The Young Lions are finally off the mark in the Singapore Premier League 2025/26 season, although this time the breakthrough came off the pitch rather than on it.
In a statement released by the Football Association of Singapore on 3 March, it was confirmed that Hougang United FC fielded Canadian forward Gloire Amanda in three matches, including their Singapore Premier League 2-0 win over the Young Lions on 30 January, despite his work pass not being formally approved at the time.
It is not known why his application for a work permit to play for Hougang United was denied.
While Amanda is a Canadian citizen having resided in Canada since he was eight, it is understood that the Tanzanian native was born to Congolese parents.
This statement came after an expose published by tmsGOAL socials on 2 March following a tip-off from a reader.
Although Hougang had submitted a work pass application, FAS said the club had “neither received formal approval nor been physically issued at the time the player participated in those matches”.
In other words, the paperwork was in motion, but not across the line.
Why Hougang submitted an application and the FAS competition’s department approved the player’s competition pass is also unknown, with plain ignorance and negligence the possible reasons respectively.
Under league regulations, players must have full regulatory clearance before taking part in official fixtures.
Following its review, FAS ruled that Amanda was ineligible to feature.
As a result, Hougang’s 2-0 win over the Young Lions has been reversed and recorded as a 3-0 victory for Firdaus Kassim and his side.
The 1-0 SPL2 defeat to BG Tampines has been amended to a 3-0 loss. Meanwhile, Hougang’s 5-1 loss to Lion City Sailors remains unchanged, as the original margin exceeded the standard forfeiture scoreline.
The FAS added in its statement that it will implement enhanced verification and compliance protocols governing the registration of foreign players moving forward.
In addition, it added that “appropriate disciplinary measures will be taken in respect of the FAS staff and management involved in the registration process.”
“They should have detected Hougang United FC’s mistake,” the statement read.
MAIN PHOTO: HOUGANG UNITED