Just days after a bruising battle against Bhutan, the Lionesses are back in action — this time against a fresh Islamic Republic of Iran side, who will be competing in their opening Group A AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 qualifying fixture.
Nicknamed the Iranian Lionesses, they come into the match with decent momentum, having recorded two wins, one draw, and two losses in their last five outings — including creditable victories over Iraq in their latest friendlies.
Iran made their Asian Cup debut in 2022, and the 68th-ranked side will be hungry to make a mark in this campaign.
Singapore captain Rosnani Azman knows all too well what to expect, having faced Iran at the 2019 edition of the same qualifying tournament.
“I know it’s not going to be an easy match because Iran is a strong team. I played against them in 2019, and they are quite physical and big,” Rosnani said.
Singapore’s campaign began with a tough encounter against Bhutan, where early promise was dampened by second-half injuries — making recovery and squad rotation key priorities for Head Coach Karim Bencherifa ahead of the Iran clash.
“We’re working closely with the medical team to bring back as many injured players as possible and have them available for the match,” Bencherifa said. “I’m very optimistic that many of them will be back and we can regroup.”
Even as the qualifiers roll on with little respite, physical fitness will not be the only key facet for teams.
“This game is another test of our resilience and our fighting spirit,” said Bencherifa. “The players were so disappointed after the first game and were completely shattered, but they bounced back and continued fighting — and we will keep pushing until we achieve our targets.”
Bencherifa and his charges are acutely aware of just what stands between them and a result that will push them towards their targets, with Iran expected to field a strong side led by several experienced players.
Goalkeeper Zahra Khajavi is widely regarded as one of Iran’s best, while forward Zahra Ghanbari holds the title of the national team’s all-time top goalscorer with 16 international goals.
“We’re definitely making some adjustments to our strategy to adapt to the expected higher level of intensity — bringing in more fresh legs and shifting our approach to suit the demands of the match,” Bencherifa explained.
Captain Rosnani is confident that her teammates are able and willing to meet the high demands that will be thrown up at the match. “The fact that we kept pushing through in our match against Bhutan — that’s what matters,” she said.
“It’s no excuse for us not to do our best, no matter what. We will put up a good performance.”
