It was a great night for Singapore as the Under-22 team
clinched Singapore’s first title victory in many years at the Merlion Cup
football tournament on 9 June 2019. Ikhsan Fandi scored a solitary goal against
Thailand Under-22s, safely securing the win.
It was a big achievement for the Young Lions considering
that it had become an undisputed fact in recent years that Singapore was behind
Thailand in terms of pace and technique. The last time the Lions won a title in
the tournament was in 1985, becoming joint champions with the Yugoslav Olympic
team.
The Singapore U-22s created history by becoming the first
Singapore team to win the competition outright in eight editions. Fandi Ahmad’s
team reserved their best performance for the final and prevailed in a heated
competition, to the delight of the 3,477 fans at the Jalan Besar stadium.
Sports is a social leveller, which builds the spirit of a
nation and fosters team spirit. As a firm believer of sporting excellence since
1968, Singapore Pools is proud to be part of many sporting journeys by
encouraging and developing local sports talents with funding support. Our
heartiest congratulations to the Singapore U-22s for winning the Merlion Cup.
Photo Credits: Football Association of Singapore