Song Returns To Lions' Fold

Midfielder missed out on S'pore games for nearly a year to tend to ailing mother

- David Lee

Nearly a year since his last Lions appearance, Song Ui-young is finally back in the fold.

Having been unavailable due to family matters since the 7-0 home defeat by South Korea in June 2024, the 31-year-old will now be looking to add to his tally of four goals and 25 caps for the Republic.

On May 29, the Lion City Sailors midfielder was named in a 23-man Singapore squad for a June 5 friendly with the Maldives at the Bishan Stadium and an Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh in Dhaka five days later.

Fit-again Ikhsan Fandi and Taufik Suparno are among other key players recalled to the squad, while Shawal Anuar misses out because of a medical procedure scheduled during the international window.

In a Football Association of Singapore statement, Song said he is looking forward to linking up with the Lions again, adding: "I've had urgent family matters to attend to, and I'm relieved that I've managed to get across that challenge — and grateful that I've been afforded space to be present for my family."

Dispelling rumours that his absence from the Lions squad was due to animosity between him and national coach Tsutomu Ogura, Song shared with The Straits Times that he had gone through a gamut of emotions in the past year.