Irfan Fandi, Nur Adam Abdullah recalled for Lions’ March 31 Asian Cup qualifier

SINGAPORE – The Lions will get a defensive boost for their Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh, with national football coach Gavin Lee including centre-back Irfan Fandi and left-back Nur Adam Abdullah in his 26-man squad for the March 31 game at the National Stadium.

Both defenders were out of the national fold for a considerable amount of time owing to injury.

Port FC player Irfan won his last of 49 caps in a 2-1 friendly loss at Malaysia in September 2025, when he tore the medial collateral ligament in the left knee. The result was later overturned by FIFA for a 3-0 win for Singapore as the Tigers had fielded ineligible players.

The 28-year-old, who will be joined by his brothers and attacking duo Ikhsan and Ilhan in the national team, thanked Lee and Lions physiotherapist Nurhafizah Abu Sujad for their encouragement and care. He has since recovered to play nine league and cup games, contributing to three clean sheets for Port, who are second in the Thai League 1.

He told The Straits Times: “It’s an honour to be called up again. Missing out on the big win over Hong Kong hurts me till today, but I know this is just the beginning. We have a lot to work on before the Asian Cup, and I will be working hard to try and keep my place in the team.

“Every time I step into the national team, I always give my 100 per cent, and I try to be a good role model and help the team as much as I can with the experience I have.”

Lion City Sailors player Nur Adam last played for the Lions when he collected his 10th cap in a 3-2 friendly defeat by Chinese Taipei at the National Stadium in November 2024. He was sidelined for much of 2025 after undergoing shoulder surgery.

The 24-year-old, who was the Singapore Premier League Young Player of the Year in 2021, said: “That period was challenging as it required both physical recovery and mental resilience. I really missed pulling on the Lions jersey... I’m going to work very hard during the upcoming centralised training so that I can earn another national-team cap.

“Representing the nation is something I consistently aspire to and look forward to. I am determined to make the most of this opportunity and contribute to the team with renewed commitment and dedication.”

Despite Singapore having already secured their maiden qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, there were no major surprises in Lee’s squad, whose eight foreign-based players will join centralised training on March 23.

However, 32-cap midfielder Song Ui-young misses out as he is still recovering from ankle surgery.

Lee said he opted to maintain a core group central to the Lions’ progress in this qualifying campaign, while rewarding strong performances from other players, including uncapped duo Geylang International goalkeeper Rudy Khairullah and BG Tampines Rovers defender Raoul Suhaimi.

The 35-year-old added: “Although qualification is secured, our approach doesn’t change. The next match is always the most important. This window is another opportunity to stay humble in our preparation and hungry in our performance.

“Playing at the National Stadium in front of our fans is always special, and we want to deliver a strong performance to close out the campaign on a positive note.”

After five games, Singapore are top of Group C with 11 points from three away wins and two draws, having sealed qualification with a 2-1 win at Hong Kong in November 2025.

A planned friendly against the Faroe Islands in Dubai on March 26 was cancelled due to safety concerns amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Ticketing details for the March 31 game are available on Ticketek or via the Football Association of Singapore’s official website (https://fas.org.sg/tickets/).