Iliya Naufal Idris determined to make a comeback in Lion City Cup following exit from 2023 final due to broken wrist

Singapore - The 2023 Lion City Cup (LCC) final will forever hold a special place in the memory of Singapore Under-16 captain Iliya Naufal Idris.

While attempting to win the ball off a BG Pathum United player, he fell awkwardly on his left hand and lay flat on the Jalan Besar Stadium pitch, unable to get up.

The centre-back, who had to be substituted in the 70th minute, was taken to the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, where X-rays found that he had broken two bones in his left wrist.

His Singapore U-15 teammates went on to lose 4-3 on spot-kicks to the Thai side.

A year later, Naufal, 16, will lead his side out to face Pathum again in an LCC semi-final at the same venue on Oct 4, hoping to better last year’s result.

Japanese side Tokyo Verdy and Johor Darul Takzim, both tournament debutants, will contest the other semi-final. The final and third-place play-off will be held on Oct 6.

Naufal, who was out for three months with the broken wrist, recalled: “I was taken to the hospital and the doctors there tried to set it back in position and two weeks later, because it had not healed, I had a surgery done.

“It was tough to be out and not being able to do any physical activities.”

The Singapore Sports School student, who models his game after Spanish great Sergio Ramos, added that he was a bit hesitant to go into challenges upon returning to action, but regained confidence over time.

That episode will not deter him from getting stuck in. Naufal, who is with the Lion City Sailors, said: “From the experience I had last year, I learnt that not everything will always go our way.

“We will have to face challenges along the way, and we will have to adapt to it. I feel that we can win the Lion City Cup this year, because of the talent and quality players we have in the squad.”

The tournament will also serve as preparation for the team’s Asian Football Confederation U-17 Asian Cup qualifying campaign at the Bishan Stadium from Oct 23 to 27. The Cubs are in Group J with Oman, Tajikistan and Guam.

Singapore U-16 coach Angel Toledano said during the pre-match press conference on Oct 3 that his team have been working hard on improving their abilities in the final third of the pitch.

The Spaniard said: “I feel last year, the boys did well, but I feel we lacked the finishing moments... so we have been working on some attacking patterns for the players to be able to get more chances to score goals.”

But one of the Cubs’ standout players from the previous edition, Sailors central midfielder Nathan Mao, was omitted from this year’s squad. Nathan, who became the youngest debutant in the Singapore Premier League in 2023, scored a brace in last year’s 3-1 win over Selangor.

Asked for the reason for his absence, Toledano said the current squad is the strongest they have, adding: “They (Nathan and defender Kieran Tan) are not in the team for different reasons. At the moment, we want to focus on the players that we have.”

Pathum coach Chatree Chimtale is expecting his boys to improve too.

He said through a translator: “Last year was the first international tournament for most of the boys but this time they have more experience already.

“So we expect them to handle the pressure better than last year and show their best.”

LION CITY CUP
Oct 4
5pm: Tokyo Verdy v Johor Darul Takzim
8pm: Singapore U-16 v BG Pathum United