Farah Nurzahirah in action, December 2024.
VIENTIANE, 3 DECEMBER 2024 – The Singapore Women’s National Team fell 3-0 to Indonesia in the semi-finals of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Women’s Cup on Monday, 2 December, but their hopes of securing their ticket to next year’s ASEAN Women’s Championship still burns strong.
“We knew the battle against Indonesia would be tough, but now we must focus on the next challenge. We still have a chance to qualify, and that remains our objective,” he said at the post-match press conference following the Indonesia defeat.
The Singapore women can secure their spot at the top-tier seven-nation Southeast Asian tournament by beating Timor-Leste in the third place playoff on Thursday, 5 Dec.
Head Coach Karim Bencherifa and Lioness captain Rosnani Azman during the post-match press conference, December 2024.
The teams had previously drawn 1-1 in the Group A fixture on 26 November, and Head Coach Karim Bencherifa called for his charges to put all they’ve learnt about their opponents from the group match into the upcoming playoff to beat a team he called the “surprise package” of the tournament.
“The spirit of Timor-Leste’s performances shows they work hard, but we know we can do it. We have strong players, and for now, we need to recover and get the best squad possible for the next game. It’s going to be an interesting match, and I’m optimistic.”
The match against Indonesia was always going to be a difficult one, and so it proved. Karim described it as a “match of two halves.”
He explained: “In the first half, we didn’t press as we usually do, and we struggled to keep the ball, which made it a tough period for us.”
Syazwani Ruzi with Indonesia’s Claudia Scheunemann, who scored the first goal for her team, December 2024.
Indonesia were relentless from the get go.
It took just six minutes for the Garuda Pertiwi to make their mark. Claudia Scheunemann, who had netted a brace against Singapore the last time these two sides squared off in a friendly in May, found the net again. The 15-year-old was played through by Indonesia captain, Viny Silfianus Sunaryo, before calmly curling the ball past Singapore goalkeeper Hazel Lim, to score her second goal of the tournament.
From there, the pressure from Garuda Pertiwi never relented. Singapore struggled to regain composure, with defensive errors allowing Indonesia to dominate. The Lionesses’ inability to hold on to possession made things difficult, and they paid the price when Indonesia doubled their lead in stoppage time.
Reva Octaviani let fly with a magnificent long-range effort, sending the ball past Hazel and into the net to make it 2-0.
Singapore goalkeeper Nurul Illyanis earned her first senior cap, December 2024.
The Lionesses’ woes were compounded when Hazel appeared to injure herself after falling awkwardly while trying to get her hands to the ball. She was replaced by Nurul Illyanis Khairul, for her first senior cap.
The second half saw an improved performance from Singapore, as they raised their intensity and adopted a higher press. “We played our usual game with intensity and a high block. If we had scored when it was 2-0, we could have made a comeback,” reflected Karim, pointing to the chances that his team did not convert.
One of their best opportunities came in the 47th minute when midfielder Natasha Naszri played a ball to forward Raudhah Kamis, who set up teammate Farah Nurzahirah for a one-on-one against Indonesia’s Gea Yumanda, only for the Indonesian defender to clear the shot. More chances came and went, but Singapore’s attacking play lacked the finishing touch. Indonesia’s goalkeeper, Laita Roati Masykuroh, was in fine form, making key saves when called upon.
At the other end, Illyanis was also kept busy, facing wave after wave of Indonesian attacks. She made a brilliant save in the 73rd minute, diving to stop a powerful shot from Scheunemann that seemed destined for the back of the net.
Joie Teo earned her first senior cap last night, December 2024.
In the 84th minute, the Lionesses were struck by another blow: Farah had to be substituted off due to injury. She was replaced by Joie Teo, who earned her first senior cap.
Indonesia searched for a third goal, and their persistence paid off in the 94th minute with Octaviani Dwi Nurmalita firing a left-footed strike to make it 3-0 and seal the victory.
The result confirmed Indonesia’s place in the final against Cambodia this Thursday, 5 December 2024, at 8.30pm Singapore Time, while the Lionesses now turn their attention to the crucial match against Timor-Leste.
Putri Syaliza in action, December 2024.
Lionesses captain Rosnani Azman called for her team to keep their heads in the game.
“We do feel the pressure, but we are taking it positively. We know each other’s style of play, and given that we’ve faced Timor-Leste before, it will be an interesting match,” she said.
“Our goal remains the same – qualification to the championships.”
Watch the match highlights on our FAS Youtube page here.
SINGAPORE: Hazel Lim (GK) (Nurul Illyanis 45’+3), Rosnani Azman (C), Syazwani Ruzi, Qarissa Ramadhani, Natasha Naszri, Chloe Koh (Cara Chang 46′), Farah Nurzahirah (Joie Teo 84′), Putri Syaliza, Raudhah Kamis (Summer Chong 70′), Kyra Taylor (Nasriah Ibrahim 70′), Venetia Lim
SUBS: Elizabeth Tan (GK), Elyssa Qistina, Yasmin Zaharin, Faith Ho, Hamizah Abdul Talib, Nurhidayu Naszri, Farhanah Ruhaizat
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