A harsh 2-0 defeat to the Philippines marked a tough start for the Singapore Under-16 Boys’ Lion City Cup campaign, but their spirited performance left plenty of positives to build on ahead of Friday’s (11 July) clash against Cambodia.
The hosts could consider themselves unlucky to have left empty-handed in a closely-contested game. However, Singapore Boys’ Head Coach Ashraf Ariffin lauded the competitiveness his team displayed throughout the match.
“We wanted to have a clear structure and playing style, and that was obvious throughout the game,” said Ashraf.
“The team was comfortable and brave on the ball, and with more exposure, we will get better.”
Acknowledging that there was room for improvement, Ashraf quickly cast his focus on his side’s upcoming meeting with Cambodia.
“The boys know that they showed up and competed (against the Philippines). There are areas for improvement, but there were also a lot of positives to take away,” said Ashraf.
“Everybody is looking forward to taking on Cambodia in the next game, and the most important thing for me is that we show that desire to win.”
Their performance also drew praise from the Philippines’ Head Coach Tetsuya Tsuchida.
“There were a lot of chances in the first half, as Singapore is a very good team. But, my team understood my instructions in the second half and played good counter-attacking football to get the result,” he said.
Despite scoring the opening goal and earning himself the Man Of The Match award, Joshua Gabriel Moleje remained grounded as his side faces Hong Kong, China next.
“We know the next two games will be very competitive. The team will give 100 percent in every match, as we remain focused on our goal – to win while staying humble,” the forward said.
Cambodia Head Coach Nicolas Grezault, whose side also suffered a 2-0 opening loss against Hong Kong, China, remains encouraged by the determination shown by his team.
“In the next game, you can expect to see an equally impressive performance in terms of the fight and spirit shown by my team today,” said Grezault.
“However, we need to focus on improving our principles of playing the ball and when we are out of possession. We need to be a better team in terms of our decision-making.”
Now sitting joint-top of the table with the Philippines, Hong Kong Head Coach Takuro Hosaka is fully aware of the challenge of facing them in their next game.
“It will be a very tough game. The intensity and competitiveness of this tournament have been what we expected, and the next two games will be no different. We will focus on preparing ourselves as best as we can.”
Day four of the Lion City Cup (11 July) will see the U16 Boys in action again – with Hong Kong taking on the Philippines at 5pm, before the hosts lock horns with Cambodia at 8pm.
Tickets are available from Ticketek and at the ticket booth at the North Gate of the Jalan Besar Stadium on matchdays.
