After a demanding stretch of three matches in six days, the Lionesses return to action for one final push at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers when they take on Lebanon on Saturday (19 July) evening.
The break in between Group A fixtures has come at an opportune time for Karim Bencherifa’s Singapore side, who have used the past few days to recharge both physically and mentally after defeats to the Islamic Republic of Iran, Bhutan, and Jordan.
“The break came at a great time,” said midfielder Dhaniyah Qasimah after Thursday’s (17 July) training session.
“It gave us the chance to reset physically and mentally. We’ve used the time to recover, refocus, and sharpen a few technical details ahead of the next game, making sure our intensity, discipline, and grit show up in the next performance.”
The Lionesses will face a 130th-ranked Lebanon side that comes into the match with momentum. Despite opening their Group A campaign with back-to-back losses to Jordan and Bhutan, the Lady Cedars bounced back with a 3–1 win over 68th-ranked Iran — a side that had earlier beaten Singapore 4–0 and currently sit second in the group.
“Lebanon has shown they are a force to be reckoned with. Their win against Iran was a statement — they’re hungry and not afraid to take their chances,” said Dhaniyah.
“With that said, we’re ready to compete and prepared for the challenge ahead.”
Lebanon’s squad features several players with experience from international leagues. Among them is 23-year-old forward Lili Iskandar, who previously played for Danish side HB Køge before moving to Etihad FC in Jordan, where she was the top scorer in the 2023 season with 14 goals. She now plays for Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Women’s Premier League.
Also in the attack is Christy Maalouf, 19, who made headlines with a hat-trick against Iran — Lebanon’s first-ever win in an AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifier and the first time Lebanon has witnessed a hat-trick by one of its own at an international tournament.
The goals took Maalouf’s tally to 17, making her Lebanon’s all-time top scorer. She currently plays in France for VGA Saint-Maur, a club in the Division 2 Féminine — the second tier of French women’s football.
In defence, Lebanon will likely field Tiana Jaber, who plays for Wellington Phoenix in Australia’s A-League Women. In midfield, captain Nathalie Matar brings experience as the country’s most capped player at 30 appearances.
While Lebanon comes into the game with confidence, Singapore continues to improve quietly.
“I would say despite the results, the resilience the team showed was massive,” Dhaniyah said.
“We keep pushing each other, we keep showing up, not putting our heads down and we stay committed to the process. The younger ones have been stepping up and the older ones have been leading by example and I feel that this is something that doesn’t show up on the scoreboard but it lays the foundation for our long-term successes in the team.”
For Dhaniyah, the team’s growth throughout the campaign has been measured in more than just results — with lessons learnt and a strong team culture continuing to form the backbone of their progression.
“I feel like one of the biggest lessons would be that the importance of consistency and focus are at this level. We can’t afford to lose focus even just for a minute.”
And as the Lionesses prepare for one last outing in Amman, her message to her own teammates is clear. She said: “Going forward, I think we must continue to work hard, maintain a strong mindset and keep pushing each other to improve together.”
