ONLY WAN NO. 1 FOR THE LIONS

With first-choice goalkeeper Hassan retired, Izwan and Syazwan are vying for his spot

- Deepanraj Ganesan

With long-time national goalkeeper Hassan Sunny hanging up his gloves, the Lions now face a significant challenge in their search for a successor.

With no clear contender for the No.1jersey, experts told The Straits Times that the competition for the role will be a two-horse race between Lion City Sailors' Izwan Mahbud and BG Tampines Rovers' Syazwan Buhari.

Hassan, 40, who plays for Singapore Premier League (SPL) side Albirex Niigata, announced his international retirement on Aug 18 after 115 appearances in over 20 years. Syazwan was the last custodian other than Hassan to keep goal for the Lions, getting a rare outing his second national cap in June 2023, when Singapore were held to a 1-1 draw by the Solomon Islands in an international friendly.

In the latest national squad picked for the September international window, coach Tsutomu Ogura will take a closer look at Izwan, Syazwan and uncapped Geylang International custodians Hairul Syirhan and Rudy Khairullah.

The Lions will play two training matches, against SPL side Tampines and Malaysia Super League champions Johor Darul Takzim on Sept 6 and Sept 7 respectively.

The spotlight will be on the battle between 34-year-old Izwan and Syazwan, who is three years younger.