The Singapore Women’s National Team, led by Head Coach Melisa Ye, departed for Chonburi, Thailand today for the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Women’s Championship 2019.
Singapore will kick-off against Timor-Leste in their opening Group A game on 15 August. Their second game will see them play hosts Thailand – who recently competed at the FIFA World Cup for the second time – two days later. The Lionesses will then face Causeway rivals Malaysia on 19 August before rounding up their group stage campaign against the Philippines on 23 August.
The 23-strong squad includes Danelle Tan and Dhaniyah Qasimah, both of whom have been called up from the Under-15 Women’s National Team.
“This is a relatively young squad which we have put together for the tournament,” Melisa said. “While we recognise the need for players who have international experience, we are also mindful of the importance of blooding young talent, such as Danelle and Dhaniyah, into the squad. I believe that the younger ones will benefit greatly from the guidance of the senior players.
“We find ourselves in a tough group that contains the host and 2019 World Cup finalists Thailand. The key thing I want from my players is that they should show no fear and play with pride when they step onto the pitch. It is important for them to get exposure and experience at the international level, and they should use this opportunity to put up a good fight in the tournament to show what they can do and where they stand against our regional opponents.”
Leading up to the tournament, the Lionesses competed in the Arafura Games 2019 and played international friendlies against Vanuatu, Fiji and Myanmar as part of their preparations.
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