Singapore will know nothing but a win against Cambodia at home will do if they are to stay in the mix in Group E of the Asian 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
The home team are placed in third in Group E, three points behind leaders Japan and one adrift of second-placed Syria. It looks like it will be between these three teams in terms of qualification from the group, considering Afghanistan have picked up just three points in four matches, with Cambodia yet to get off the mark.
Singapore will not want to be the team that hands Cambodia their first points in qualification, making a victory all the more essential on Tuesday.
"We should be more realistic and not increase the demands for scoring goals," Singapore coach Bernd Stange was quoted as saying by the Straits Times when asked how many goals he is expecting his Singapore team to score against the bottom team of Group E.
"What happens if it's 0-0 after 60 minutes? We must be patient. The fans and journalists are very demanding. My demands are very simple -- get the three points."
Singapore are coming off an unimpressive 1-0 win over Afghanistan, even if they had to play that match without two of their main men – skipper Hariss Harun and Safuwan Baharudin. Both players are expected to return to the starting lineup for this important match against Cambodia.
"We will definitely put on a better show against Cambodia," Harun said to ESPN FC. "Against Afghanistan, the boys know they could have played much better but we managed to get the win and that is what matters.
"We need a second win this Tuesday to keep up the momentum and put us in a good position before tackling Syria and Japan next month.
"We are looking at a win and that is the main target. There is no need to talk about how many goals to score because the priority has to be an early goal in the game. Once we do that and dominate possession, we can play our game and the rest will follow."
Cambodia manager Lee Tae-hoon said he will be happy to come away from Singapore with a point, especially considering his players are a tired bunch.
"They play two games every week, so all my players are very tired," Lee said. "Our team will be playing defensively most of the time, but we will try to score. I hope to get a point."
Where to Watch Live
Singapore vs Cambodia is set to begin at 8 pm local time (5.30 pm IST, 1 pm BST, 8 am ET). There will be no Live TV coverage of the WC qualifier in India.
Singapore viewers can watch all the match action of the 2018 World Cup qualifier live on Eleven Singapore.
Bein Sports Arabia will provide live TV coverage of the game in the Middle East and North Africa, while the online live streaming option is on Bein Sports Connect.
