Lionesses earn Asean Women’s C’ship spot after 1-0 win over Timor-Leste

SINGAPORE – Going into their final match of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Women’s Cup, the Lionesses faced mounting challenges.

The effects of fatigue and a packed playing schedule became apparent as they lost key forward Nur Farhanah Ruhaizat and first-choice goalkeeper Hazel Lim earlier in the competition.

But the injury-hit side, who already had to cope with several players’ unavailability for this qualifying tournament, still had a task to accomplish – to earn a spot at the 2025 Asean Women’s Championship.

At the Lao National Stadium KM16 in Vientiane on Dec 5, they got the job done as they beat Timor-Leste 1-0 in the third-place play-off to clinch the final qualifying berth for the championship, joining champions Indonesia and runners-up Cambodia, who had grabbed the first two spots.

Having achieved what they set out to do, Singapore coach Karim Bencherifa said: “I am proud of the players and the team. They fought hard and showed resilience.

“It was our fourth match in nine days, which is why we lost a few players along the way.”

In a tactical change, world No. 138 Singapore started with a 3-4-3 formation instead of their usual 4-4-2 diamond.

The Lionesses took the lead after just seven minutes through a free kick from Putri Nur Syaliza Sazali. Singapore had been awarded the set piece after Nurhidayu Naszri was brought down by Timor-Leste’s Maria Auxiliadora Martins da Conceicao just outside the box.

While Timor-Leste goalkeeper Gorette de Fatima blocked the ball initially, she appeared to have done so behind the goal line.

After a brief moment of confusion, the referee awarded a goal to Singapore, sparking celebrations among the Lionesses.

Singapore had the majority of possession and, while this did not materialise into more goals, it helped them keep their 159th-ranked opponents at bay.

The Timorese went in search of an equaliser after the break, but Singapore’s second-choice goalkeeper Nurul Illyanis Khairul, 17, who was making only her second international appearance, was rarely troubled as they finished third in the Asean Women’s Cup, with Indonesia beating Cambodia 3-1 in the final.

Putri said: “It wasn’t easy, but we pushed through until the end. This means everything to us, and we’ve made our country proud.”

Dedicating the goal to her mother, the Oakland University student, 23, added: “The winning goal meant everything to me.

“I haven’t had the best year, and the goal was an encouragement for me to pursue higher-tier football.”

Bencherifa noted that in addition to injuries sustained during the tournament, the team also had to cope without several players who were unavailable due to injuries.

Among them were forwards Danelle Tan and Josephine Ang. Tan, who plays for A-League Women’s side Brisbane Roar, underwent minor knee surgery in early November, while Ang, who scored 12 goals for Deloitte Women’s Premier League champions Lion City Sailors, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

With the team through to the Asean championship, Bencherifa acknowledged that a bigger test awaits as they prepare to face the likes of world No. 37 Vietnam, the Philippines (No. 39), Thailand (No. 47) and Myanmar (No. 54) at the seven-team competition.

They will have a busy year ahead, with the Asian Cup qualifiers and December’s SEA Games also on their calendar.

The Moroccan said: “We need to stay humble and recognise that a lot of work needs to be done to compete at a higher level.

“I appeal to everyone involved in women’s football to support the Singapore women’s national team.”

Putri added: “Teams like the Philippines and Thailand are not easy to face, but we need to mentally prepare ourselves.

“The current team spirit is high, and we want to maintain that momentum moving forward to the championship next year.”

As the Lionesses head into a busy 2025, Bencherifa will enter the final months of his two-year contract, which ends in March.

When asked about this, the 56-year-old said: “We were focused entirely on this tournament and didn’t want to be distracted by anything else. It’s too early to discuss this now, but we’ll address it at the right time.”