Place in the SEA Games final a top priority for Singapore

Source

SINGAPORE - After bronze-medal showings at the last two SEA Games, the national under-23 team was set a target of silver by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) for this year's Games, which will be held in Indonesia from Nov 11 to 22.

After Singapore's 3-0 loss to Jordan at the Jalan Besar Stadium, the Lions are all but out of the reckoning in Group A of the third round of Asia's World Cup qualifiers but they still have to play three matches - away to Jordan on Nov 11, China at home on Nov 15 and a date with Iraq yet to be determined.

The squad have eight players who are available for the SEA Games and, with the clash of dates, there are many wondering if preparations for the tournament in Indonesia will be disrupted.

But speaking to Today, FAS chief Zainudin Nordin said: "We've set a very clear target for the SEA Games and we are serious about it. We'll make our focus clear soon."

Zainudin had earlier said that a decision on which competition the under-23 players will play in would be made after the Jordan fixture and it appears that, after the loss, the target of a place in the SEA Games final is set to become the top priority.

"If we get the green light to go to the SEA Games, we must really achieve something there," said 20-year-old central defender Safuwan Baharudin, who has starred in the Lions' qualifying campaign thus far.

"It'll be good to win at least the silver and end the football year on a high, especially after the criticism that we have faced so far."

Hariss Harun (picture), another key figure for both the national team and the under-23s, does not know if the FAS have requested his release from his National Service unit to travel for the SEA Games.

He believes the under-23s must be able to deal with the target set.

He said: "After winning two bronze medals, getting to the final is something we should achieve.

"As we saw in the match against Jordan, we need to learn to handle pressure better."