Singapore head coach Gavin Lee and forward Ilhan Fandi are keeping their focus on the task at hand as the Lions prepare to face Thailand in the first leg of their ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026 semi-final at Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday.

SINGAPORE – Singapore head coach Gavin Lee has urged his players to keep their feet firmly on the ground as the Lions prepare for one of their biggest tests of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026, with Thailand standing between them and a place in the final.

The first leg takes place at Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday, 15 August at 9pm Singapore time, with the return leg scheduled for Tuesday, 18 August at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium. Singapore booked their place in the last four with a 1-1 draw against Indonesia on 7 August, completing an unbeaten Group A campaign featuring two wins and two draws. Thailand, meanwhile, arrive as Group B winners and are chasing a record eighth ASEAN championship title.

Despite the weight of history and the challenge posed by a Thailand side that has yet to concede in the tournament, Lee said his team would not allow past results or statistics to dictate their approach. “First and foremost, our approach ever since the Asian Cup, all these numbers, it just gives you the context, it just informs you, but it doesn’t own us,” said Lee.

“If we allow the numbers to own us, then shame on us. It only informs us of the kind of challenge that we can expect. Ultimately, the only number is one — we are focused on the next one, which is the next game, and that’s our responsibility now.”

Singapore have lost their last 10 meetings with Thailand, but Lee believes those numbers should serve only as context rather than a psychological burden. For him, the immediate objective is simple: produce a performance that gives Singapore a strong platform heading into the second leg. “If we get a performance, and the result follows, then it’s all in the next game. It’s only half time, so there’s nothing to be too pleased about,” he said.

Lee also believes that playing the first leg at home can be turned into an advantage if Singapore can put Thailand under pressure before travelling to Bangkok. “If we can get a good performance today, and then we can bring that to Thailand, then again, the pressure is on,” he said. “For us to do our job, then it will just focus on us again, and continue to do what we do.”

The Lions enter the semi-final with confidence built not only on their results, but on the progress the squad has made throughout the campaign. Lee highlighted the growing belief and unity within the group, saying the team has continued to develop from one international window to the next. “You’ve seen the team grow from window to window — the belief, the unity, and when they’re out there, they’re really one unit,” he said.

Ilhan Fandi echoed that sentiment, insisting that the squad’s progress has been driven by an unwavering belief in itself despite being regarded as an underdog at the start of the tournament. “Firstly, we have to believe in ourselves, and that’s what we did since day one,” said Ilhan. “Nobody knew that we could qualify for the Asia Cup. We did it.”

“Obviously, we haven’t done anything yet so far, but the boys are still hungry and always motivated to do even more. We’re going to continue believing in ourselves and getting people on board to believe in us.”

The forward also believes the extended preparation period has given the squad the chance to recover from the demands of a congested tournament schedule. “I think the boys have been very tired with the back-to-back schedule and the travelling and everything like that,” he said. “But for me, it doesn’t matter. We are still going to go out there and try and do our best. Whether it’s two days, three days, we are professionals. It’s our job, so go out there and enjoy football.”

The overwhelming demand for tickets for the semi-final has been another source of encouragement for the Singapore camp, with the players aware of the expectations that will accompany a packed Jalan Besar Stadium. Lee said the support is a reflection of the growing connection between the national team and its supporters. “For us, when we see the clamour for tickets, and the tickets being sold out in another seven minutes or something, it’s so heartening to see such support,” he said.

“It just motivates us even more, because tomorrow when we go there, we really want to put up a performance that’s worthy of such support.”

Ilhan admitted that while it was disappointing that some supporters were unable to secure tickets, the unprecedented demand was ultimately a positive sign for Singapore football. “As a player, to see this type of thing happening makes the players want to push even more and give back to the fans,” he said. “I can assure you that the players will give 110 per cent tomorrow. I think it’s good for Singapore football to see this type of thing happening, and hopefully in the Singapore Premier League as well.”

For Lee, the supporters have become an important part of the team’s journey. “The strength of this team is the team, but the fans are a big part of the team,” he said. “Window to window, the team is growing bigger and bigger because we have gotten more and more support, and we want to continue to do that.”

“Tomorrow night, it will be so important that the team does the job. The fans will bring the noise, bring the emotions, and that’s what they will do. But for us really is to go there and bring our performance worthy of that support that the fans have been giving us.”

Thailand head coach Anthony Hudson also struck a measured tone ahead of the semi-final, praising Singapore’s development under Lee and insisting there would be no room for complacency.

Thailand have enjoyed a strong defensive campaign and are one clean sheet away from equalling their national record of six consecutive clean sheets in the competition. However, Hudson said records would not be allowed to distract his players from the larger objective. “To be honest, I don’t really look too much or think too much about records,” said Hudson. “It would obviously be nice if that happens. We take a lot of pride in not just how we defend our goal, but how we defend as a team and how we attack.”

The Thai coach also praised the depth of his squad, which has allowed him to rotate players throughout the group stage while protecting several players carrying yellow cards. “We’ve been able to rotate the squad over the course of these games and we’ve been able to protect five players on the yellow cards,” he said.“As a coaching staff, I feel very fortunate to have a group of players that have stepped up when they needed to and done a really good job.”

Hudson was equally clear that Thailand would not be taking Singapore lightly. “We have a great deal of respect for Singapore,” he said. “I think they’ve improved a lot over the past stage of the Cup campaign. I think the coach has done a great job.”

“They’re a team that gives everything. They’re very proud. So, a good team. We respect the opponent. With regards to tomorrow, there will be no complacency. Absolutely none.”

Thailand midfielder Waris Choolthong singled out Ilhan Fandi as one of Singapore’s key threats, pointing to the forward’s pace, physical attributes and finishing ability. “Ilhan is a very talented young player,” said Waris. “He’s good at shooting and he’s also fast and has a great body. He has a lot of qualities in terms of physical strength and finishing, especially his speed.”

“We have no underestimation of Ilhan. We’ll keep an eye on him and we’ll do our best tomorrow.”

Hudson revealed that he has maintained a friendly relationship with Ilhan during the tournament, regularly messaging the Singapore forward — although he joked that the friendship would be put aside once the semi-final begins. “It’s funny because I was messaging him throughout the group games and sending him some funny jokes. He’s a great guy as well,” Hudson said. “But for 90 minutes, I don’t think we’re going to be friends. We will not be friends with him after the final whistle.”

Hudson’s respect extends beyond Ilhan, however, with the Thailand coach describing Singapore as a well-organised side with a clear tactical identity. “When I look at the Singapore team, they are a well-organised team. I think Gavin’s done a really good job. There’s a clear tactical idea when they play,” he said.

“We come here fully aware of their threats, how they play. We know they’re a team that we have to be at our very best. But we also know coming into the game that we are a good team. We are a strong team. We have very, very good players.”

With the two-legged semi-final offering little margin for error, both camps stressed the importance of concentrating solely on Saturday’s opening encounter. Hudson said Thailand were not allowing themselves to think about the return leg in Bangkok. “We are not thinking about the home game. We are not even allowing ourselves to think about the home game,” he said. “It’s all about tomorrow and that’s our approach. The second game doesn’t exist for us right now.”

Lee’s philosophy is much the same. For Singapore, the focus will be on making home advantage count, delivering a performance worthy of the supporters at Jalan Besar and carrying a positive result into the second leg.

The Lions know they face a formidable opponent, but Lee is adamant that history will not decide what happens next. “We respect them as our opposition, but we respect ourselves a little more with the group that we have,” he said. “We put our attention on us, we focus on our plan and we go out there and do our jobs.”

With both sides refusing to look beyond the opening 90 minutes, the stage is set for a semi-final in which composure, belief and execution could prove decisive.

Singapore plays Thailand on 15th August 2026 at Jalan Besar Stadium. Kick-off is at 9pm SGT.