PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA — Singapore head coach Gavin Lee believes his side is ready for the challenge ahead as the Lions open their AFF Cup campaign against hosts Cambodia at Phnom Penh’s National Stadium on Friday (24 July, 8pm).

After more than a month of preparations, Lee said the squad is eager to put its work into action, stressing the importance of making a positive start in what promises to be a competitive group. “The first game of any competition is always tricky, but it’s also very important,” said Lee at Wednesday’s pre-match press conference.

“We started our preparations 31 days ago, and tomorrow is the test that we’ve been preparing for. The group is excited and can’t wait for the game.”

Singapore have been drawn alongside regional heavyweights Vietnam and Indonesia, but Lee insisted his team’s approach remains unchanged regardless of the opposition. “We recognise there are strong competitors in our group, but our mantra has not changed. We take one game at a time,” he said.

“Tomorrow night’s match is the most important game because it’s the one right in front of us. Once we’ve crossed that bridge, we’ll focus on the next challenge.”

Rather than setting specific tournament milestones, Lee said his focus is on ensuring the team continues the progress shown since qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup. “We always evaluate ourselves based on our performances,” he said.

“The key question is whether we’re becoming more consistent during the big moments. In the past, we’ve allowed certain situations to affect what we do next. Going forward, we have to remain calm and consistent.”

Lee added that the tournament would provide another opportunity to test his players’ resilience. “We’ll be looking at how we respond to difficult situations and setbacks during matches. Hopefully, the experiences we’ve gained from our recent away matches and our training camp in Okinawa will help us take the next step.”

Singapore striker Shawal Anuar echoed his coach’s confidence, saying the squad is focused on delivering a collective performance rather than relying on individuals. “We’re all really excited,” said Shawal. “We know every game in this tournament is important. We want to get off to a good start, and we can’t wait.”

Asked about taking on greater responsibility as one of the team’s senior forwards, Shawal said leadership would come from across the squad. “Every player is important in this tournament,” he said.

“My job is to score and help the team as much as possible, but goals can come from every position. We qualified for the Asian Cup as a team, and we’ll play every game as a team.”

He added that while every side enters the tournament with ambitions of lifting the trophy, Singapore’s immediate priority is its performance on the pitch. “Everyone comes into this tournament wanting to win it,” he said. “But we’ll take it one game at a time. The most important thing is controlling our own performance because that’s what we can control. At the end of the day, we just have to go out there and give our best.”

Kick-off at Phnom Penh’s National Stadium is scheduled for 8pm, with Singapore looking to begin its AFF Cup campaign on a winning note against the hosts.