Mon Nov 18 15:34:53 UTC 2024: ## Singapore’s Lions Suffer Shock Defeat Ahead of AFF Championship
**Singapore** – Singapore’s national football team, the Lions, suffered a disappointing 3-2 loss to Chinese Taipei in their final pre-AFF Championship friendly on Friday. The defeat, in front of 6,764 fans at the National Stadium, comes just three weeks before their opening match against Cambodia in the same venue on December 11th.
Coach Tsutomu Ogura fielded a largely experimental lineup, making nine changes from the team that beat Myanmar earlier this month. This strategy, coupled with a slow start, allowed Chinese Taipei to take the lead in the 22nd minute through Christopher Tiao Tian-long. They extended their advantage in the 73rd minute with a goal from Miguel Filip Sandberg.
Substitute Irfan Najeeb pulled one back for Singapore in the 85th minute, igniting the home crowd. However, Ange Kouame quickly restored Chinese Taipei’s two-goal cushion before Shawal Anuar scored a late consolation goal.
The loss will be a setback for the Lions, who were hoping for a confidence boost ahead of the AFF Championship, also known as the Asean Mitsubishi Electric Cup. Their Group A campaign begins against Cambodia on December 11th, followed by matches against Timor-Leste, Thailand, and Malaysia.
First Piper 