With zero goals scored and only one point after two games, the Young Lions know the score.
Upset SEA Games football champions Thailand to revive their flagging semi-final hopes.
Lose and they can start preparing for an early return home.
The teams enter this afternoon's Group B clash in vastly different moods. Thailand are on a high after recovering from their 2-0 defeat by Indonesia with a 7-0 thumping of Brunei, while Singapore are still reeling from the 0-0 draw with Laos and a 2-0 loss to Indonesia.
Without scoring, the Young Lions have no chance of collecting enough points so, in training yesterday, there was more emphasis on finishing and set plays.
Coach Fandi Ahmad may also reshuffle his team if striker Ikhsan Fandi does not recover from knee and ankle complaints in time.
Regardless, Faris Ramli, one of two overage players allowed in a team for the Under-22 event, issued a defiant rallying cry ahead of the game at Binan Football Stadium.
The forward, 27, said: "It is certainly disappointing and the boys are down. But I'm trying my best to motivate them as much as possible because we still have a chance to progress if we beat Thailand.
"I'm here as a senior player for a reason. I'm here to help the boys. Things have not gone to plan but we will continue to try our best.
"Even though we didn't play so well against Laos, we were unlucky not to score. Against Indonesia, we played better in the first half and they couldn't settle down. Their first goal was not from a build-up but off a clearance and our mistake.
"It is frustrating because the ball just wouldn't go in. We hit the bar in both games. Maybe we need to be more calm in front of goal.
"This is make or break for us. Thailand are not an easy team to play but it is not impossible to beat them. We are not out of it yet."
Singapore may have a slight psychological advantage, having beaten Thailand 1-0 in the Merlion Cup final in June.
Eleven players from that Thai U-22 side are in their 20-man SEA Games squad, while coach Akira Nishino has enough quality in his youth ranks to not call up any overage players.
The 64-year-old, who led Japan to the last 16 of last year's World Cup, said: "Having overage players may be an advantage. But I believe that our players are capable of competing against any team, including those who use overage players. We must have faith in our players."
After a difficult start, his team have responded by thrashing Brunei and now know that they cannot afford to rest on their laurels.
Midfielder Wisarut Imura said: "We were uncomfortable because we couldn't score against Indonesia. In the first half against Brunei, we scored only two because their goalkeeper was on form.
"At half-time, the coach asked us if we want to win 3-0 or 2-1. He chose the first option and made us confident to go all out for the second half.
"Games against Brunei may not be the best gauge but beating them well can give us confidence in the coach's system.
"As for Singapore, I view them as one of the better teams in Asean. Every team want to win their remaining games to go to the next round, so we will study our opponents as usual, and we cannot be careless."
