Lionesses play to win now says Singapore women s football head coach

SINGAPORE – Almost two years into his role as the Lionesses’ head coach, Karim Bencherifa says the national women’s football team have seen a “mindset shift”, with the players now striving to “play to win” as they aim to become more competitive in the region.

The 57-year-old recently signed a one-year extension that will keep him in the position till March 2026, and he is looking forward to building on what the team has accomplished so far.

Bencherifa said: “Singapore doesn’t play anymore to not lose. There’s a big difference between playing the game to not lose, whether from the tactical choices like when you go in the game, you try to defend, play with one striker, you wait for the opposition, that’s part of that playing not to lose.

“The mindset shift is to play to win. That’s what we try to do now – high pressure on the opponent, playing two strikers, keeping possession.”

He credits this shift to the presence of overseas-based players such as Danelle Tan, who plays for A-League Women side Brisbane Roar, and recipients of the Unleash The Roar! scholarship.

On staying another year, Bencherifa said: “When I came in March 2023, I feel like I have started a project. It took me a few months to understand the environment and I started to work towards the future as well.

“It’s good for a coach to work on the present, on immediate results, but also working on the future, that’s important.”

Promoting youth is one of the areas that Bencherifa, who previously coached Tanjong Pagar United, Woodlands Wellington and Warriors FC, has focused on since his appointment.

Young players such as defender Qarissa Ramadhani and midfielder Cara Chang, both 16, featured in the Lionesses’ Asean Football Federation (AFF) Women’s Cup campaign in December, when