity. Plus it’s my first major tournament, so having the chance to go at such a young age is obviously a very big honour, and I’m just grateful to be part of a squad with a lot of the same beliefs,” she said.
Even with all the excitement and emotion around the occasion, Chloe is determined to treat the Seychelles fixture like any other match – and to leave everything on the pitch.
“For the Seychelles game, we want to show the fans and family what we can do on the field. It’s more about trusting one another, trusting the game plan, and just following what [Coach Karim] says,” said Chloe.
“When we go out there, we play with our hearts, and I think the results will take care of itself.”
Fans can catch the Lionesses in action tomorrow at 7.30pm at Bukit Gombak Stadium, for their final home international match before heading to the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand. Entry is free — registration required via this link.
