Fandi brothers step up to big stage
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Brothers Irfan and Ikhsan Fandi have become the first Singaporean footballers to reach the AFC Champions League quarter-finals, after their club - Thailand's BG Pathum - beat Hong Kong's Kitchee 4-0 in the round of 16 in Japan yesterday.
A draw will be conducted after all the last-16 matches to see who they will meet in the last eight at the Saitama Stadium on Monday.
The other East Region teams they could face are Japan's Vissel Kobe or Urawa Red Diamonds, or South Korean champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, whom they agonisingly lost to on penalties in the round of 16 last year.
Centre back Irfan, 25, told The Straits Times: "It's always an honour to play in such a prestigious competition. It's such a big platform for us players and this result is a huge achievement not only for myself but also the team.
"I feel blessed and happy to make history for the club and also Singapore football."
The Rabbits opened the scoring at the Urawa Komaba Stadium in the 34th minute through Worachit Kanitsribampen.
Five minutes later, with a thunderous right-footed effort from the edge of the box, striker Ikhsan became the first Singaporean to score in the knockout round of Asia's top club competition, before second-half goals from Teerasil Dangda and Chatmongkol Thongkiri wrapped up the win.
Ikhsan, 23, laughed and said: "What can I say about the goal? It was a good shot and shows I don't score only headers.
"I'm always happy to score, but the most important thing was we won the match to progress.
"Now, we have to recover for the next match, which is going to be even tougher."
Pathum, who won the 16-team Thai League 1 last year and finished second earlier this year, have been in impressive form in the AFC Champions League.
They finished top of Group G and were unbeaten against Australia's Melbourne City, South Korea's Jeonnam Dragons and Philippine side United City, scoring 11 times and conceding just twice.
En route to the quarter-finals, Irfan has featured in four clean sheets while Ikhsan found the net three times.
