Hong Kong head to the Lion City this coming March 25th as they kick off their 2027 Asian Cup third round Group C qualifier against Singapore. The two sides are also drawn with India and Bangladesh and the winner of this challenging group will head to the finals in Saudi Arabia.
Hong Kong will be looking to reach their fifth finals (1956, 1964, 1968 + 2023) while Singapore have qualified once in 1984 as hosts.
Hong Kong’s final warm-up was a 2-0 win against Macau last Wednesday while Singapore’s preparations were turned upside down following a 1-0 home defeat to Nepal; Gillespye Jung Karki’s goal in the 12th minute was enough to seal a historic win.
The group is so competitive that a positive result, in this opening match, for either side, could be the difference between going to Saudi Arabia or another cycle of missed opportunities.
Rhysh Roshan Rai, is one of Asia’s top football commentators who knowledge and opinions on the state of the continental game were heard throughout the Asian Cup 2023 and constantly through the on-going Asian Champions League Elite and ACL 2 matches.
Rai kindly took the time to give his insights into what could be a hugely entertaining match.
Who in the Singapore squad should HK fans look out for?
“Kyoga Nakamura, Ilhan Fandi and Shawal Anuar are a few players to watch. Nakamura is a highly technical central midfielder with vision, good passing and he also has the ability to dribble/carry the ball past the opposition to break lines and progress the play.
Ilhan Fandi has had his injury issues but is working his way back into form and is getting some minutes with BG Pathum. He’s capable of some special moments and is an intelligent player who operates best between the lines.
Shawal Anuar is in top goal scoring form this season. He has produced the most goals of his career in the SPL and is also the top scorer for his club in ACL Two with 8 goals. His speed and movement off the ball is excellent. He’s a big threat in counter attacking situations and is a good finisher.”
Singapore had a decent run at the recent AFF championships – Do you think the team has momentum going into the qualifiers?
“Those championships were a few months ago now but they should feel confident going into this game even if they are missing some players like Ikhsan Fandi for example. They will also have had more time working with Ogura so that will hopefully help them in this group. They need to make the most of their home matches.”
How do Singapore fans and the media view coach – Tsutomu Ogura?
“At the moment, he is a popular figure especially after an encouraging performance at the AFF Championship. Ogura knows how to work the media and has also been able to produce some good football with the national team. They seem to have a clear idea and identity now. Ogura’s communication skills are also much better than previous coaches.”
What is your prediction for the Hong Kong match and how do you think the group will play out?
“This is such a tough group to call because I feel it will be very competitive. The teams are quite similar in terms of their quality and head to head records against each other.
I think Hong Kong will be slight favourites against Singapore with the squad they have announced and with Singapore missing some players. With only one spot available for qualification, this will be a closely fought battle across the campaign.”
Thank You
Singapore versus Hong Kong – Singapore National Stadium – March 25th 2025
