Ninety (plus one) - May 2023

NINETY (PLUS ONE)

Music makes football go round! with lauren spink

“THE ROMANTICISATION OF NOSTALGIA:” Women’s football through the lens of film photography

DANELLE TAN

in my wordS: The story so far

CONTENTS

3 THE ROMANTICISATION OF NOSTALGIA: FILM PHOTOGRAPHY IN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL

MUSIC MAKES FOOTBALL GO ROUND: A SIT DOWN WITH INCREDIBLE 11 BAND’S SINGER AND SEFTON PARK RANGERS’ LAUREN SPINK

7

9 THE STORY SO FAR BY

DANELLE TAN

13

VfL WOLFSBURG BEAT ARSENAL AT THE EMIRATES IN UWCL SEMIFINALS

15

NINETY PLUS ONE’S FEATURED NATIONAL TEAM: SINGAPORE TO GUN FOR SEMIFINALS OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN GAMES

18

EDITOR’S NOTES

“THE ROMANTICISATION OF NOSTALGIA”: FILM PHOTOGRAPHY

IN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL

For those who grew up in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, analogue photography with 135 film was the way to go. These days, it is better known simply as film cameras. You would snap a picture with no way of immediately seeing how it turned out. Once the manually inserted film roll in the camera was done, it would then have to be processed. The final product would often be grainy images that encapsulated the nostalgia of the late 20th century. When digital cameras made their way onto the market, the compact cameras once considered advanced technology of its time, were shoved away into storage boxes and attics.

spin. Football clubs such as Arsenal have picked up on its popularity and used it as social media content, giving the players a disposable camera to toy with. Rafiq attributes the valued genuine connection between fans and the game as a reason why women’s football fans enjoy film photography. She said: “Personally I think the authenticity of film is a huge factor.“

as people would say. That was until the curious teenagers born in the 1990s and the mid 2000s gave these cameras a new life.

No other sport has a bigger film photography community than football, especially in the women’s game. For Harriet Duffy, stumbling across her parents’ old Olympus Trip which sat in her attic was her gateway into the hobby. Duffy, who found the camera in 2014, is now an analogue photographer for Copa90 and Indivisa. The Tottenham fan believes the resurgence of film photography is down to people trying to live in the moment. She said: “I think people are starting to push against that ‘take a picture or it didn’t happen’ effect that social media has. There’s a need to not just post an image as you’re living that moment but in fact reflect on something that happened.” For Duffy, the romanticisation of nostalgia is another focal point. After all, the popularity of vinyls and 80s to 90s fashion have skyrocketed in recent years due to the same reason.

The sense of nostalgia and reflecting on memories is at the core of film photography. Instead of being kept in a phone easily accessible at any time, photos taken with a film camera are stored in the roll of film. Depending on how quickly you finish the roll and when you process it, the photos you see could date back to between a week ago to years.

Raiyan Rafiq, who first picked up a film camera in 2016 and who now shoots for Indivisa, thinks cherishing the past is what made an entirely new generation pick the hobby back up. She said: “I think during the pandemic we all went back to things that gave us comfort and there was a collective realisation of wanting to hold on to things. There is no medium that captures a moment quite like photographs. Film has a naturally nostalgic feel and you also put a little more effort into capturing what is in front of you.”

It’s not only photographers like Rafiq and Duffy who take these cameras out for a

Women’s football has been on a significant rise in recent years. With a sport so fresh paired with a medium once stowed away in time for the new millennium, Rafiq finds the coming together of the old and the new exciting and inspiring. She said: “On one hand you have film, which is a timeless and traditional medium and on the other hand, you have a modern and dynamic age of women’s football. You can see that traditional methods can continue to evolve and inspire us in new and unexpected ways.” Duffy echoed her fellow anologue photographer: “It’s amazing. I always get people saying how film can capture a moment in time unlike any other medium. I think it goes back to the nostalgia thing.”

This was the reception Duffy got for her series of photos shot at the historic 2022 Women’s European Championships.

Duffy had just graduated from university before covering the month-long tournament. The love she received from the photos still touches her to this day. She said: “Having people messaging me saying they’re now going to the World Cup to immerse themselves with different nationalities because of those images has been a highlight because, after all, it’s a global game and the fans are what make it.”

Fans are also at the heart of the photos taken by Rafiq. The love for the game of football is no match for the people, who all come from different backgrounds.

“It conveys a sense of realism and honesty that can sometimes lack in digital photography.”

“Film romanticises major moments well, allowing people to reflect more emotionally.”

‘Out with the old, in with the new’,

She credits them for making the sport so special. She said: “The emotions that are provoked, the celebrations that come with it, the creativity of the signs, scarves, fashion.”

“It is also the subject matter that makes me emotional because you can feel the sentiments they are going through while watching their team. After all, I am a fan first, photographer second.”

Both Duffy and Rafiq may have set out to capture those in the stands, but their photos have even inspired more people to fill stadiums. Duffy said: “Someone said to me that they got into women’s football because of my images and that they now actively go to games. I think that touched me the most as exposing the game is one of the main reasons why I do it.”

Embracing women’s football for its glorious past and present has always been important to Duffy. In her final year at university, Duffy created a page called On Paper FC on Instagram, dedicated to archiving vintage women’s football heritage. She said: “I was a bit tired of the history of the game being forgotten. A lot of the things had already been achieved, it’s just that no one knew about them. For me, without knowledge of the past you can’t really appreciate the game as a whole today.” What started as an account to geek out over the odd memorabilia like Mia Hamm on cereal boxes became something that resonated with fans who like Duffy, appreciated the trailblazers who paved the way in an impossible time for the sport.

The Lionesses’ 2022 title-winning Euros campaign will be in the history books for generations to come. For both Duffy and Rafiq, the pictures they captured at the tournament are their favourites so far. Duffy’s is pinned on her Instagram. It features one of her best friends from school losing her mind when England scored in the finals. She said: “That was one of the best months of my life.”

Rafiq’s favourite picture is one of none other than Lionesses’ captain, Leah Williamson after the trophy lift as she went up to her mother in the stands and blew kisses to her family. In front of Williamson, youngster, Ella Toone and player of the tournament, Beth Mead can be seen. There is pure joy on the faces of the players’ families as the boards above the family box read ‘winners’. Rafiq said: “It was just perfect.”

Despite the tedious process of film photography, there is no doubt that its popularity will only grow. Years from now when women’s football breaks more and more barriers, there is one art form that will have seen it all. The iconic yellow kodak or white and green Ilford film rolls will be here to survive generations upon generations.

WHERE TO FIND RAFIQ AND DUFFY

@rawtihamju

“It is a beautiful connection.”

“I don’t remember the last time I took a photo and just knew at that very moment that I had taken a photo I will cherish forever.”

Football has always been the love of the nation ever since the game’s birth in the 19th century. More often than not, music has been at the forefront of enriching the culture of the game. This was never more obvious than in the 1990s when the country entered the Britpop era.

The England 1996 Euros squad was poised to bring glory to the nation on home soil. In commemoration of the hosting of the tournament, the famous “Three Lions” song was born. Lightning Seeds’ music video featured themselves and fans in England’s kits with their large, blocky fonts and leather or Harrington jackets worn over them, paired with the classic Adidas sneakers. The style was synonymous with Britpop’s most famous bands, particularly Oasis and Blur, whose three front men shared their love for their football clubs very loudly.

Oasis’ Liam and Noel Gallagher made it so that no football fan would ever think about Manchester City without thinking of them. Meanwhile, Blur’s Damon Albarn often rocked his Chelsea kits while performing in front of sell-out crowds. Around the 1996 Euros and the 1998 World Cup, the two bands released unforgettable tracks like ‘Song 2’, ‘Wonderwall’ and ‘She’s Electric’ which all became entangled with the footballing community either through chants or being used as goal tunes for numerous teams. In the 2010s, even FIFA video game soundtracks largely contributed to songs becoming football hits.

“Songs are huge. They’re the soundtrack to lots of moments in life, especially in football. Everyone is singing together,”

Musicandfootballaretwoof themostculturallysignificant phenomenainBritain.Singer andSundayfootballer,Lauren Spinksharesonthetwo’s coexistence.

MUSICMAKESFOOTBALLGOROUND:ASITDOWNWITHINCREDIBLE11BANDANDSEFTONPARKRANGERS’LAURENSPINK

Lauren Spink runs a music agency called New Power Soul Club which manages DJs, bands and artists. Spink herself is a singer with an 11-piece band aptly named Incredible 11 Band. On the side, she plays football with Sefton Park Rangers based in Liverpool.

As a lover of both football and music, Spink believes the accessibility of both is what makes the two so significant in Britain.

“Even if you can’t afford to watch a Premier League match, you can play football in your local park, find a club to watch or even listen on the radio. Everyon can access football and it isn’t the same with other sports. Music is the same,” she smiles. “Music touches everyone in some way in life. It has a moment for everybody at some point. They both have that in common.”

At football grounds across the country, echoes of songs are sung on the terraces for 90 minutes. Lyrics from songs dating back to the 1960s are changed to suit the teams. Most recently, an entire verse and chorus of The Beatles’ ‘I Feel Fine’ was finetuned by Liverpool fans into a song for both its men’s and women’s managers, Jurgen Klopp and Matt Beard. Songs are timeless, no matter how long ago it was made. Football fans all around the world and of all ages sing from the heart. If not on the terraces, then in the dressing rooms.

“Songs are huge. They’re the soundtrack to lots of moments in life, especially in football. Everyone is singing together,” Spink shares. “As a team, we always stick the speaker on at practices or if we’re at like a cup. We get the tunes on. It makes such a big difference.”

As strong as the links are between the two, it is common for musicians to feel unwelcome in football and vice versa. There is a notion that music, or art in general and its delicateness is wildly different from the aggressive nature of football. Often in schools, music, arts and sports majors may feel awkward in the same room. Spink, who last played football as a child and picked it back up after watching The Lionesses win the Euros in 2022, felt nervous when she first joined Sefton Park Rangers, but it all dissipated.

“I think people on both sides can be more open minded on who they welcome into their area,” she says about the two industries. “But the team is super diverse and has a lot of creative people. I don’t feel left out in the team as there’s a nice mixture. With music as well, there’s a welcoming environment. Everyone is welcome to make music.”

Sefton Park Rangers, who brand themselves as a new wave of grassroots football, is filled with many creatives which Spink says has helped make her feel welcome. A feeling she has enjoyed is the one after a great game or even just fun training sessions. “It mirrors the feeling when you get off stage after an amazing gig with your band and you’re all like woah

that was amazing! That’s a super similar feeling, the group energy of playing with lots of people on the field or on stage.”

As a vocalist, Spink cites Etta James and Lauryn Hill as two major influences. The band dedicates itself to giving 80s and 90s hip hop and R&B an orchestral twist. “If you listen to the classic hip hop of the 80s and the 90s, there’s a lot of orchestral sounds in there. Lots of the big hip hop will have string sections in it so it was just an obvious choice for us to put live string section on stage with the band as well,” she explains.

Even then, a song that Spink and her band often play at big gigs is Gala Rizzatto’s ‘Freed From Desire’, which has become a colossal hit especially amongst England’s women’s football fans. “It’s huge and everyone reacts. That’s nice as it’s just a banging 90s tune that has become a new football anthem. I always love singing that,” Spink laughs.

Anfield is not Anfield without ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ ringing out before every game, ‘North London Forever’ has changed the atmosphere around the Emirates and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa would be nowhere near as iconic as it was if it weren’t for K’NAAN’s ‘Wavin’ Flag’. Music has always enriched society, but football is undeniably the sport that has enjoyed the art form the most.

LONDON IS A GIANT MELTING POT OF CULTURE.

IT BLOWS MY MIND

Rising up the ranks, moving abroad at 17, playing for Singapore and London Bees and living in a boarding house

THE STORY SO FAR

BY: DANELLE TAN

For many people, 2019 seems to be one of the most meaningful years. It might have to do with the fact that it was the last year before Covid-19 struck and we’re all still dealing with its repercussions. For me, it was the year my career really took off.

In March that year, I played for the national U15s in a tournament in which I was the joint top scorer. Just 5 months later, I was called up to the senior squad for the first time and scored on my debut. Everything felt strange. Ho Hui Xin was my teammate then but 12 years ago, she was teaching little six-year-old me how to run around and kick a ball at the same time.

Not only that, but my coach in that U15 tournament was also in the senior squad when I made my debut. I remember yelling to her for the ball on the pitch, “Coach Suria!” It was so strange, communicating to her on a player-player level.

It was such a full circle moment, but it was such a quick turnover. When I moved to North London, I realised that quick turnovers was a big theme in my life. Before we go into that, remember when I said Hui Xin taught me how to kick a ball?

The year is 2010. I joined JSSL Arsenal Soccer School when I was six. I guess in hindsight, it seemed destined for me to move to North London. JSSL was where it all began. Hui Xin was one of the many coaches there who developed a lot of the women’s players in Singapore today.

Back then, Victoria School’s field was the pitch of dreams. It was the main training ground for the academy and it was where my brothers were playing at the time. It took some convincing, but my parents eventually allowed me to join. I scored 12 goals in my first session.

Shortly after I started, they became the first and only academy in the country to create a girls section. Honestly, I was in the right place at the right time.

Fast forward seven years later, I was training with the boys team under Coach Khai. Girls would understand this, but you know how we are usually made to play on the wings when we play with boys? You know, because it was easier to not give you the ball? Well, Coach Khai made me a central defensive midfielder (CDM) and it was one of the most defining seasons for me because of it.

As a CDM, the ball has to come to you. You link the play. You pull the strings. When playing with boys, the constant anxiety of not being on par with them is universally known amongst girls. You play a bad pass and you feel like they must be thinking, “what on Earth is this girl doing?” Coach Khai putting me there forced me to step up. Being thrown into the lion’s den, I took my game to the next level and it was because Coach Khai had confidence in me which I didn’t have for myself.

While playing for JSSL, the overseas trips to Bangkok and Sweden were always special. My favourite memory is again, in 2019 at an all-girls tournament in the Thai capital. I had been training with the boys and felt I was improving a lot. When I was younger, I felt like I wasn’t one of the best by any measure but playing as a midfielder and achieving the overall top scorer in Bangkok showed that maybe I could play at a high level.

Then, the world quite literally shut itself down. It was frustrating as I had just gone to America to consider my options of playing college soccer. My family and I were set to go back to the States in 2020, but Mother Nature had other plans.

It was tough for me as the idea was to play in front of several coaches in America to get myself out there.

In England, I checked the weather app so often that my phone started asking me if I wanted to know what the weather was. Imagine that. Every morning, I would wake up and Siri was like, “Oh! Do you want to check the weather?” They say you get four seasons in one day in the UK and oh my goodness, how true is that? I’ll tell you, if there was one thing I’d swap in Singapore with something from the UK, it would not be the weather. It’s always a funny topic actually.

I was having a conversation with a friend from India. Like Singapore, India is well known for its unbearable, sweltering heat. I suppose spring was finally emerging like the light at the end of a literal dark and cold tunnel.

The American girls could continue proving themselves but I was trapped in Singapore. Borders were closed almost everywhere and Singapore was known to have some of the strictest lockdown rules. Not being able to play overseas and assess my options was one problem, but training also ceased at home.

Jump to 2021, the world slowly starts to awaken. It’s as if the veil had finally been lifted as borders reopened. My family and I went to the UK to explore my playing options while finishing up high school and doing my A levels, which by the way has been mad. Anyway, I mentioned before that quick turnovers were a huge theme in my life.

Six weeks after the visit to the UK, I was boarding the plane with a one-way ticket and a spot in Mill Hill School.

When I was set on becoming a professional footballer, moving abroad wasn’t an ‘if’ but a ‘when’. So, after the initial visit to the UK, it was “yes, let’s do it. What’s the procedure?” It was an insane period of my life. I was 17 at the time and I had six weeks to meet everyone, say goodbye, pack, leave and move into my boarding house.

Let me tell you, the biggest shock for me was none other than the weather. It was the height of winter when I moved. It was the worst. I never had to check the weather in Singapore. Every day was the same. It was hot and humid. It was 30, maybe 33 degrees. What’s the worst that can happen? A thunderstorm maybe. Even then, it would still be hot and humid.

It was 13 degrees that day and we thought to ourselves, “oh my, what a warm day!” It dawned on us then. If we were caught saying such a thing back home, we would get mobbed. Our ancestors would roll in their graves.

People would say, “are you a psycho? 13 degrees is warm?”

In all fairness, living through months of two-degree weather means 13 is nothing but a fabulous day. Like, look! It’s the sun!

Apart from the weather, I do love living in the UK. One of the best things is the mix of cultures. Singapore is the same in a sense where we have at least four major ethnicities, but because of our tiny size, collective Singaporean nationality and upbringing, it’s not quite the same. London is actually filled with people from all over the world and so is my boarding house.

It’s a melting pot of cultures. I could be walking around and there are people speaking Persian, Russian, Mandarin and so much more. It blows my mind.

There is nothing I love more than to learn about the world and I can do that from my humble boarding house in North London.

You know like, “hey, there’s a girl from this tiny country miles and miles away who wants to compete for a spot on your roster!”

It’s the same with reading, which other than football is the thing I love most. You gain so many perspectives. It’s like you’re having a conversation with the author. Reading lets you live multiple lives and learn from the past mistakes of others. You travel the world just from sitting on your couch. It’s like living in the boarding house. I walk downstairs and hear my Russian friends speaking and it’s like, I didn’t know I moved to Moscow! I absolutely love it.

I signed for London Bees in the 22/23 season. It made sense, as I knew I could get minutes on the pitch and it was close to my school. I became the first Singaporean female to play for an European club.

One of the most meaningful moments in my career was my debut. My captain, Ashleigh Goddard is one of the best I have ever played with.

When I came on just before the second half began, she said to me: “We’ve all seen what you’re capable of in training. Show what you can do and change the game. Do what you do best.”

It meant a lot to me. A senior player, a captain, coming up to me after huddle like that gave me a boost of confidence.

I have been lucky enough to have so many people get behind me and it’s not just players but fans too. After one of my games at The Hive, I met this guy from Singapore. He was studying in the UK and had driven two to three hours to see me play. The dedication fans in the UK have is next level but to see a stranger from home, travel that long to see me play was just so cool.

Singapore’s football culture may not be as hardcore as England’s but the fans are just as amazing. It had always been a mini dream of mine to have fans sing a song about me. When I returned to Singapore to play for Lion City Sailors in the Premier League over the summer of 2022, the fans did just that. The Lion City Sailors fans are known to be one of a kind in the local community. I didn’t hear it during the game. You’re so focused that every other noise is drowned out but after the match, they posted a video of them singing for me after I scored and I was over the moon. You can see that the support for women’s football in Singapore is getting better. Over 2000 people showed up for the National Trinations Series. I mean, if the men can sell out Jalan Besar Stadium, why can’t the women? It’s the same. You’re supporting your country after all. It’s definitely getting there.

I’ll be pulling on the Singapore shirt one more time before my A levels. I wasn’t supposed to go to the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games but after we got drawn into such a favourable group, the team said, “you have to go!”

It’s the best chance we’ve got to qualify for the knockouts but if we do, I can’t play in the semifinals. The finals or third place playoff of the competition is on 17th May. Hopefully, I’ll play the group stage games, help the team qualify, make a bit of history and then I’ll have to say, “alright, bye I have to do my A levels,” which is on 18th May. Wish us (and me) luck. We’ll need it.

In many of the steps I took as a footballer, no one had gone before me. It was all uncharted territory, but this was an affirmation that I am headed in the right direction.

VfL Wolfsburg will play in the UWCL finals after a thrilling second leg semifinal against Arsenal which ended in a 3-2 win in front of a record sell-out crowd at the Emirates. Stina Blackstenius and Jen Beattie got on the scoresheet for Arsenal while Wolfsburg had Jill Roord, Alexandra Popp and Pauline Bremmer to hail as their heroes.

In a game that was highly anticipated for weeks, the footballing community held their breath as everyone slowly watched every single seat on the ticketing page turn from green to grey, signaling a sellout. For the first time, Arsenal Women were going to play in front of a full Emirates stadium. “The attendance today...” the announcement over he tanoy begins in the second half. Photographers, media and fans all at once looked up at the board in anticipation. “An incredible sellout crowd of 60,063!” The roar was deafeningly loud, and it was one that both teams on the pitch deserved.

The match was a nail-biting one from the start. Stina Blackstenius took only 11 minutes to put Arsenal ahead. The forward chased down Kathrin Hendrich and got in between the defender and her keeper. Blackstenius brought it round the Merle Frohms and tapped it into an empty net.

Just before half time, former Arsenal midfielder, Roord brought the hopes back up for the away side

as she volleyed it through a crowded penalty box and past Manuela Zinsberger. Wolfsburg had another chance on goal through Sveindis Jonsdottir whose run from the halfway line left Katie McCabe, Lia Walti and Noelle Maritz behind. The shot was fired straight to Zinsberger, who collected it safely. Just a minute after the second half began, Blackstenius put the ball in the net for the second time with the help of a low driven cross by McCabe. The goal was ruled offside and it was Wolfsburg who got the next turn. In the 58th minute, Popp gave her side the lead through a bullet header from a corner that left Zinsberger rooted to her spot.

With 15 minutes to go, Beattie’s equaliser caused the Emirates to erupt once again. Lotte Wubben-Moy’s cross into the box met the towering defender, who headed it in to bring it back to square one. The match ended 2-2 at the end of the 90 minutes and went to extra time.

With chances to win it at both ends of the pitch hindered by saves or cross bars, it was the German side that got to celebrate. Jule Brand’s pressing came to fruition as she won the ball on the left flank before passing it to an unmarked Bremer who slotted it in.

Even as goals were scored by the visiting side, the Arsenal fans in the crowd immediately responded by lifting their side with echoing chants of support. The

home side had two keepers on the bench and had to watch their teammate Laura Wienroither go off with a suspected ACL injury, which if confirmed, would be the 4th current ACL injury in the team.

Despite them being bare bones, spirit was shown against a team of Wolfsburg’s calibre. The German side was poised to progress due to the sheer number of significant injuries impacting the Arsenal side but the 2-2 draw in the first leg was a ray of hope. Wolfsburg got it over the line in the end with a 5-4 win on aggregate and will face Barcelona in Eindhoven.

NINETY (PLUS ONE)’S

LOOK AT TEAMS FROM PARTS OF THE WORLD:

This edition, the spotlight is on Singapore. The country is aptly nicknamed Lion City after the fable of it’s country’s discovery in 1299. A Malay prince named Sang Nila Utama famously found a lion roaming the jungles of the land and named it Singapura, which directly translates to Lion City in Malay and Sanskrit. So, what else could its women’s national football team be called, but the Lionesses?

They may be the smallest country in Southeast Asia, but its women’s team wear their hearts on their sleeves as they sing the anthem ‘Majulah, Singapura’ passionately. In May, they are set to jet off to Cambodia to compete in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.

MAJULAH SINGAPURA

MALAY PRONOUNCIATION: ‘mah-joo-lah’‘Sing-a-pu-ra’

TRANSLATION: Onward,Singapore

SINGAPORE TO GUN FOR THE SEMI FINALS AT THE 32ND SOUTHEAST ASIAN (SEA) GAMES

For countries in Southeast Asia, the bi-annual SEA games is like the Olympics. Athletes from the all around the region descend on the host country to compete for honour. This year’s edition will take place in Cambodia and Singapore’s Women’s national team is hoping to reach for the semi-finals for the very first time.

The team, ranked 134th in the FIFA world rankings already made history last year in Vietnam. The 2021 SEA games, which was delayed until May 2022 due to the pandemic, saw Singapore score their first SEA games goal in 37 years. It was Izzati Rosni who netted the goal with the last kick of the game and gave her nation their first win of the tournament since its inception in 1985.

The goal came against Laos, who the Lionesses will face once again in the group stages. Singapore has been drawn into group B with Laos, Cambodia and fivetime champions Thailand. Despite being grouped with two-time Women’s World Cup participants, Thailand and the hosts, Singapore considers the draw to be very much in their favour. It is largely due to group A consisting of Vietnam and Philippines, both of whom have qualified for the 2023 World Cup and are Southeast Asia’s new footballing giants.

Stephanie Dominguez, one of the team’s vice-captains remembers feeling hopeful after the groups were released. They said: “I believe with our preparations so far, we stand a chance to put on a good display of performance that hopefully can be converted into wins.”

The Thai War Elephants will be Singapore’s toughest test in their bid to escape the group stages. The two recently faced off in the 2024 Olympics qualifiers, where the Lionesses lost 6-0.

Dominguez said: “The qualifiers have given us the opportunity to understand more of their style of play. We can be prepared for what’s to come and adapt accordingly. We will not be taking any chances and let our guard down easily.”

With only one win in all 31 editions of the tournament, reaching the knockout stages may seem like a faraway dream but the team is up for the challenge. Dominguez describes the goal against Laos last year as a pleasant surprise. It has paved the way for the team to go for another milestone. The team will compete at the tournament with new head coach, Karim Bencherifa who was appointed in February 2023.

The only other game he has taken charge of other than the loss against Thailand was a 2-2 draw against Mongolia. Dominguez described their new coach as meticulous, referencing his attention to the tiniest details which he believes makes the biggest impact in games: “He ensures our passes, runs and drills are completed accurately and perfectly.”

“We will give our ultimate best in all the matches.”

“Speed, spatial awareness and possessing deft on-the-ball skills are incredibly important for me to perform as a midfielder so I admire Coach Karim’s attention to detail along every step of the way in training.”

Other than improving on the technical aspects of the game, the team hopes to work on physicality and tactics as they prepare for the tournament. Bencherifa has also been instilling the importance in team spirit, which Dominguez believes is highly important as the squad’s understanding of each other’s style will lead to better performances.

The 24-year-old, who plays for the newly-formed JSSL-Tampines Rovers in Singapore’s Deloitte Women’s Premier League has 32 caps under their belt, but donning the national jersey is a feeling that never wears away. They said:

“It motivates me to always give my 100% in every match knowing I have the support of my loved ones and fellow Singaporeans back home.”

On their upcoming second appearance in the tournament, they said: “Ever since I can remember, I always wanted to represent Singapore in a tournament of this standing. Sometimes I still can’t believe this will be my second time participating in the SEA Games.”

Singapore will play their first game against Thailand on the afternoon of 9th May.

“It’s an opportunity that I honour with pride”

“It’s simply a dream come true.”

stephanie DOMINGUEZ

ERNIE sulastri

noor KUSUMAWATI

FARHANAH ruhaizat

UMAIRAH hamdan

IZZATI rosni

EDITOR’S NOTES

Football and culture have always been synonymous with each other. It has never been just a game. A story is told in every match and tournament. A dream is chased on every pitch. Even off the field, everyone involved in the game one way or another play their part in using football to enrich society. In this edition, we highlighted: photographers and musicians who use different art forms to express their love for the sport, players who trailblazed, fans who filled stadiums, unseen national teams. A special thanks goes to HARRIET DUFFY, RAIYAN RAFIQ, DANELLE TAN, STEPHANIE DOMINGUEZ, LAUREN SPINK, INCREDIBLE 11 BAND AND NEW POWER SOUL CLUB, JACQUI MCASSEY AND SEFTON PARK RANGERS, LONDON BEES AND KIERAN FALCON, SINCE 71, for allowing us to tell their stories and for making the women’s football community a richer one.

- NINETY (PLUS OME)

NINETY (PLUS ONE)

DATES TO TAKE NOTE OF IN MAY

14.5: WOMEN’S FA CUP FINAL CHELSEA VS MANCHESTER UNITED

20.5: FAWNL CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF NOTTINGHAM FOREST v (TBC)