Singapore's footballers to play 3 matches against Japanese clubs instead of international friendlies

SINGAPORE: Singapore men's football team will play against top Japanese league sides instead of international friendlies ahead of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Championship, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced on Wednesday (Aug 28).

The Lions will play two home training matches in September. They will head to Japan for a training camp the following month, with three friendlies against J1 League clubs lined up.

The matches in September will be against BG Tampines Rovers and Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim on Sep 6 and 7. Both matches will be played behind closed doors at Kallang Football Hub.

A total of 28 players have been called up for centralised training. Hougang United’s Ajay Robson and Geylang International striker Zikos Chua earned first call-ups to the senior side.

The next FIFA international window will be from Sep 2 to 10, but to “work hand-in-hand” with clubs in managing their schedules, players’ commitments to the national team will end on Sep 8, said FAS.

After the Japan training camp in October, the Lions will play international friendlies against Myanmar and Chinese Taipei in November.

Speaking to the media at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Wednesday, head coach Tsutomu Ogura said this would be the "best" preparation for the AFF Championship, which will be held from Dec 8 to Jan 5.

Efforts were made to search for international sides that matched training objectives but none were available, said an FAS spokesperson.

The priority in September is a week of centralised training and bedding in new players, said Ogura.

Games against the Japanese teams in October will provide the Lions with top-level competition and also get newer players used to the rigours of travel between games.

Ogura was unveiled as