Kudos to national football coach Tatsuma Yoshida for the Lions' 2-1 win over Yemen in a World Cup 2022 qualifier (Lions shed inferiority complex, Nov 21).

It was a commendable feat, especially when the team have not beaten any side from the Middle East since 2008, when they edged out Lebanon 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier.

The Lions had been floundering in regional and international tournaments before Yoshida's tenure, and his brief stint with the team has brought promising results that have instilled a belief among the players and Singapore that there is a silver lining ahead for our national team.

There is hope that they can soon be among the top-performing teams in Asia if they push on vigorously under the coaching of Yoshida.

The Football Association of Singapore has chosen to focus on youth development and made a provision that more young people are to be given playing slots in the Singapore Premier League (SPL).

Instead, Yoshida stuck his neck out and chose a player who is over 30 for the national team.

The surprise inclusion of 31-year-old Hafiz Nor, who was recently plucked again out of club football, has shown that Yoshida has an eye for talent and is tactically shrewd in his team selection (Hafiz gets ready to roar, Nov 19).

It was Hafiz who scored the momentous winning goal for Singapore against Yemen.

This is his third call-up to the national team - first in 2013, then in 2016, and again this year, when Yoshida recognised his talent as one of the fastest wingers in the SPL, energetic, disciplined and "who could play with the ball".

With Yoshida in charge, we can expect our Lions to be roaring again.

George Pasqual