Roar for our Lions in their den

THE brand-new National Stadium in Kallang has hosted two high-profile football matches - Juventus beat a Singapore Selection 5-0 in August, while Brazil trounced Japan 4-0 in a friendly - since its reopening a few months ago. Over the next seven days, the 55,000-seater will stage another three games but this time, the stakes are significantly higher. The biennial Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup - co-hosted by Singapore and Vietnam - kicks off this weekend. A shiny trophy and big prize money await the winners of the month-long competition, not to mention regional bragging rights over the next two years.

All of Singapore's Group B matches take place at the National Stadium. The pitch is in much better shape now compared to a few weeks ago and the arena is all set to experience competitive football for the first time in years.

If ever there was an occasion that called for a full house, this is it. Singapore are the defending champions of this tournament - the Lions stood tall and proud as South-east Asian football kings at the last edition in 2012, defeating the hot favourites Thailand 3-2 in a hot-tempered two-legged final to lift the cup for a record fourth time.