AFF Suzuki Cup 2020
We are not a weak side: Hariss
Lions skipper says both him and team have to up their game against Indonesia
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For the first time in nine years, the Lions will compete in the semi-finals of the AFF Suzuki Cup, where they face Indonesia in the first leg at the National Stadium tonight.
While pleased with the progress, Singapore captain Hariss Harun knows they have to up their game at the knockout stage of the Asean Football Federation Championship.
The initial feel-good factor after three straight wins against Myanmar (3-0), the Philippines (2-1) and Timor-Leste (2-0) has dissipated and last Saturday's 2-0 loss to a second-string Thailand side was a reality check. The Lions were also unconvincing in their narrow victory over Timor-Leste.
Hariss, so often a dependable figure in the middle of the park, has also not been at his best in the last two outings. This is largely down to a lack of game time leading up to the tournament. He picked up a quadriceps injury on Oct 10 - the final day of the Singapore Premier League season - before contracting Covid-19 in early November, causing him to miss the team's training camp in Dubai.
The 31-year-old was honest when assessing his own performance in an interview with The Straits Times, saying: "I know it's not at where it should be... I know I have to improve but this is a team game and we all have to cover and fight for each other.
"Performance generally has not been good since the first two games but we have to see the bigger picture - we are in the semi-finals for the first time in nine years. But we are aware of the challenges ahead."
Fans will be hoping to see a revitalised Hariss on the pitch, as it was the skipper who scored in the Lions' last encounter with Indonesia at the 2018 Suzuki Cup, when they won 1-0 in front of 30,783 fans at the National Stadium. Tonight, the same venue will see a sell-out crowd of almost 10,000 - the current maximum capacity due to Covid-19 measures.
While the Garuda are in a confident mood after a comfortable 4-1 victory over arch-rivals Malaysia in their final group match last Sunday, the home support will hand the Lions an advantage, said Indonesia coach Shin Tae-yong.
The 52-year-old said: "When we played Vietnam and Malaysia, I told my boys to think of those matches as a final. That's the mentality we will have for the next matches as well.
"I have watched Singapore's matches and I felt they played well against Myanmar and Philippines. They are a good team, with good attacking and defending players and we can't look down on them."
Meanwhile, Lions coach Tatsuma Yoshida has spent the last few days analysing his semi-final opponents and knows his team are in for a tough battle. Indonesia have scored 13 goals in four group matches - the highest in the competition. Singapore have seven.
Said Yoshida: "They will play aggressively and we have to match that. We have our own concept of how we play and we need to trust and stick to that...
"We will try to find some weaknesses in our opponents. We have solutions for the problems they will pose us and we'll show what they are on the pitch."
Yoshida's solutions, however, will not include key defender Shakir Hamzah and attacker Gabriel Quak, who have been ruled out of the tournament due to injury. Lion City Sailors' Nur Adam Abdullah is expected to be given his first start for the national team in place of Shakir at left-back.
Regardless of who takes to the field, Hariss said that the squad are motivated for the task ahead. He also admitted that they were aware of a section of the home crowd booing the team off in the loss to Thailand, which prompted an emotional Yoshida to stop the post-match virtual press conference after responding to a question about the jeers.
Acknowledging that the players have seen the video of their coach's conference, Hariss added: "He's (Yoshida) done a lot for us on and off the field. He's protected us.
"The team is together and we know what's at stake. We had a talk among ourselves. It may look like we are weak and down but we are not. We are strong."
CHIN UP
The team is together and we know what's at stake. We had a talk among ourselves. It may look like we are weak and down but we are not. We are strong.
HARISS HARUN, Singapore captain, on the sentiment within the squad.
NO HOLDING BACK
When we played Vietnam and Malaysia, I told my boys to think of those matches as a final. That's the mentality we will have for the next matches as well.
SHIN TAE-YONG, Indonesia coach, on the mentality he is trying to instil.
SEMI-FINALS
TODAY
Singapore v Indonesia (1st leg)
TOMORROW
Vietnam v Thailand (1st leg)
SATURDAY
Indonesia v Singapore (2nd leg)
SUNDAY
Thailand v Vietnam (2nd leg)
All matches at 8.30pm at the National Stadium, live on Mediacorp meWatch Ch01
