On paper, the 2024 ASEAN Championship has been perfect so far for Singapore.
With a 3-0 win over Timor-Leste on Saturday, the Lions are currently top of Group A on a maximum six points and are currently on course for only a second semifinal appearance in six editions of the tournament since they were last champions in 2012.
The reality is that there is still much improvement that needs to come from Singapore but, at the very least, that has been acknowledged within the game.
After being gifted both their goals in Wednesday's 2-1 win over Cambodia, Singapore would have been looking to issue a stronger statement against a Timor-Leste outfit who have conceded 13 goals in their previous two matches are widely regarded as the weakest team in the tournament.
Instead, for much of the 90 minutes, the Lions struggled to find cohesion in the attacking third. Until late on, they barely created a move worth mentioning.
At the back, they threatened to do for Timor-Leste what Cambodia had done for them three days ago.
A complete lack of concentration from Lionel Tan saw him twice give possession away inside his own half -- with him as the last line of defence. On the second occasion, an audacious 45-yard lob from João Pedro was only kept out by the foot of the post as Singapore goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud was looking flabbergasted by the abject play in front of him.
Despite their status as the region's traditional minnows, Timor-Leste had already shown they can cause quite a scare in their previous outing -- where they led at halftime before ultimately succumbing 3-2 to Malaysia. It seems like Singapore had not been paying attention.
Perhaps the sweeping changes made by Singapore coach Tsutomu Ogura to his starting XI -- seven in total -- was also a contributing factor.
While it was understandable that he would opt to rotate for what was perceived as their easiest tie, there were still some peculiar choices -- such as the decision to field Nazrul Nazari on the left wing when he has spent the best part of the past decade playing at right-back.
With the Lions offering little throughout the opening 45, it did not take long for the changes to come.
Unsurprisingly, the vulnerable-looking Tan and ineffective Nazrul were replaced by Safuwan Baharudin and Farhan Zulkifli respectively, but it was the third substitution just after the hour mark that would prove crucial.
The moment he came on, Shawal Anuar offered Singapore a different dimension, especially with his off-the-ball movement either within the channels or to drag the central defenders out wide.
His sheer presence in the area would lead to enough panic to force Olagar Xavier to barge him over illegally to prevent him from reaching a Ryhan Stewart cross, paving the way for Kyoga Nakamura to finally find the breakthrough in the 76th minute.
Seven minutes later, as the ball was worked out to the left, Shawal would diligently get back into an onside position before darting straight back towards goal -- where he would eventually be on hand to convert Safuwan Baharudin's driven ball into the six-yard box.
And right in the final minute, a similar foray down the left - this time with Jordan Emaviwe providing the industry -- would lead to an unmarked Shawal being left with a simple finish at the back post for his second of the evening, and third of the tournament.
With Singapore missing several other striking options at the tournament, Shawal is -- based on experience and form -- the obvious choice to lead the line, even if he is more often deployed as a wide forward at club level with Lion City Sailors.
Perhaps the decision to keep him on the bench on Saturday was simply so that he will be fresh for tougher tests to come in the form of Thailand and Malaysia.
Nonetheless, unless Ogura wants his Lions to continue flattering to deceive, his best chance of getting an improvement out of them is to have Shawal right at the front doing what he does best.