Lions end six-match winless run with 3-1 victory over the Maldives
SINGAPORE – With Ikhsan Fandi marking his international football return with a brace, the Lions will head into their Asian Cup qualifier in Bangladesh on June 10 with some confidence after beating the Maldives 3-1 in an international friendly at the Bishan Stadium on June 5.
Tsutomu Ogura's men had scored just once in their last five matches, and are missing star forward Shawal Anuar, who is set to undergo a medical procedure during this period, but were bright and clinical in attack against the woeful visitors, whose domestic league was suspended for the last two years.
The Japanese coach made five changes to the side that started in the goalless Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong in March as fit-again striker Ikhsan made a timely return as the lone targetman in a 4-5-1 system.
Young Lions forward Amir Syafiz was handed his Lions debut on the wing, South Korea-born midfielder Song Ui-young returned to the fold as his mother recovers from a stroke, while Jordan Emaviwe slotted in at left-back for his fourth cap, and Irfan Najeeb started at right-back.
Almost all the incoming players had a hand in the opening of floodgates.
Amir had already stung the palms of Hussain Shareef with his fourth-minute effort, before Amirul headed in Song's corner three minutes later for his first international goal on his 35th appearance.
Ikhsan, who had not played for the world No. 161 Lions in the past year due to a series of injuries, then cushioned in a header off Harhys Stewart's left-wing cross in the 20th minute before nodding in Song's free-kick 12 minutes later for his 19th and 20th international goals on his 39th cap.
While they generally played well in the first half, there will also be some areas of concern in defence, most notably in how susceptible they looked in transition and how they conceded large swathes of space and opportunities to their 164th-ranked opponents.
Following a defensive lapse, Ali Fasir found himself one-on-one with Izwan Mahbud but thumped his shot against the bar in the 44th minute.
Ten minutes after the restart, Hamza Mohamed managed to find Ali in the box again, but the latter volleyed wide.
While the introduction of Faris Ramli, Kyoga Nakamura, Ilhan Fandi and Taufik Suparno did add attacking threat, as Song hit the post in the 61st minute, it was the visitors who created more opportunities as the match was reduced to walking pace at times in the second half.
Safuwan Baharudin fouled Hassan Nazeem unnecessarily in the box for Ahmed Rizuvan to net a consolation penalty in added time to remind the Lions not to be complacent against 183rd-ranked Bangladesh in five days' time.
David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis.
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