BoLASEPaKO.COM - A Blog on Singapore Football

Singapore National Team ’s 1-0 defeat to Nepal at the National Stadium on 21 March 2025 left many fans stunned. With a higher FIFA ranking, the 160th-ranked Lions were expected to overpower the Nepalese who are ranked at the 175th place, but instead, they found themselves struggling to put together a cohesive performance. "Nasi Lemak" - a favourite local dish After the match, a friend of mine used "Nasi Lemak" (above image, as credited), a beloved local dish, to describe the situation. NO WATER, NO NITRATES – NO QUALITY INGREDIENTS "If the padi field doesn't have the water or nitrates, you can't have decent nasi lemak or Teochew muay." said this friend of mine who started off his theory with these words. He reasoned that if a padi field lacks water and nitrates, you can’t grow quality rice, nor can you cultivate fresh cucumbers. It also affects chicken feed production, meaning the fried chicken wing - the heart of a good "Nasi Lemak" -...

My colleague was humming this tune (clip above, credit:  insorlow ) to another colleague before I replied, "Road to Wembley, lah!" "It was a time when we were able to watch football (on TV) without paying extra (money)." I continued with that bit of reminiscing feel after listening to that humming of the tune that was played at the start of the iconic program that showcased the highlights of the FA Cup matches back in the 1980s to 1990s on the long-gone Channel 12 – the terrestrial channel that broadcasted most of the sporting programs in those days. WHEN ENGLISH FOOTBALL FIRST CAPTIVATED US It was also during that period when many of my peers first got to know about English football and started to pick a team to follow (with me no exception until I decided to localise wholeheartedly in the early 1990s). How we watched football in the past   Not surprisingly, what we saw in the highlights from the program and those of the weekend's live matches on Channel 12 bec...

Muangthong United (MTU) is one of Thailand’s most recognised football clubs with an impressive domestic to boost with. However, when it comes to playing against Singaporean teams in AFC club competitions, the Thai giants have consistently struggled. From past encounters with SAFFC and Tampines Rovers to their most recent hitting-the-kerb against Lion City Sailors, Muangthong’s struggles in Singapore remain a recurring theme. EARLIER SETBACKS AT JBS That bumpy ride of "Twin Qilins" in began in the 2010 AFC Champions League playoff against SAFFC at Jalan Besar Stadium (JBS) - the main venue of Asian club tournaments for Singaporean clubs. René Desaeyere - MTU coach in 2010 Despite their reputation, the Nonthaburi-based club failed to secure victory, missing out on the group stage of Asia’s elite club competition. Their frustrations continued in the 2011 AFC Cup group stage when they faced Tampines Rovers. The match ended in a 1-1 draw , further underscoring Muangthong’s inabil...

The FAS logo at Jalan Besar Stadium years ago I think being the president of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is one of the toughest roles in the republic. Being tasked with helming a high-profile sport like football, one must be a brave person, ready to put themselves under intense public scrutiny. After all, have we not seen over the years that whosoever holds this position is put to task when things are not going our way? A ROLE THAT DEMANDS RESILIENCE Of late, a report by The Straits Times stated that Lion City Sailors owner Forrest Li is "seriously considering" the presidency of the local game's governing body. Since nothing is confirmed at this stage, it is premature to draw any tangible conclusions. What do fans think However, given the high-profile nature of the role, one must constantly be in the spotlight, prepared to brace and face challenges from all directions. It is definitely not a role for someone who is accustomed to staying low-profile. A L...

1950 Malaya Cup Winners - Singapore Without slight exaggeration, my eyeballs were literally popped out when I saw a black-and-white picture that came after a text message from a friend. "Bro, you might be keen on this iconic picture from 1950" texted my friend, who attached a post-match shot of the Singapore team who just won the Malaya Cup that year. I replied: "Goodness me, it was the first Malaya Cup win for us after the War." , after taking note of the handwritten description on the reverse side of the picture. "1950 Malaya Cup Final ... Singapore beat Penang 2-0" were part of the description hand written on the reverse side of the picture, which I believe was detached from an old photo album based on the visible black mark on the top right corner of it. The first XI of the 1950 Malaya Cup winning team As mentioned, the 1950 victory was the first triumph for the then British crown colony following the resuming of this popular competition after the Wo...