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At the end almost man for man they lifted their hands to the heavens in thanks and in triumph, some rushed to their leader for a group bear hug, even Lions needed to exhale.
Redemption was their battlecry.
They were extraordinarily subdued in the fields of Vietnam last December, trudging home without even getting out of the group stage of the AFF Suzuki Cup.
Singapore had entered the competition as three-time ASEAN champions, this was not what a football-mad nation expected of their Lions.
How they redeemed themselves here at the Bukit Jalil Stadium last night.
Cool and fierce, muscled in the tackle and the chase and in the mind, they drew 1-1 with Malaysia to book their passage into the third round of the 2014 World Cup Asian qualifiers on a 6-4 aggregate.
They joined as one to hurl coach Radojko Avramovic into the air minutes after Japanese referee Takayama Hiroyoshi blew the final whistle to end Malaysia's dream of qualifying for the third round of the World Cup qualifiers for the first time in their history.
They wanted to send an emphatic message that the 61-year-old Serb has been one of the best coaches in the history of Singapore football.
The Lions were kings last Saturday at Jalan Besar Stadium when they walked away 5-3 winners, Malaysian coach K Rajagobal had teased and taunted Singapore in the build-up to the second leg, but at every turn Avramovic made it clear to his troops they would not succumb to mind games.
He had his men primed for battle.
And what a battle.
It was not the feverish thriller of last Saturday, but for drama it was truly compelling stuff.
With nearly 90,000 confident and fiercely excited Malaysians primed to do everything in their power to inspire their favourites, and strike fear into their opponents, this was not a match for weak and old Lions.
There were none in sight here last night. Hariss Harun stood strongest of them all.
Only 20, he was a rock at the heart of Singapore's midfield.
He protected Singapore's defence like a Trojan, for one so young he displayed a maturity in his reading of the game and never lost his head, fair with his biting tackles but constantly making Malaysia wince.
He was powerless, though, when Safee Sali bulged the Singapore net with an unstoppable shot in the 58th minute, after the Singapore defenders froze for a split second when Hiroyoshi seemed set to blow for a free-kick for the visitors, opening a path for Malaysia's hotshot striker to pounce.
It was a strange decision but Avramovic's men refused to allow their shoulders to sag.
Even if the Malaysians in the stands were determined their collective roar would lift the stadium's roof and carry all the way back to the Lions' den.
This latest group of Lions, a mix of battle-scarred veterans and adventurous young warriors, sharpened their claws.
All night long they had repulsed the Malaysians quite comfortably, they continued in the same vein but this time, they were also on a mission to convert the kind of chance they had spurned on a few occasions in the first half.
It came 14 minutes later via an Aleksandar Duric flick header and an expert finish by Shi Jiayi.
There was no way back for Malaysia, in the end, they fell to a better side, no matter the protests from Rajagobal.
Singapore produced a professional display that would have done the old guard like the late Dollah Kassim, Quah Kim Song, Mohamed Noh, Terry Pathmanathan and a whole host of legendary Lions proud.
This is the second successive time Avramovic has guided Singapore into the group stage of Asia's World Cup qualifiers.
Twice he has also masterminded the Lions' rise to the top of the football landscape in the region, this latest feather in his cap was an emphatic response to his detractors.
The roar of the Lions thrillingly returned last night. What sweet music it was for Singapore.
Leonard Thomas is sports editor at Today.
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