Lions to face Jordan again in Asian Cup qualifiers
Almost three years ago, Singapore's dream of qualifying for the Asian Cup was snuffed out by a 2-1 loss to Jordan at the King Abdullah Stadium. Come February, the Lions will begin their qualifying campaign for Asia's top football tournament against the same opponents.
The draw for the qualifying tournament for the 2015 Asian Cup was held in Melbourne on Tuesday, with Singapore thrown into Group A alongside Jordan, Syria and Oman. The Republic will kick off their qualification quest on Feb 6.
The tournament proper will be hosted by Australia in 2015.
"It's a tough group and we mustn't forget that the national team is going through a transition period now, with a lot of senior players having left the team," said Lions midfielder Hariss Harun, who was the youngest player in Radojko Avramovic's Lions side at 19 when he took to the pitch in Amman on that fateful day.
A draw would've seen the Lions qualify for the Asian Cup.
Singapore are easing into their preparations for the year-end Suzuki Cup and will face India next Tuesday in a friendly match. After a fiery encounter - and a post-match altercation - at the National Stadium in January 2009 that Singapore won 2-1, the Jordanians promised a hostile reception in Amman. While Hariss remembers the intimidation, he believes it is all water under the bridge.
"That was almost three years ago and Jordan managed to progress into the Asian Cup proper last year. I'm sure qualification will be foremost on their minds this time round - and ours too," he said.
Jordan did not just make up the numbers at the 2011 Doha tournament. They went as far as the quarter-finals, where they fell 2-1 to Uzbekistan.
In contrast, Singapore has never qualified for Asia's top football tournament. The Republic did play in the 1984 edition because they hosted the competition but crashed out at the group stage. - TODAY
Almost three years ago, Singapore's dream of qualifying for the Asian Cup was snuffed out by a 2-1 loss to Jordan at the King Abdullah Stadium. Come February, the Lions will begin their qualifying campaign for Asia's top football tournament against the same opponents.
The draw for the qualifying tournament for the 2015 Asian Cup was held in Melbourne on Tuesday, with Singapore thrown into Group A alongside Jordan, Syria and Oman. The Republic will kick off their qualification quest on Feb 6.
The tournament proper will be hosted by Australia in 2015.
"It's a tough group and we mustn't forget that the national team is going through a transition period now, with a lot of senior players having left the team," said Lions midfielder Hariss Harun, who was the youngest player in Radojko Avramovic's Lions side at 19 when he took to the pitch in Amman on that fateful day.
A draw would've seen the Lions qualify for the Asian Cup.
Singapore are easing into their preparations for the year-end Suzuki Cup and will face India next Tuesday in a friendly match. After a fiery encounter - and a post-match altercation - at the National Stadium in January 2009 that Singapore won 2-1, the Jordanians promised a hostile reception in Amman. While Hariss remembers the intimidation, he believes it is all water under the bridge.
"That was almost three years ago and Jordan managed to progress into the Asian Cup proper last year. I'm sure qualification will be foremost on their minds this time round - and ours too," he said.
Jordan did not just make up the numbers at the 2011 Doha tournament. They went as far as the quarter-finals, where they fell 2-1 to Uzbekistan.
In contrast, Singapore has never qualified for Asia's top football tournament. The Republic did play in the 1984 edition because they hosted the competition but crashed out at the group stage. - TODAY
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