Singapore’s Lions Fall Short Despite Victory Over Thailand
BANGKOK – Singapore beat Thailand on their own patch, snapped an 11-game losing run against the regional giants, and still walked off the Rajamangala pitch out of the ASEAN championship.
A 2-1 victory on Tuesday night was not enough to overturn the damage from Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Jalan Besar. The Lions bowed out 4-3 on aggregate, their campaign ending with both pride and regret hanging in the Bangkok humidity.
Lions Come Out Swinging
Gavin Lee’s side arrived with a mountain to climb but refused to play the part of plucky victims. On a waterlogged pitch after an afternoon downpour, they started with purpose, even as Thailand carved out the first clear sight of goal when Patrik Gustavsson’s shot flicked off Hariss Harun.
Singapore were forced into snatches rather than sustained pressure, with Thailand content to sit, absorb and spring forward at pace. One such break in the 19th minute almost turned the tie. Gustavsson burst clear down the right and tumbled as Izwan Mahbud charged out. For a moment, the Rajamangala held its breath. After a VAR check, the decision went Singapore’s way. No foul. No penalty. The Lions stayed alive.
Up front, Ilhan Fandi, the breakout star of Singapore’s tournament, probed again. His low free-kick from the edge of the box tested Kampon Phatomakkakul, who got down sharply. Minutes later, Ilhan rose to meet a cross, only for Kampon to tip his header over. The message was clear: Thailand would not roll over.
The best chance of the half fell to Song Ui-young just before the interval. He should have put Singapore ahead, but Kampon again stood firm, beating away the effort and keeping the tie firmly in Thai hands.
Stewart Strikes, Thailand Hit Back
The breakthrough finally came right on the stroke of half-time. Farhan Zulkifli, electric all evening, tore through on goal. Kampon slid out to block him, but the danger didn’t end there. The loose ball fell to Harhys Stewart outside the box, and he wrapped his foot around it, curling a superb shot into the net. Singapore led on the night. The comeback was on.
Thailand, ranked 94th in the world and unbeaten in this tournament with four group wins and 10 unanswered goals, suddenly looked rattled. But champions respond.
They almost levelled in the 53rd minute when Seksan Ratree failed to bring a cross under control with the goal gaping. A huge let-off. It did not last.
Anthony Hudson’s side pushed higher, the tempo rose, and Singapore were forced deeper. Seven minutes later, the pressure broke them. A slick Thai move dragged the Lions out of shape, and Ryhan Stewart’s mistimed challenge in the box left the referee pointing to the spot.
Substitute Kakana Khamyok strode up and lashed his penalty into the top corner, giving Izwan no chance. Thailand were level on the night, two goals clear on aggregate, and for a moment it felt like the old order had reasserted itself.
Own Goal Gives Lions Hope
Singapore refused to fold. The response was immediate and defiant.
Minutes after conceding, Ryhan Stewart atoned in the most direct way possible. Driving down the flank, he drilled a vicious low ball across the face of goal. Pansa Hemviboon, under pressure and facing his own net, could only turn it in. Another twist. Another surge of belief from the visiting bench.
At 2-1 up, the Lions needed one more to force extra time. Thailand, seven-time champions, suddenly had to scrap. The game opened up, nerves fraying on both sides.
Thailand nearly killed it off in the 79th minute. Teerasak Poeiphimai found space and let fly, only for Izwan to produce a superb save, tipping the ball onto the post and behind. It kept the dream alive for a few more minutes, but the clock ticked down, and the decisive third goal never came.
Pride, but No Final
When the whistle went, Singapore had beaten Thailand away for the first time since 2012, the year they last made – and won – the final. This time, the story ends in the semi-finals.
Their route here had already been bruising. A narrow 2-1 win over Cambodia, a home victory against Timor-Leste, a gritty 0-0 draw in Vietnam, and a 1-1 stalemate with Indonesia had carried them through Group A behind defending champions Vietnam, who hold a 2-0 first-leg lead over Malaysia in the other semi-final.
Against the tournament’s top-ranked team, on a drenched pitch in Bangkok, the Lions showed tenacity, flashes of quality, and a refusal to accept the script. They leave with a statement win but no ticket to the final.
The question now is simple: can this performance be a springboard, or will it be remembered as just another near-miss in Singapore’s search for their next great run?
