Singapore's national women's football team defeated Macau 9-0 at Jalan Besar Stadium on Jul. 16, 2024.

Currently, the Lionesses rank 138 globally, while Macau is ranked at 174.

The nine goals

Midfielder Dorcas Chu scored Singapore's first goal in the first half in the 37th minute.

Left-back Putri Syaliza extended Singapore's lead to 2-0 with a goal three minutes into first-half stoppage time.

Five minutes into the second half, midfield Venetia Lim scored a goal from a direct free kick.

Minutes later, Danelle Tan scored her first goal of the night.

In the 57th minute, the captain of the Lionesses, Siti Rosnani Azman, scored from 40m away.

In the 61st and 65th minutes, Tan scored two more goals to complete her hat-trick.

Syaliza scored her second goal in the 84th minute, while debutant Kyla Taylor sealed the victory in stoppage time with a long-range shot near the halfway mark.

This win marked the Lionesses' biggest victory since their 6-0 win against the Maldives in 2007.

Proud and happy

At the post-match press conference, head coach Karim Bencherifa said he was proud of the Lionesses and happy that fans could witness the team play a good match.

"There are a lot of positives to build on from this. They gave their 100 percent and showed their quality," he said.

When asked about the significance of the Lionesses' victory over a team that ranked 40 places below them, Bencherifa said that he would not take the win away from the players.

"Previously, we beat Macau 3-0 as well, so credit must be given to the team; they fought tirelessly."

Tan, the Player-of-the-Match, shared that it was always nice to play at home and represent Singapore.

"There were a few chances I felt I should've converted, but scoring a hat-trick in a 9-0 victory is a performance the team can be proud of," she added.

The Lionesses and Bencherifa will focus on upcoming competitions, such as the ASEAN tournament and the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.

"This is just the start. It's a work in progress, and I hope to see women's football continue to grow in the future," Bencherifa said.

Top photos via Football Association of Singapore/Canva