PHNOM PENH – The outlook for Singapore football is bleak, with poor results at youth level and a fifth consecutive SEA Games group-stage exit on the cards.
But Young Lions goalkeeper Aizil Yazid has continued to emerge from the gloom with his reputation enhanced.
The SEA Games debutant, 18, was Singapore’s best player in their 3-1 loss to Thailand on Sunday, producing several point-blank saves. He will need to be at his best again on Wednesday when the Singapore Under-22s face defending champions Vietnam at the Prince Stadium in Phnom Penh.
Aizil had also impressed at the U-20 Asian Cup qualifiers last September, helping the national U-19s to a 0-0 draw with Tajikistan.
The 1.77m custodian is driven by his dream of making it to the senior national team by 22, a target that he had set himself a few years ago.
Aizil, who is waiting to be enlisted for national service, said: “My main ambition is to break into the national team as quickly as possible but, to do that, I need to be focused on improving myself each day. I set an aim of being called up to the national team by 22 and be in the starting XI by 24. I am working towards that goal.”
He counts national goalkeepers Hassan Sunny and Izwan Mahbud as his idols and hopes to follow in their footsteps. But mentorship comes closer to home. Aizil’s father is former national shot-stopper Yazid Yasin, who was part of Singapore’s squad at the 2001 Games in Malaysia.
Aizil, whose older brother Aqil, a centre-back, is also in this 20-man Games squad, said: “My father places emphasis on staying disciplined and his best advice to me is to always be ready for any opportunity that comes.”
He is also aware from his father’s stories that developing into a top custodian will bring with it both highs and lows. These include picking the ball out of his net nine times during Hougang United’s 9-4 thumping by the Lion City Sailors last August, a month after making his Singapore Premier League debut at 17 years and 218 days.
But these experiences have allowed him to grow.
“I have matured a lot over the years and one thing I have improved on is my consistency,” said Aizil.
“Last year, I struggled with that and had too high expectations for myself, where each game I expected myself to be a 10. As a goalkeeper, you need to be reliable but you can never be perfect. Right now, I can enjoy my game a lot more.”
The senior national team have had a dearth of young goalkeepers coming through the ranks with Hassan, 39, and Zaiful Nizam, 35, the preferred choices in goal while Izwan, 32, is nursing a knee injury.
Among the up-and-coming ones, the Sailors’ No. 1 Zharfan Rohaizad is 26, but he was not called up for the Lions’ most recent friendlies in March.
Singapore U-22 coach Philippe Aw has tipped Aizil to get a senior call-up if the young goalkeeper can “stay on track”.
Aw, who has coached Aizil since he was 15, said: “Aizil is someone who has developed very well over the years and he is one for the future. In his age group, we have talented goalkeepers coming through like Wayne (Chew) and (Veer) Karan Sobti but the key is that they all need to play and gain experience in international competitions.”
Aw knows the U-22s must avoid defeat against Vietnam to retain any hope of advancing from Group B. The Vietnamese started their campaign with a routine 2-0 win over Laos, who face Malaysia on Wednesday. He said: “Vietnam won’t be an easy game. We analysed the goals conceded (against Thailand) and we know there are things to improve on.
“We are in tournament mode and are aware that if Vietnam beat us and Thailand win their next game, it will be difficult (for us) to progress. We know we need to get something out of the game.”
