LET'S KEEP MAKING HISTORY'

Ogura urges Lions to build on progress after reaching Asean Championship last 4

- David Lee

Having secured a spot in the Asean Championship semi-finals, Singapore coach Tsutomu Ogura has urged his charges to continue making history.

A 0-0 draw against hosts Malaysia on Dec 20 helped the Lions reach the last four for only the second time since they won a fourth tournament title in 2012.

As Group A runners-up, they will meet Vietnam, who finished Group B champions after thrashing Myanmar 5-0 on Dec 21. The first leg will be at Jalan Besar Stadium on Dec 26, with the return leg in Vietnam three days later.

The other semi-final will be between Group A winners Thailand and Group B runners-up Philippines, who beat a largely Under-22 Indonesia side 1-0.

"This qualification is a good result for Singapore football history," Ogura told The Sunday Times. "I told the players, maybe we are changing history, but it's not about the coach, it's up to the players.

"Against Thailand (in which they led 2-0 before losing 4-2), we had a page in history open, but it closed. Now we qualify for the semi-finals, it is a little bit open, and we hope to open it more, but it is a process. We need to continue trying."