Singapore maintained their winning start to their ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026 Group A campaign on Monday as Gavin Lee’s side handed Timor-Leste a 2-0 defeat at Jalan Besar Stadium.
Ilhan Fandi gave the Lions a 41st minute lead and midfielder Song Ui-young doubled the advantage 11 minutes into the second half as the Singaporeans backed up their opening win against Cambodia with another victory to move onto six points from their first two matches.
Ilhan had scored the stoppage time goal that secured victory over the Cambodians and his performance from the bench in Phnom Penh earned him a place in the starting line-up at the expense of Shawar Anuar.
The newly signed Lion City Sailors FC striker justified his selection with the first sight of goal by either side during a cagey opening quarter of the game, firing well off target in the fifth minute.
The 23-year-old managed to find the back of the net in the 30th minute with a downward header on the run as he met Song’s in-swinging cross from the right but the officials ruled that effort out for a marginal offside decision.
Timor-Leste’s João Rangel fired high of the target while Song tried his luck, sending his shot high and wide of the visitors’ goal after twisting and turning past Claudio Osorio from 20 yards out.
With four minutes remaining of the first half the home side went in front.
It was Ilhan was pounced, the forward reacting quickest to Nur Adam Abdullah’s cross from deep on the left to step inside Ryan Jom and steer his header into the bottom corner of Dylan Niski’s goal.
Niski palmed away Harhys Stewart’s deflected effort in stoppage time and the Timor-Leste goalkeeper was on hand to deny Ilhan moments after the restart as the home side pushed for a second.
That was to come 11 minutes into the second half when Kyoga Nakamura swung in his cross from the left and Song arrived unmarked to nod the ball past Niski.
Glenn Kweh and Nur Adam Abdullah tried their luck as Singapore pushed for a third while captain Hariss Harun was off target with his 75th minute header as the four-times winners closed out a comfortable win.
Hyundai Player of the Match – Ilhan Fandi (#19), Singapore
