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Asian Cup qualifiers: Lions hoping to break seven-game hoodoo against Bahrain

SINGAPORE — The goal is to qualify Singapore for its first Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in 33 years, but the Lions will face a tough first test on Tuesday night (11.55pm, Singapore time) as they look to end their dismal record against Bahrain.

National head coach V. Sundramoorthy is plotting to get the Lions into the Asian Cup finals for the first time since 1984. The journey begins with the game against Bahrain. TODAY FILE PHOTO

National head coach V. Sundramoorthy is plotting to get the Lions into the Asian Cup finals for the first time since 1984. The journey begins with the game against Bahrain. TODAY FILE PHOTO

SINGAPORE — The goal is to qualify Singapore for its first Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in  33 years, but the Lions will face a tough first test on Tuesday night (11.55pm, Singapore time) as they look to end their dismal record against Bahrain.

Ranked 163rd in the world, the Republic’s senior side have lost all seven encounters against their higher-ranked opponent (127) in a losing streak that dates back to February 2001. 

Captain Hariss Harun stressed that the team will need to be ruthless tonight if they want to break their duck against the Bahrainis. 

“We have to go into every game to try to win, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a stronger or weaker team,” said the 26-year-old in a phone interview from Manama yesterday. 

“It’s always a physical game against Bahrain, we have to be strong and ready to last the full 90, 95 minutes. Then when we have the ball, we have to try to create chances and take them.”

Ahead of the Group E clash at the Bahrain National Stadium in Riffa, coach V Sundramoorthy’s charges had travelled to Doha, Qatar for a friendly match against Afghanistan last Thursday but lost 2-1 to the world No 156 side.

While the Lions managed to restrict the Afghans to a smattering of chances, they conceded two soft goals, and Hariss warned that they need to improve and eliminate errors that could prove costly at international level.

“I think the second half against Afghanistan was quite positive (compared to the first) as we played well and took the initiative to create chances,” he added.

“We were a bit disappointed because the two goals were due to lapses in concentration; we were a bit naive, but we have moved on from there. Our focus now is to do well against Bahrain.”

Irfan Fandi, 19, is expected to make his competitive bow at centre-back on his third cap, but the team could miss wingers Shawal Anuar and Faris Ramli due to injury doubts. 

The Republic last competed in the Asian Cup in 1984 as hosts, while Bahrain are bidding for a fifth consecutive final in the United Arab Emirates. 

Led by Czech Miroslav Soukup, who was appointed last July, Bahrain are the favourites to top Group E. The team had prepared for their clash against Singapore with a 1-1 friendly draw against Tajikistan.

However, Sundram is undeterred, as he told the Football Association of Singapore website: “We will go into the match as underdogs, but we’ll do our best. 

“We will have to use bigger and stronger boys to compete physically, and I believe we have experienced (players) and young heads who, put together, can fight for one cause — (which is to get the three points).”

Aside from Bahrain, Singapore will also face Group E opponents Turkmenistan (144) and Taiwan (159), with the former running out 3-1 winners against the Taiwanese on Sunday to top the standings.

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