6 players will represent Singapore at the Under-23 age group for the first time 

 

Ryhan Stewart during a training session on 8 February 2022. 

 

SINGAPORE, 12 FEBRUARY 2022 – Singapore Under-23 Men’s National Team Head Coach Nazri Nasir today named a final squad of 24 players for the upcoming ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U23 Championship 2022.

 

The players will travel to Phnom Penh, Cambodia and begin their Group C campaign against Thailand on 16 February 2022 before facing Vietnam three days later. All of Singapore’s matches will be streamed live on the Football Association of Singapore’s Facebook page.

 

The final squad was trimmed from a provisional squad of 29 players and has been undergoing centralised training since 1 February 2022.

 

Six players have been called up to represent Singapore at the Under-23 age group for the first time. They are goalkeepers Umayr Sujuandy and Riki Kimura, defender Syed Akmal, midfielders Danish Qayyum and Abdul Rasaq and striker Nicky Melvin. Saifullah Akbar, Glenn Kweh and Farhan Zulkifli will look to build on their promising displays during the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U23 Asian Cup qualifiers last year and are set to play influential roles in Cambodia.

 

While majority of the squad will depart Singapore this afternoon, four players are scheduled to link up with the team at a later time. Irfan Najeeb, Daniel Goh and Zikos Chua will only travel to Cambodia once their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests return negative results. The trio tested positive for a pre-flight PCR test yesterday evening, but are deemed to have a low viral load as they are currently asymptomatic. Similarly, forward Khairin Nadim is currently recovering after testing positive earlier in the week and will join his teammates when he is medically cleared to do so.

 

Meanwhile, defender Nur Adam Abdullah has been ruled out of the tournament with an injury after straining a ligament in his right knee during a practice match.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by FAS (@fasingapore)

 

Head Coach Nazri Nasir said: “This is only the second international competition in two years for the boys after last October’s AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers, so I’m excited that they have another opportunity to test themselves against quality oppositions. The boys know the importance of this tournament and I am confident that this opportunity will bode well for their development, especially at this stage of their careers.

 

“A majority of the players were called up for the AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers last year and I know they are eager to show how much they have improved and matured since. In Cambodia, the boys must also seize the opportunity to prove that they deserve to represent Singapore at the upcoming Southeast Asian Games.

 

“While I had hoped that we would have been able to bring along a couple more players with us, I understand the challenging circumstances that we are faced with. Nevertheless, my coaching staff and I have faith in the depth of our squad and we know these boys will give their utmost best when called upon. The mood is good and everyone is excited to kickstart our Group C campaign.”

 

Team Captain Jacob Mahler added: “The boys have showed tremendous commitment, both on and off the pitch, to prepare for the tournament. Everyone is determined to build on our showing at the AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers last year and we want to put up performances which will make Singaporeans proud, just like the senior side during the Suzuki Cup last year.”

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by FAS (@fasingapore)

 

The winner of each group and the overall best runner-up team will qualify for the semi-finals, which will take place on 24 February 2022. The final and thi^rd-placing match will take place two days later on 26 February 2022. These matches will be held at Morodok Techo National Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

 

The third edition of the AFF U23 Championship will take place from 14 to 26 February 2022. It will be Singapore’s second time participating in the tournament after deciding to pull out of the 2019 edition to prepare for the AFC U23 Championship Qualifiers then. Singapore finished as runners-up in the inaugural edition in 2005.

 

Singapore Squad for AFF Under-23 Championship 2022 

S/N	Name	Pos	DOB	Club
1	Ridhwan Fikri	GK	29-Apr-99	Young Lions
2	Riki Kimura	GK	14-Nov-00	Balestier Khalsa
3	Umayr Sujuandy	GK	18-Feb-03	Young Lions
4	Danish Irfan	DF	10-Mar-99	Young Lions
5	Irfan Najeeb	DF	31-Jul-99	Tampines Rovers
6	Jacob Mahler	DF	10-Apr-00	Young Lions
7	Jordan Emaviwe	DF	09-Apr-01	Young Lions
8	Raoul Suhaimi	DF	18-Sep-05	Young Lions
9	Ryaan Sanizal	DF	31-May-02	Tampines Rovers
10	Ryhan Stewart	DF	15-Feb-00	Young Lions
11	Syed Akmal	DF	28-Apr-00	Young Lions
12	Abdul Rasaq	MF	16-Jun-01	Young Lions
13	Daniel Goh	MF	13-Aug-99	Young Lions
14	Danish Qayyum	MF	02-Feb-02	Young Lions
15	Farhan Zulkifli	MF	10-Nov-02	Hougang United
16	Jared Gallagher	MF	18-Jan-02	Young Lions
17	Saifullah Akbar	MF	31-Jan-99	Lion City Sailors
18	Shah Shahiran	MF	14-Nov-99	Young Lions
19	Zamani Zamri	MF	31-May-01	Young Lions
20	Glenn Kweh	FW	26-Mar-00	Young Lions
21	Ilhan Fandi	FW	08-Nov-02	Young Lions
22	Khairin Nadim	FW	08-May-04	Young Lions
23	Nicky Melvin	FW	13-Jun-02	Albirex Niigata (S)
24	Zikos Chua	FW	15-Apr-02	Young Lions

AFF Under-23 Championship 2022 Group C fixtures

Date	Time	Match	Venue
16 February 2022 Wednesday	8.00pm SGT	Thailand vs Singapore	Prince Stadium
19 February 2022 Saturday	8.00pm SGT	Singapore vs Vietnam

 

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE

 

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!