(Left to right) Singapore defender Amirul Adli, Singapore Head Coach Tsutomu Ogura, Bangladesh Head Coach Javier Cabrera and Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan at the pre-match Press Conference, 9 June 2025.
DHAKA, 9 JUNE 2025 – The Singapore Men’s National Team will look to take a positive step forward in their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup™ Saudi Arabia 2027 qualifying campaign as they face Bangladesh at the Dhaka National Stadium on Tuesday, 10 June.
With Group C finely balanced as all four teams sit level on points, the Lions are aiming to build on a 0-0 draw against Hong Kong, China in their opening match back in March.
Knowing a positive result on the road could be crucial to their qualification hopes, Singapore Head Coach Tsutomu Ogura is keeping his side fully focused on the task at hand. Only the respective group winners will earn a spot at the 24-team AFC Asian Cup in 2027.
“Our group now is very competitive. Tomorrow’s game is very important. The AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign is a long process and it’s important to take it game by game,” said Ogura, whose side registered a morale-boosting 3-1 win over Maldives in a friendly at the Bishan Stadium last Thursday (5 June).
“We shouldn’t get distracted by other opponents and results. Now, we are very focused on the Bangladesh game,” he added.
Set to play in front of a capacity crowd in Dhaka, Ogura and his charges are fully prepared to embrace the challenge that lies ahead of them.
“For us, we have already experienced such sold-out crowds against teams like Vietnam and Malaysia,” said the 58-year-old. “We have full respect for the Bangladesh team, but we do not fear them.”
“As long as we are consistent with executing the football we want to play tomorrow, we will create chances and aim to take a positive result from the game.”
Lions Head Coach Tsutomu Ogura at the pre-match Press Conference, 9 June 2025.
Ranked 183rd in FIFA’s world rankings, Bangladesh are led by Head Coach Javier Cabrera, who has named a strong squad for the upcoming clash.
The lineup features notable names such as Hamza Choudhury – a Sheffield United loanee with 57 English Premier League appearances for Leicester City – and midfielder Shamit Shome, who plays for Cavalry FC in Canada’s top division.
They head into the match on the back of a 2-0 friendly win over Bhutan, with Choudhury finding the net.
Well aware of the threat posed by the home side, the Lions remain assured in their approach leading up to the clash.
“From what I’ve seen, Bangladesh have been getting good results over the past few games,” said defender Amirul Adli. “However, our focus will not solely be on Choudhury, as the whole Bangladesh side are a good team.”
“However, some of our players have already played against a lot of good teams in the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) and the Singapore Premier League (SPL) — so we will stick to our preparations and give them a good fight tomorrow.”
The two nations last met back in May 2015, with Singapore clinching a 2-1 victory courtesy of goals from Fazrul Nawaz and Khairul Amri.
Fans can catch the live telecast of the Bangladesh v Singapore match live on mewatch at 9pm.
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE
