29 players in contention to book their spot in the squad to travel to Hangzhou
for the Lionesses’ Asian Games debut

 

 

SINGAPORE, 29 AUGUST 2023 – Singapore Women’s National Team Head Coach Karim Bencherifa today named a provisional squad of 29 players for the Lionesses’ upcoming Asian Games campaign in Hangzhou, China.

 

Coach Karim has retained a core of the squad from those that took part in the 32^nd SEA Games in May, and recent friendly against Pakistan in July. Captain Siti Rosnani Azman, midfielders Farhanah Ruhaizat and Sitianiwati Rosielin, defenders Venetia Lim and Syazwani Ruzi, forward Nicole Lim, and veteran goalkeeper Noor Kusumawati – who will be potentially looking to make her 50^th cap for the country in the Asian Games – have all been retained. Young talents Sarah Zu’risqha and Farah Nurzahirah, who each made their senior debut in the Pakistan friendly, will look to make their first appearance in a major tournament. Both players were instrumental during the friendly, Farah scoring her first goal for the country via Sarah’s pivotal assist.

 

Irsalina Irwan, who played her first full 90 minutes in the last friendly, and one of the eight recipients of the first overseas scholarship by the Unleash the Roar! (UTR) national football project, has also been called up to the squad, and will be returning from Florida next month to join the team for training.

 

Coach Karim has also introduced a host of fresh faces to the provisional squad, all of whom are potentially seeking their first senior cap at the tournament – 19-year-old midfielder Nasriah Ibrahim, who was part of the team that took part in last month’s AFF Under-19 Championship in Palembang, Indonesia, 19-year-old midfielder Rachel Chan, who represented Singapore for the first time this year in February with the Under-19 team for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2024 Qualifiers in Vietnam as well as Tampines Rovers defender Nursabrinah Iskandar Shah, whose performances in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) have earned her a first provisional call-up to the senior team.

 

The provisional lineup will also include the return of midfielders Dorcas Chu and Mastura Jeilani. Dorcas has overcome anterior cruciate ligament injuries sustained in late 2022, while Mastura makes her comeback following her previous appearance in the 2022 SEA Games.

 

Vice-captain Stephanie Gigette in a training session, March 2023. 

 

Tampines Rovers’ Stephanie Gigette is looking forward to the Games, saying: “We are approaching the 2022 Asian Games with an unwavering sense determination and a strong desire to make our mark on the international stage. Representing Singapore fills us with immense pride, and we are acutely aware of the responsibility we carry as ambassadors of our nation.

 

Under the guidance of Coach Karim Bencherifa, who took the reins of our team in February this year, the players have undergone a transformative journey in our approach to the game. His coaching methods have not only elevated our skills but have also instilled a deep sense of unity and purpose within the squad. We are adapting and thriving in the dynamic training environment he has set up, which pushes us to exceed our limits every day.

 

With the support of our fans and the commitment of every player on this team, we are embracing the challenge that the Asian Games present. We are ready to showcase our dedication, sportsmanship, and the progress we have made as a team. This tournament is not just a competition for us; it’s a testament to our hard work, resilience, and the bright future we envision for women’s football in Singapore.”

 

Centralised training for the Lionesses will begin today, 29 August 2023. A final squad of 20 players will be named ahead of the team’s departure on Wednesday, 20 September 2023.

 

Singapore will face three-time Asian Games champions North Korea and Cambodia in Group C of the 19th Asian Games, which will take place from 23 September to 8 October 2023 in Hangzhou, China. Women’s football was included in the Asian Games for the first time in 1990, and the Lionesses have never participated in any of the previous eight editions; 11 teams competed in each of the past two editions.

 

 

Singapore Women’s National Team Provisional Squad for 19^th Asian Games

S/N	Name	Pos	Caps	DOB	Club
1	Noor Kusumawati	GK	49	29-Sep-90	Lion City Sailors
2	Beatrice Tan	GK	11	29-Jun-92	Lion City Sailors
3	Erlinawaty Jaffar	GK	10	10-Nov-85	Hougang United
4	Haziqah Haszman	GK	1	29-Apr-03	Tanjong Pagar United
5	Azura Azlan	GK	0	12-May-03	Hougang United
6	Irsalina Irwan	DF	4	01-Jan-07	Albirex Niigata (S)
7	Syazwani Ruzi	DF	25	20-Dec-01	Lion City Sailors
8	Umairah Hamdan	DF	27	11-Mar-02	Lion City Sailors
9	Rosnani Azman	DF	37	22-May-97	Hougang United
10	Adrianna Hazeri	DF	0	3-Jul-04	Tanjong Pagar United
11	Nursabrina Iskandar Shah	DF	0	20-Feb-02	Tampines Rovers
12	Nurerwadah Erwan	DF	2	26-Jun-04	Balestier Khalsa
13	Dhaniyah Qasimah	MF	25	7-July-04	Tanjong Pagar United
14	Khairunnisa Anwar	MF	9	21-Feb-03	Lion City Sailors
15	Venetia Lim	MF	18	14-Oct-03	Lion City Sailors
16	Farhanah Ruhaizat	MF	36	26-Jul-98	Tampines Rovers
17	Nasriah Ibrahim	MF	0	1-Sept-04	Balestier Khalsa
18	Rachel Chan	MF	0	25-Aug-04	Hougang United
19	Sitianiwati Rosielin	MF	25	26-May-97	Police Sports Association
20	Stephanie Gigette	MF	33	27-Sep-98	Tampines Rovers
21	Ho Hui Xin	MF	32	23-Apr-92	Lion City Sailors
22	Afiqah Omar	MF	7	15-Oct-01	Tampines Rovers
23	Sarah Zu’risqha	MF	1	24-Jul-06	Albirex Niigata (S)
24	Dorcas Chu	MF	18	29-Jul-02	Lion City Sailors
25	Mastura Jeilani	MF	14	10-Jul-92	Balestier Khalsa
26	Qarissa Putri Ramadhani	MF	0	24-Sep-08	Tanjong Pagar United
27	Farah Nurzahirah	FW	1	13-Jan-04	Tanjong Pagar United
28	Raudhah Kamis	FW	24	4-Mar-99	Hougang United
29	Nicole Lim	FW	7	10-Apr-02	University of Edinburgh

 

19^th Asian Games Group C Fixtures

Match	Date	Time	Venue
24 Sep 2023, Sunday	7.30pm (SGT)	Cambodia vs Singapore	Wenzhou Sports Centre Stadium
27 Sep 2023, Wednesday	4pm (SGT)	Singapore vs DPR Korea

 

 

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE

Follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram!