Ilhan Fandi has ‘unfinished business’ as he returns to Lions football squad after knee injury

SINGAPORE – The last time Ilhan Fandi was in a Lions kit, the 20-year-old forward was seen punching the artificial turf at the Jalan Besar Stadium in frustration and ruefully shaking his head before he was helped off the pitch.

Nine gruelling months, marked by pain and perseverance, followed as he healed from

a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

On Monday, Ilhan’s return to action for the Singapore national team edged closer, after he was named in head coach Takayuki Nishigaya’s 25-man squad for the two-legged Fifa World Cup and Asian Cup first-round qualifier against Guam.

The Republic face Guam at the National Stadium on Oct 12 before the return leg five days later at the Guam Football Association’s National Training Centre in Harmon.

The winners will progress to round two of the qualifiers to face China, South Korea and Thailand in Group C.

Ilhan, who has two goals from nine international caps, had been on the sidelines since suffering that injury in Singapore’s 0-0 draw with Vietnam in an Asean Football Federation championship group-stage match last December.

He returned to full training in August with his club, second division Belgian side KMSK Deinze, and featured in his first competitive match, for the team’s Under-21 side, on Sept 23 when he scored a goal and won a penalty in a 4-2 victory over Lommel U-21.

Speaking to The Straits Times from Deinze, Ilhan said: “I have unfinished business.

“I felt that I was really having a good momentum and was in good form before the injury. I want to pick up where I left off.

“To play for the national team is always an honour and I can’t wait to come back and help the team in two very important matches.

“I’d like to think of what happened as God’s plan that there are even better times ahead after this tough period.”

On Ilhan’s inclusion, Nishigaya said: “He is recovering ahead of schedule, which is heartening, but I am also mindful about rushing him back. He brings a different dimension to our attack and his attitude both on and off the pitch is extremely positive, which has a good effect on the rest of the team.”

Prior to his injury, 2022 was a breakout year for Ilhan. He scored 20 goals in 27 Singapore Premier League (SPL) and Singapore Cup matches for Albirex Niigata in a season which culminated with three trophies at the Football Association of Singapore Awards Night, when he was honoured as the SPL Young Player of the Year, claimed the Goal of the Year award and named in the SPL Team of the Year.

He then earned a dream European move to Deinze, where he has a contract that runs till June 2024.

“It has been one of the toughest periods. It is never easy when you get such a serious injury, especially when you are a young player, but I have been blessed with the support of family and friends,” he said.

“I am naturally a very positive person so I got on with it, listened to the advice of the good people that I surrounded myself with. Now I am just very eager to get my first start for Deinze and start helping the national team again.”

His brothers Irfan, 26, and Ikhsan, 24 – who play for Thai side BG Pathum – are still unavailable. Irfan recently encountered a setback in his recovery from a calf injury suffered while on club duty in August whereas Ikhsan is still undergoing rehabilitation for his knee injury.

Right-back Ryhan Stewart also misses out but Young Lions midfielder Farhan Zulkifli is back in the senior set-up since earning his first cap against Malaysia in the 2022 AFF Championship.

Nishigaya said: “We have to look to the players who are available to step up, and seize the opportunity to show what they are capable of. As long as the players maintain their focus and not lose sight of the game plan, I have every confidence in them to get a positive result.”

Tickets for the Oct 12 match are available via the FAS website and Sistic.

Lions squad

Goalkeepers: Hassan Sunny (Albirex Niigata), Syazwan Buhari (Tampines Rovers), Zharfan Rohaizad (Lion City Sailors)

Defenders: Amirul Adli (Geylang International), M. Anumanthan, Lionel Tan, Christopher van Huizen, Zulqarnaen Suzliman (Sailors), Jacob Mahler (Madura United), Irfan Najeeb, Glenn Kweh (Tampines)

Midfielders: Hariss Harun, Hami Syahin, Adam Swandi (Sailors), Joel Chew, Shah Shahiran (Tampines), Farhan Zulkifli (Young Lions), Shahdan Sulaiman, Zulfahmi Arifin (Hougang United), Song Ui-young (Persebaya Surabaya)

Forwards: Hafiz Nor, Shawal Anuar (Sailors), Iqbal Hussain (Geylang), Daniel Goh (Balestier Khalsa), Ilhan Fandi (KMSK Deinze)