SINGAPORE – Previous to the Lions’ AFF Suzuki Cup opener in opposition to Myanmar final Sunday (Dec 5), Music Ui-young tried to play it cool and strategy the sport like every other match. That each one went out the window the second he walked onto the pitch on the Nationwide Stadium.
“After I entered the sector and heard the followers, I realised: ‘Okay, that is totally different, that is particular. This recreation is big’,” he advised The Straits Occasions on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old South Korea-born midfielder, nevertheless, proved he was not overawed by the event and put in a sometimes dynamic shift as Singapore gained 3-0.
It was his first aggressive recreation for the Lions since he acquired citizenship in August, having made his worldwide debut in a pleasant in opposition to Kyrgyzstan in Dubai in November.
Forward of the Lions’ second Group A match in opposition to the Philippines on Wednesday, Azkals coach Stewart Corridor stated he’s conscious of the risk Music possesses.
“He is participant,” stated the English coach. “(Singapore) prefer to play on the counter-attack and he is pivotal to that. He is nearly like a transition participant for them, and a really technical participant.”
In opposition to Myanmar, Music performed in a midfield trio alongside his Lion Metropolis Sailors teammates Hariss Harun and Shahdan Sulaiman, and gave Singapore an added dimension together with his laborious ahead operating from midfield.
He additionally had a hand within the third objective, releasing Faris Ramli – one other membership teammate – on a counter-attack because the latter assisted in-form striker Ikhsan Fandi to place the sport to mattress.
Philippines striker Bienvenido Maranon additionally singled out Music for reward, telling ST that he’s one in all many Singapore gamers he’s aware of by way of battles within the Asian Soccer Confederation (AFC) Cup competitors over time.
“Music is an excellent participant and will probably be good to play in opposition to him once more, on a special stage just like the Suzuki Cup,” stated Maranon, who’s the AFC Cup’s all-time main scorer with 35 objectives.
The 35-year-old is a naturalised participant himself. Born in Spain, he turned a Philippine citizen in July, having performed membership soccer within the nation with Ceres (now renamed United Metropolis) since 2015, and will make his worldwide debut on Wednesday.
Maranon and his teammates watched Singapore’s win over Myanmar keenly from the group resort, and he was impressed by the Lions’ effectiveness as a unit.
“There is no egocentric participant or no (star) man. They’re an actual group,” he stated.
However he’s assured that the Azkals, even with a disjointed preparation – they may miss a number of overseas-based gamers owing to points travelling into Singapore – can match the Lions after they kick off their Suzuki Cup marketing campaign.
“All people is happy to play Singapore… We’ve got excellent gamers and an excellent group, and we are going to give them a tough time. That is our intention,” he stated.
Whereas Singapore are four-time match champions, they final reached the semi-finals in 2012, after they gained. The Philippines, in the meantime, have made the semi-finals in 4 of the 5 editions since 2010.
Singapore coach Tatsuma Yoshida challenged his gamers to make use of this Asean Soccer Federation Championship to take the Lions ahead into “a brand new period” however careworn they should be centered in opposition to the Philippines.
“We’ve got to reset our bodily and psychological situation from the (Myanmar) recreation,” stated the Japanese.
Music, who Yoshida praised for bringing a “successful mentality and combating spirit” to the group, stated he and his teammates have finished simply that.
“After the primary recreation, all of the gamers really feel we will do higher,” he stated.
“The primary recreation (in a contest) is rarely simple, however now we’re warmed up, I feel we will put in a greater efficiency in opposition to the Philippines.”
