MilkLife Kickers finished second to Singa Cup 2026 in Singapore after losing on goal difference to Lion City Sailors despite achieving three wins.

MilkLife Kickers had to settle for second place in the Girls U14 category in Singa Cup 2026 in Singapore. The Indonesian representative failed to maintain the top position after Lion City Sailors excelled in goal productivity, as reported by Kompas.

This result meant that the team coached by Timo Scheunemann ended the competition with a record of three wins from three matches. Both teams have both collected nine points, but the difference in the number of goals determines the final position in the standings.

Singa Cup is an international age group football competition that has been held in Singapore since 2011. In 2026, the tournament will be attended by 136 teams from 13 countries.

Competition in the standings until the last match

MilkLife Kickers was actually at the top of the standings on the second day of the match. This advantage was obtained after they recorded two wins with a fairly large goal difference. The first victory was achieved when they faced BMW, the representative of Singapore, with a score of 8-0.

Next, the Indonesian team again got three points after beating Fremantle City FC from Australia with a score of 5-1. These two results put MilkLife Kickers in an advantageous position before the final match of the group stage. However, the competition changed after Lion City Sailors played the deciding match on Friday (6/11/2026) afternoon.

The host representative managed to beat South Coast Baptist College from Australia with a landslide score of 9-0. Additional wins and nine goals made Lion City Sailors take over the first position previously occupied by MilkLife Kickers.

Thus, MilkLife Kickers had to drop to second place even though they had the same number of points. Goal productivity is the differentiating factor between the two teams after all group phase matches have been played.

Comparison of the goal productivity of the two teams

Lion City Sailors finished the group phase with a goal difference of +32. This record comes from a total of 35 goals that they managed to create, while the number of goals scored in their net was only three. On the other hand, MilkLife Kickers accumulated a goal difference of +24. The Indonesian team scored 26 goals and only conceded twice during three matches.

The MilkLife Kickers player material in this competition comes from the 2025-2026 MilkLife Soccer Challenge All-Stars selection process. These players get the opportunity to test their skills through international competition in Singapore. The difference in goal productivity explains why nine points are not enough to make MilkLife Kickers become champions. Even though the number of wins for both teams is identical, Lion City Sailors has the advantage in the number of goals scored throughout the group phase.

Timo Scheunemann’s focus is on player development

For Timo Scheunemann, achievements in this international tournament are not solely measured based on the final standings. He places the development of individual player abilities as one of the important goals of participating in MilkLife Kickers.

The MilkLife Kickers U14 coach explained that it was hoped that the experience of competing at Singa Cup would encourage the players to be more serious about their training. “When we talk about winning, everyone definitely wants to win, but for me what is more important is that after this Singa Cup, the players are more motivated to continue to focus on training to raise their level,” said the MilkLife Kickers U14 coach, Timo Scheunemann. He also explained that the competition was an opportunity to identify players who had development potential. The selected players are expected to receive further training so that their abilities can improve.

“Then we’ll talk about results on the pitch, because actually what we’re doing here is looking for potential players to later develop so they can become the backbone of the national team.”

Attention to the coaching process is also part of Timo’s message to the players after finishing the match. He emphasized the importance of consistency in improving the quality of the game. “Hopefully they can continue to persevere in the process of improving the level of play,” said Timo, the coach who also led Indonesia Garuda Pertiwi to become runner-up in the 2026 Srikandi Merdeka Cup.

International experience for young players

From a player’s perspective, MilkLife Kickers striker, Albianca Raula, also felt the difference in the level of competition in this year’s tournament. She considered that the Singa Cup 2026 match was more intense than any experience she had previously had.

Participation in a competition involving 136 teams from 13 countries gave MilkLife Kickers the opportunity to face opponents from various countries. The final result placed the Indonesian representative in second place Girls U14, behind Lion City Sailors who was superior in goal difference.

Source: SuaraGarut.ID

Article Link: https://suaragarut.id/milklife-kickers-akhiri-singa-cup-2026-sebagai-runner-up