Sports Minutes with Zia-ul Raushan

A few days on since Singapore’s 1-0 friendly defeat to Nepal, and it seems like the rhetoric surrounding the National Team has changed for the worst - but is it really all doom and gloom? Perhaps not, with the news of a certain Perry Ng gaining his PR status, and a host of younger Lions making the step up. On today’s show we’ll hear from TWO players who could well and truly breath fresh life and add fresh blood to the Lions  - Perry Ng & Jordan Emaviwe. READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/perry-ng-looks-forward-to-getting-singapore-citizenship-and-giving-back Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

With the 2025 Formula 1 season up and running, Sports Minutes is in conversation with 17-year-old Singaporean racer Kabir Anurag, part of the Alpine Development Team. He shares his journey—from the Winter Series to life with an F1 team, the sacrifices of living abroad, and balancing academics with racing. We also dive into Singapore’s support for motorsport talent and his road ahead. Buckle up for an inspiring ride! READ MORE:  https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/buoyed-by-strong-start-to-2025-singaporean-f4-driver-kabir-anurag-aiming-for-banner-campaign Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Forrest Li has officially thrown his hat into the ring in the contest for Singapore football’s top post - as the Football Association of Singapore confirmed that the election to decide the leaders of Singapore football will be held on 28 April 2025. So what next on the timeline to the extraordinary congress? And who could be in the running alongside Li? Deepanraj Ganesan weighs in on this - as well as the National Team's upcoming games, and the Singapore Cup fixtures gone by. READ MORE:  https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/billionaire-forrest-li-confirms-bid-to-become-singapore-football-chief https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-association-of-singapore-elections-to-be-held-on-april-28 Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Newcastle end their 70-year wait for silverware - clinching the English League Cup at the expense of Liverpool, beating them 2-1 at Wembley. And on Sports Minutes, we check in with two jubilant Geordies - Sazali Abdul Aziz & Terrence Ong - and lifelong Liverpool fan - Deborah Rowe - to find out what it means for both camps. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

The Lion City Sailors' dream run in the ACL Two continues, as they defeated Sanfrecce Hiroshima 4-1 on aggregate to book a spot in the last four. This is only the third time a team from Singapore have reached the semi-finals of a continental competition. So how did the Sailors, the only South-east Asian outfit left in Asia’s second-tier club competition, defy the odds to overcome their illustrious opponents? Deepanraj Ganesan speaks to Sports Minutes after a historic night at the Jalan Besar Stadium. READ MORE:  https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/lion-city-sailors-eliminate-japanese-side-sanfrecce-hiroshima-to-seal-acl-two-semi-final-berth Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Did you know that amongst the NINE teams competing in the Singapore Women’s Premier League - there is ONLY ONE that does not have an active men’s team. And that team is Still Aerion Women’s Football Club. Dedicated to female footballers - the club have a roster that includes players who’ve featured in the Women’s World Cup, stars of the Singapore Lionesses past and present, and at the helm have a former S-league winner in Jeremy Chiang. So with all the ingredients in place, can they cook up a storm in 2025? Sports Minutes sits down with head coach Jeremy and new signing Lila Tan to find out. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

The Lion City Sailors take centre stage on this episode of Sports Minutes - and for obvious reasons, after the furore surrounding their ACL Two Quarter-final. With the first leg declared a walkover after Sanfrecce Hiroshima's error of fielding an ineligible player, can the Sailors get the job done to secure a historic spot in the Semis? And, could the return of the legendary Kadir Yahya as Unleash the Roar's Director of Football spark a revival for Singapore's footballing fortunes? Deepanraj Ganesan is in the hot seat to dissect and discuss it all! READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/former-lion-kadir-yahaya-returns-as-unleash-the-roars-director-of-football https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/sanfrecce-hiroshima-stripped-of-victory-over-lion-city-sailors-after-fielding-suspended-player https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/can-womens-premier-league-in-spore-take-off-after-losing-title-sponsor-fas-upbeat-but-issues-remain Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

This International Women’s Day on Sports Minutes, we talk to Nurhafizah Abu Sujad, Head Physiotherapist for the Singapore National Teams about her journey in a male-dominated field. Sticking true to the theme of IWD 2025 - Accelerating Action - the long-serving physio who is affectionately known as 'Kak Fizah' shares how motherhood has shaped her career, her work empowering athletes, and her mission to break barriers in sports. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

History beckons for the Lion City Sailors this week, as the Singaporean outfit travel to Japan to take on Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the ACL Two Quarter finals. As the ONLY south-east asian team representative left in the competition, how will they fare? What are the key battles and can the Sailors keep themselves alive heading into the second leg? Deepanraj Ganesan dives in to this and the weekend's Singapore Cup results on Sports Minutes. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

When you think of the Women’s Premier League in Singapore, the Lion City Sailors probably come to mind—and for good reason. As the 3-time reigning champions the Sailors often dominate the headlines, and their opposition. But in 2024, two standout individuals from Geylang International stole the spotlight at the WPL Awards. Ratna Suffian was named Coach of the Year, while Farah Nurzahirah picked up Young Player of the Year honours. So, how did they defy expectations? And will they be able to close the gap on reigning champions LCS in 2025? We’ve hear from the both of them on Sports Minutes! READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/albirex-niigatas-manami-fukuzawa-named-womens-premier-league-player-of-the-year Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg