'FANS SEEING THE FIGHT'

Hariss says coach Ogura has made a difference with the Lions’ battling shows

- Deepanraj Ganesan

The love affair between the Lions and their fans has rekindled in the past week, with national captain Hariss Harun admitting that the last two matches against China have helped "reignite the connection" after a torrid 14 months.

Under new coach Tsutomu Ogura, the national football team have given supporters cause for cheer and optimism with their performances against the Chinese, holding the 88th-ranked team to a 2-2 draw at home on March 21 before losing 4-1 in Tianjin five days later.

The two outings in the Asian Group C World Cup qualifier were Ogura's first tests in the hot seat, after his appointment on Feb 1.

They will next play South Korea at home and Thailand away in June.

The gritty displays by the Lions against a side ranked 68 places above them are a far cry from the grim state that Singapore football found itself in over a year ago, when the Lions lost 4-1 to Malaysia at the Asean Football Federation Championship in January 2023.

Last May, the Under-22 team were thrashed 7-0 by their Causeway rivals at the SEA Games and suffered a meek exit.

Boos and chants greeted Ogura's predecessor Takayuki Nishigaya during last November's 3-1 defeat by Thailand in the World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium.