Lionesses Learn 'Important Lessons'

Strong commitment in qualifying losses but they need better conditioning, consistency

- Kimberly Kwek

Four defeats in four games with 13 goals conceded against two scored—the numbers sum up Singapore's tough campaign at the recent Women's Asian Cup qualifying tournament.

In Amman, Jordan, the world No. 139 Lionesses finished bottom of Group A with zero points after losing to the hosts (5-0), Iran (4-0), Lebanon (1-0) and Bhutan (3-2).

Head coach Karim Bencherifa said: "The team showed tremendous effort and resilience throughout the qualifiers. While the scorelines didn't reflect the full picture, we had competitive moments, especially in the opening match against Bhutan and the final game against Lebanon.

"Despite the challenges, the players showed strong commitment and fought for every minute. These matches exposed areas we need to grow in, particularly physical conditioning and consistency, but also gave us important lessons to build on."

Originally scheduled from June 23 to July 5, the competition was delayed due to the escalating Iran-Israel conflict, forcing the Asian Football Confederation to relocate and reschedule the tournament. The games were subsequently held at the original venue at the King Abdullah II Stadium in Amman from July 7 to 19, after Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire.