There was no mistaking Singapore’s intent at the OCBC Arena on Friday. Determined to make a statement ahead of the Singlife Nations Cup final, the Singapore Vandas brushed aside Causeway rivals Malaysia 68–39 to book their place in the championship match for the third straight year.
It sets up a blockbuster repeat of last year’s final against defending champions Kenya — a team that has looked just as sharp this week after dispatching the Isle of Man 59–33 to maintain their unbeaten streak.
Despite a nervy start that saw Malaysia briefly take a 2–0 lead, Singapore quickly settled into rhythm, moving the ball with the speed and precision that have become hallmarks of the Tara Steel era. By the end of the opening quarter, the hosts had edged ahead 14–11 and never looked back.
With shooters Toh Kai Wei and Amandeep Chahal in clinical form — combining for an 88.6 per cent shooting accuracy — the Vandas built a 31–18 lead by half-time. Steel’s decision to rotate her squad in the second half didn’t slow them down either, with substitutes Lee Pei Shan and Goh Wei Ping maintaining the intensity and converting their chances with ease.
Malaysia’s shooters, in contrast, struggled to cope with Singapore’s defensive pressure and managed just a 71 per cent conversion rate, their efforts repeatedly broken up by the Vandas’ defensive end.
For Goh, one of the youngest members of the team, the convincing victory was as much about belief as it was execution.
“All of us ran the court, and we had an impact whenever we came on,” said Goh. “
We really took them on, and kudos to Malaysia for giving us a hard fight. This was definitely a good lead-up to tomorrow’s final.”
“We need to review the things that we did well and didn’t do as well. There were patches where we may have made our own errors, like footwork and passing errors. If we reduce those mistakes, we can give Kenya a good fight tomorrow. Kenya is a very strong team, but as you can see from the previous match, we won the fourth quarter by a huge margin (six goals), and that shows our team can do it, and we can win. We just need to stick to our game plan, fight hard, and be disciplined with our passes and sharp with our drives.”
The 22-year-old also shared how a quiet conversation with her coach helped her rediscover her confidence after a rocky start to the tournament.
“I was definitely feeling nervous and a bit of pressure because I’m one of the younger ones in the team, and I’m not as experienced. But, I had a one-on-one with our coach today – all of us did – and she reminded me of my strengths and how I can use those to get an edge over my defenders. Individually, I’m proud of my progress because I came to this tournament having a bit of doubt about myself and a lack of self-confidence. With the trust of my coach and the support of my teammates, they have really helped me ease into this competition. As a team, we’re very united off court, and we like to joke around with each other, and that really helps with the work that we show on court.”
Saturday’s final will see Singapore attempt to dethrone Kenya, who have looked composed and confident throughout the week. Led by captain Parin Nasambu Simiyu and 1.85m goal shooter Lydia Nyapere, the Kenyans’ blend of height and athleticism poses a tough challenge, but one the Vandas are eager to meet head-on.
Singapore will be chasing their first Nations Cup title since 2022, and redemption for last year’s narrow loss.
The Singlife Nations Cup concludes tomorrow at the OCBC Arena, with Singapore A facing Isle of Man in the 5th/6th playoff (10am), Papua New Guinea meeting Malaysia for 3rd (12pm), and Singapore taking on Kenya in the final at 2pm.
