VIENTIANE, 30 NOVEMBER 2024 – As the Singapore Women’s National Team took to the pitch on a sweltering Friday afternoon, the brief was clear: avoiding defeat against the hosts Laos would secure their spot in the semi-finals of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Women’s Cup 2024.
But a win would do more than provide a major morale boost, it would send a strong message to any opposition the Lionesses would face in the knockout rounds. And Timor-Leste, having secured their own qualification, were watching from the stands.
And the Lionesses held their ground.
A first-half strike from Cara Chang, combined with vital clearances, missed opportunities, and two yellow cards, saw the 138th-ranked Lionesses clinch a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the 92nd-ranked hosts. The victory propelled Singapore to the top of Group A and into the semi-finals of the tournament.
Singapore midfielder Cara Chang scored her first senior international goal, November 2024.
Head Coach Karim Bencherifa was delighted with the resilience of his charges, an attribute he believes fuelled the victory.
“Salute to our players for working really hard,” said Karim at the post-match press conference.
“Possession was key, and with the significant distances covered in terms of fitness, the girls truly deserved this for all the sacrifices they have made.”
The match began with a tense battle as both teams pushed hard but struggled to break through. Laos tested Singapore’s defense early, with their forward, Aphatsala Chanthavongxay, being flagged offside. Singapore responded with a few chances of their own, with midfielder Kyra Taylor, making her first start, narrowly missing the target with an eighth minute shot.
Then in the 22nd minute, amidst mounting pressure, the breakthrough came.
Cara celebrates with teammate Farhanah Ruhaizat, November 2024.
Singapore defender Putri Syaliza’s cross into the box was parried by Laos goalkeeper Phatthalavady Sophothirath, and Cara reacted quickly to capitalise on the loose ball. The midfielder made no mistake, slamming home her first-ever international goal to give Singapore a 1-0 lead.
“It was surreal scoring the goal,” Cara recalled. “I wasn’t expecting to score, but once I saw the ball coming in from Putri, I knew one of us had to do our best to put it in the back of the net.”
As the first half progressed, both teams created chances but failed to convert them.
Putri Syaliza in action, November 2024.
Laos’ Chanthavongxay continued to be dangerous, creating a one-on-one with Singapore’s goalkeeper Hazel Lim. The chance was swatted away by Hazel, who saw a 27th minute Laos free kick fly just wide.
Despite some lapses, Singapore’s defense held firm, with Hazel making crucial saves in the 34th and 36th minutes.
Farhanah Ruhaizat had a one-on-one in the 37th minute but shot straight at the goalkeeper’s hands. A subsequent opportunity in the 39th minute, after a pass from Putri to Farah, was easily collected by Sophothirath.
The second half saw both teams ramping up the intensity and looking for goals.
Farah Nurzahirah in action, November 2024.
In the 46th minute, forward Farah Nurzahirah sent a cross into the box, finding an unmarked Farhanah, but her shot narrowly missed the target, much to Sophothirath’s relief.
The pressure from Laos continued, with several free kicks testing Singapore’s defense. In the 51st minute, Laos midfielder Saysamone Inthaphone’s shot went just wide, and moments later, a decisive tackle from Putri earned Laos a corner that was cleared well by the Singapore defence.
In the 55th minute, Phatdala took another free kick, comfortably saved by Hazel. Venetia was booked in the 61st minute for a tactical foul as Laos continued to press.
Kyra Taylor in action, November 2024.
In the 87th minute, a free kick taken by Putri rattled the crossbar, and still the Lionesses could not breathe easy— the haunting memory of Timor-Leste’s late equaliser just days before, still fresh in their minds.
There was clear relief out on the pitch when the referee finally blew the whistle after 95 minutes of football, the 1-0 win securing the Lionesses their place in the semi-finals.
Cara, who had just turned 16 on 28 November, shared Karim’s belief in the team’s resilience.
She said: “We stuck to our game plan. Laos worked hard to create chances. We worked hard, played together, fought for each other, and managed to come away with a win.”
The match also marked a milestone for IMG Academy’s Yasmine Zaharin, the 17-year-old Unleash the Roar! (UTR) scholar earning her first senior international cap.
Yasmine Zaharin received her first cap, November 2024.
Singapore will next face Indonesia, the runner-up from Group B, on Monday, 2nd December, with Karim calling for more of the same resilience and focus.
“We must stay focused. The players can enjoy this result for now, but starting tomorrow (Sunday, 1 Dec), we switch on and start preparing for the semi-finals,”he said.
“Teams get better after playing game after game, and this is important as we face another level of opponents. I’m confident our team will rise to the challenge, and I expect another good performance from them.”
Watch the match highlights on our FAS Youtube page here!
SINGAPORE: Hazel Lim (GK), Rosnani Azman (C), Syazwani Ruzi, Qarissa Ramadhani (Yasmine Zaharin 46’), Natasha Naszri (Chloe Koh 74’), Cara Chang (Nasriah Ibrahim 46’), Farah Nurzahirah (Raudhah Kamis 90’), Putri Syaliza, Kyra Taylor, Venetia Lim, Farhanah Ruhaizat
SUBS: Elizabeth Tan (GK), Nurul Illyanis (GK), Elyssa Qistina, Faith Ho, Joie Teo, Summer Chong, Hamizah Abdul Talib, Nurhidayu Naszri
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