Positive signs early in Ogura's tenure, but much to do for new coach and Lions, say football observers

New coach Tsutomu Ogura's willingness to start younger players is encouraging, said ex-footballer Shasi Kumar.

And at the Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium on Tuesday , China beat Singapore 4-1, a game that was turned on its head by a controversial penalty decision in the second half.Speaking to CNA, Shasi and former footballer Rhysh Roshan Rai noted that there have been several positive signs early in the reign of new coach Tsutumo Ogura, but that there is still a long way to go.

Prior to this appointment, Ogura’s last role was at Japanese club Tokyo Verdy as assistant coach. The team finished third in the J2 League last season, and won promotion through the play-offs to the top tier of Japanese football. Earlier, midfielder Jacob Mahler had also said that Ogura"installed belief" in the team after he came on.

"The award of the penalty was soft and it definitely had an impact in swinging the momentum of the game."There remain many areas that Ogura need to work on, said Shasi and Rai. There is also room for improvement tactically when it comes to individual roles, said Shasi. But at the same time, these are things that can be solved, he added.

Following Tuesday's loss to China, the Lions sit bottom of their World Cup qualifying group with a solitary point.

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