SINGAPORE – Singapore maintained their strong start to the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026 with a 2-0 victory over Timor-Leste at Jalan Besar Stadium on Monday (27 July), making it back-to-back wins in Group A ahead of a crucial clash with defending champions Vietnam.

Goals from Ilhan Fandi and Song Ui-young on either side of half-time secured another three points for the Lions, who produced a more assured display after opening their campaign with victory over Cambodia.

Backed by a vocal home crowd, Singapore dominated possession from the opening whistle but found Timor-Leste difficult to break down. The visitors sat deep and remained disciplined defensively, while Shah Shahiran was called upon on several occasions to sweep up loose balls as the Lions patiently searched for an opening.

Singapore thought they had broken the deadlock in the 29th minute when Ilhan found the back of the net, only for the effort to be ruled out.

The Lions, however, remained patient and were rewarded just before the break. In the 41st minute, Nur Adam Abdullah produced an excellent cross from the left that picked out Ilhan, who powered a header into the bottom corner to finally give Singapore a deserved 1-0 lead heading into half-time.

Singapore carried that momentum into the second half and nearly doubled their advantage almost immediately, with Ilhan going close once again.

The second goal arrived in the 54th minute through another well-worked move. Kyoga Nakamura delivered an inviting cross into the penalty area, where Song Ui-young rose highest to glance his header into the bottom corner for his first goal of the tournament.

With a two-goal cushion, Singapore began to move the ball with greater confidence. Substitute Shawal Anuar immediately linked up well with Ilhan, whose clever flick sent Shawal through before he squared the ball for Glenn Kweh. The winger came close to adding a third, but his effort drifted narrowly wide.

Nur Adam continued to impress throughout, combining defensive discipline with attacking intent in one of his most influential performances in a Singapore shirt.

Despite the home crowd urging the Lions forward in search of more goals, Singapore controlled possession professionally in the closing stages, limiting Timor-Leste to few meaningful opportunities as they secured consecutive clean sheets to start the campaign.

The result moves Singapore onto six points from two matches, providing valuable momentum ahead of their toughest Group A assignment against Vietnam.

Head coach Gavin Lee felt the performance represented a step forward from Singapore’s opening victory over Cambodia, although he admitted there was still room for improvement. “I thought the performance was better than it was against Cambodia. We accumulated a lot of small wins throughout the game, which helped us build momentum.”

While satisfied with the result, Lee believed his side could have been even more clinical in front of goal. “Credit to the boys for taking their chances and scoring two good goals. I thought we could have scored a few more, but keeping a clean sheet is always nice.”

He also praised the team’s steady progress throughout the tournament. “We just want to take it step by step and continue progressing towards the level we aspire to reach.”

Lee reserved special praise for Nur Adam, whose cross created Singapore’s opening goal. “Adam was very good today. He contributed a lot to the team and that was very important for us.”

He also highlighted the contribution of those introduced from the bench. “It wasn’t just him. The players who came on also made a positive impact.”

Glenn Kweh also earned recognition for carrying out a role that may not always be reflected on the scoresheet. “Every player has a different role depending on the game plan. Glenn’s role was to help create space, offer an outlet and do the defensive work that was very important for us. He had a better game today. He dealt well with what happened previously, put it behind him and reached the level we needed from him.”

With Vietnam next on the schedule, Lee stressed that Singapore would enjoy the victory before shifting their focus to the defending champions. “For the next 24 hours, we should enjoy this win. A win is a win,” said Lee. “After that, we’ll recover and move on because we have experienced senior players who will keep us grounded.”

“Like every performance, we’re always looking to improve. It’s about continuing to progress throughout this competition. Pressure is a privilege; we’re in this position because we’ve earned it. We have to block out the noise, but at the same time we want to live up to everyone’s expectations.”

After seeing another goal ruled out, Ilhan Fandi admitted it was frustrating but was pleased with the way the team responded. “Of course I thought it should have stood, but we always have to accept the decision. Whenever things don’t go our way, we try to stay in the game. I think that fighting spirit helped us.”

“Credit to the fans as well. They kept pushing us on and we knew the goal would come. Thankfully it did, and I’m really happy to get on the scoresheet.”

The striker also revealed that both of Singapore’s goals came from movements rehearsed on the training pitch. “It was nice to see a better performance from the boys. It’s always satisfying when something you’ve worked on in training comes off in a game. The diagonal switches led to both goals, so it was nice to contribute.”

Ilhan was equally delighted to see Song Ui-young score. “I’m very close to Song, so it was great to see him score. Hopefully more players can get on the scoresheet,” he said. “Of course I was happy for him. We’re a team at the end of the day. It’s always nice to see someone else score as well. It’s something we worked on in training.”

Looking ahead, the striker believes the Lions still have another level to reach. “Overall, it was a great team performance, but there’s still plenty we can improve before Vietnam. Now we have to recover well and look ahead to the next game.”

Timor-Leste head coach José Pedro took positives from his side’s display despite falling to a second consecutive defeat. “We knew we were going to face a difficult, physical game. Singapore are a strong team playing at home with the confidence from winning their first match.”

Pedro was encouraged by how his young team grew into the contest after the break. “As the game went on, we gradually improved, especially in the final 15 to 20 minutes. Those are the positives we want to build on. If we want to grow, we have to continue in that direction.”

He felt his substitutions made a positive impact. “The substitutions helped improve the team and gave us fresh energy. Our attacking play was better in the second half, particularly in the last 15 to 20 minutes.”

The Timor-Leste coach also pointed to the youthfulness of his squad. “We are experiencing the growing pains of a very young team. We have players who are 17, 18 and 19 years old playing in this type of competition, many of them starting for the first time. They need matches like this to continue their development.”

Pedro also acknowledged Singapore’s quality on the night. “Singapore’s defensive quality and the individual quality of their players made things very difficult for us.”

While disappointed with the result, he remained optimistic about his team’s progress. “I’m happy with the improvement in our performance, even though I’m not happy with the result.”

With maximum points from their opening two Group A matches, Singapore now turn their attention to their biggest test yet as they travel to face defending champions Vietnam, knowing another positive result would significantly strengthen their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.