There can be only Wan – Izwan Mahbud and Syazwan Buhari vie to be Lions’ new No. 1
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Goalkeepers Izwan Mahbud (left) and Syazwan Buhari train with the national team at the Kallang Football Hub, on Sept 2.
ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNNI
SINGAPORE – With long-time national goalkeeper Hassan Sunny hanging up his gloves, the Lions now face a significant challenge in their search for a successor.
With no clear contender for the No. 1 jersey, experts told The Straits Times that the competition for the role will be a two-horse race between Lion City Sailors’ Izwan Mahbud and BG Tampines Rovers’ Syazwan Buhari.
Hassan, 40, who plays for Singapore Premier League (SPL) side Albirex Niigata, announced his international retirement on Aug 18 after 115 appearances in over 20 years. Syazwan was the last custodian other than Hassan to keep goal for the Lions, getting a rare outing – his second national cap – in June 2023, when Singapore were held to a 1-1 draw by the Solomon Islands in an international friendly.
In the latest national squad picked for the September international window, coach Tsutomu Ogura will take a closer look at Izwan, Syazwan and uncapped Geylang International custodians Hairul Syirhan and Rudy Khairullah.
The Lions will play two training matches, against SPL side Tampines and Malaysia Super League champions Johor Darul Takzim on Sept 6 and Sept 7 respectively.
The spotlight will be on the battle between 34-year-old Izwan and Syazwan, who is three years younger.
Izwan is the most seasoned of the contenders with 54 caps for Singapore. He won the 2012 Asean Football Federation Championship, 2013 Malaysia Super League and 2015 Malaysia FA Cup with the LionsXII.
He has, however, had a turbulent couple of years. A serious anterior cruciate ligament injury in his left knee in November 2022 sidelined him for most of 2023. Although he made a strong comeback in the Sailors’ successful Singapore Cup campaign, he was benched for the first nine games of the 2024 season and only recently reclaimed his starting position.
Syazwan, on the other hand, has been the standout performer among local goalkeepers recently, earning the Golden Glove in the 2023 season and registering a league-high four clean sheets in the current campaign. But his lack of international experience remains an issue.
Khidhir Khamis, former coach of Balestier Khalsa and a regular SPL commentator, said: “Based on merit for now, it should be Syazwan. If you talk about pure talent, we know what Izwan is capable of, but his current form has not been fantastic.
“The truth is that only these two guys are worthy of that No. 1 spot now. A possible third contender is Zharfan (Rohaizad) but it is a surprise that he has not been called up.”
Former national goalkeeper Yakob Hashim also questioned the exclusion of Zharfan, and noted that Izwan’s experience at international level is hard to overlook.
He said: “The international level is a different ball game. Out of our current crop, who else other than Izwan has international experience? Syazwan is good with his feet but I think Izwan is comfortable too. The next few matches for club and country are very important for both of them to show their capabilities.”
Noting the race for the No.1 jersey is wide open, Ogura said: “Hassan has been our first-choice goalkeeper for a long time.
“To say I’m not worried wouldn’t be honest. But this is an opportunity for others. There are a few possibilities, but I haven’t decided on a No. 1 yet.”
Izwan, whose last start for the Lions was in June 2021 in a 3-0 World Cup qualifying defeat by Saudi Arabia, admitted that he was not expecting a national call-up as he still feels short of his best.
He told ST: “I was focused on getting game time and getting back to where I was before. Coming back from an ACL injury is tough, but I’m determined to make the most of this opportunity.
“Goalkeepers age like wine, we know the positioning better and know how to read the game better. I want to get back to my best to help my club and the country.”
Meanwhile, Syazwan believes that Ogura’s preference for playing out from the back could work in his favour.
The Stags custodian said: “Coach Ogura wants to build from the back, and that’s something I’m confident in. I think it suits my style.
“Hassan was the No. 1 for so long and when he was here, everyone knew it will be him that plays. With him gone, I feel a fire within me, that I have a chance to be Singapore’s first-choice goalkeeper.”
