Depleted Lions still wait on Mustafic and Hariss

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SINGAPORE - There was a relaxed atmosphere initially as the Lions went through their paces at the Geylang field last night.But at the end of the team's final train session in Singapore ahead of their opening Group A third round World Cup qualifier against China next Friday, the mood changed.

Defender Ismail Yunos sustained a knee injury and has been ruled out, while striker Fazrul Nawaz was omitted from the squad due to personal reasons.

They started off as a 25-man squad, but the national team that will fly to Bangkok this afternoon for a friendly with Thailand on Wednesday will number only 22, with talented midfielder Hariss Harun currently in the midst of his eight-week Basic Police Training.

At least there is some optimism surrounding both Hariss and his midfield partner Mustafic Fahrudin (picture), who is trying to brush off a meniscus injury in his left knee for the date with China.

Speaking to Today, Mustafic said: "I'm still not in full training with the team, but I was running and did a bit of work with weights on Saturday and there is no pain in the knee.

"Hopefully in Thailand I'll recover enough to train with the ball."

Hariss enlisted for National Service with the Singapore Police Force on Aug 10 and while they have sought his release for the game against China, a Football Association of Singapore spokesman said yesterday they are still awaiting "further developments on the matter."

Isa Halim's experience suggests some hope Hariss could receive permission to play.

When Isa was in National Service with the Singapore Police Force in 2007, he was allowed leave to play for the country.

"The officer in charge had confidence that I could pass the law exam that we were due to take, and put his neck on the line for me to go and play in a friendly for the under-23s, something I was very grateful for," Isa recounted yesterday.

With the match against China to be played at Kunming, a city 1,900 metres above sea level, the Lions continued utilising hypoxicators - devices aimed at helping bodies adapt to high altitude.

The team will fly to Kunming from Bangkok on Thursday.

Singapore will play Iraq at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Sept 6 and tickets for the game, as well as the rest of the Lions' World Cup qualifiers, will go on sale today at FAS' Jalan Besar headquarters. For more details log on to www.fas.org.sg.