Special MOM-ent for mother-daughter pair in Women’s National League match

SINGAPORE – Since her daughter Hannah Tasha Abdullahsiraj first picked up football as a five-year-old, Siti Nurwati Dalduri has been a steadfast supporter of her pursuits and would accompany her to parks to watch her play.

On most Sundays, Siti, 48, would sit on the sidelines with her younger daughter Elma Zaara while her husband and Hannah had a kick about at the Jurong Lake Gardens or East Coast Park.

And as Hannah, 17, developed and showed more interest in the sport, Siti’s desire to better support her daughter’s ambitions also grew.

That propelled Siti to pick up the sport herself in 2024.

On Sept 21 at the Clementi Stadium, the mother and daughter pair had a special moment to remember when they played in the same match – albeit for opposing sides – in the Women’s National League (WNL).

Hannah started for Mattar Sailors in a 2-0 win over Siti’s Royal Arion. However, they were not on the pitch at the same time as Hannah was subbed off with an ankle injury a few minutes before her mother came on for Arion in the second-half.

It was the same day that the Mattar Sailors clinched the 2025 WNL title. The WNL is the second-tier, seven-team competition run by the Football Association of Singapore, with the

Women’s Premier League (WPL)

above it.

Siti, who works in the education sector, said: “My daughter has been playing in the WPL and WNL since 2023 and I thought to myself, if I want to encourage her further, why don’t I get into it and learn as well?

“Whenever my husband and Hannah have a kick about, I am always on the sidelines encouraging her but it is just all talk. I felt I can do more. If I can train, I can pick up the skills and at least I get to kick about with her and keep fit that way too.”

Siti took up adult football lessons with the Aerion Academy, which holds classes every Friday. Given her sporting background – she was a former national youth netball player – Siti was able to do well enough in training for her coach Sunisa Srangthaisong to ask if she wanted to play for the WNL side.

Siti took up the challenge in July and has not looked back.

Hannah said she was very excited by her mother taking up the sport but more importantly, it has given the pair more bonding time.

“We are really close and I always share my problems with her, but we don’t really spend too much time because of our schedules,” said Hannah, who has ambitions to play for the national team in future.

“But now we find the time on weekends to train and play together and that to me is quality time for us to bond together. I feel very grateful that she supports me in this way. I am very, very proud to say my mum is also a footballer, just like me.”

Siti admitted it was tough to hold herself back on the substitutes’ bench during the match against her daughter’s Mattar Sailors side, as she was so used to cheering for her daughter and her teammates. She had to remind herself several times that she was the “opposition”.

Although mother and daughter said it was unfortunate they did not get to face each other on the field – particularly intriguing since Hannah plays as a left-winger and Siti as a fullback – they remain hopeful the opportunity will come.

But for Siti, being a footballer serves a bigger purpose to her. Already, she has inspired her younger daughter, 10-year-old Elma, to switch from floorball to football.

Siti said: “By being involved, I have found a community and I have gained several friendships. But most importantly, I am able to better understand the needs of the sport and therefore I can guide my daughters better.

“To support our children in whatever area, we have to understand what they go through, we have to find out more about the sacrifices they have to make, the feelings they go through when doing the sport.

“My way of parenting is to be involved and participate, and what better way than to have this first-hand experience.”