Sports Minutes with Zia-ul Raushan

Singapore put up a rallying performance, on head coach Tsutomu Ogura's debut, to come from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw against China - securing their first point in the 2026 World Cup Qualifying campaign. Buoyed by close to 30-thousand in attendance at the Singapore Sports Hub, the Lions heeded the call of duty to leave fans feeling optimistic. So what was good, what was bad and what coul...

What defines an all-time great? Trophies? Goals? Clean sheets? Well in conjunction with the Football Association of Singapore, Sports Minutes conducted a special contest to garner the peoples' choice when it comes to that age old question....Who is your all-time favourite footballer? Tune in as we take a trip down memory lane!  Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg |  raush...

Having struggled for game time with his club side, Ilhan Fandi is relishing being back in the Lions' den. Under the tutelage of new head coach Tsutomu Ogura, there is renewed optimism ahead of Singapore's crucial WCQ clash against China. Will the off-pitch optimism equate to an uptick in on-pitch fortunes? Ilhan Fandi is certainly bullish as he spills the beans on Sports Minutes. Got a story to te...

Manchester United kept their trophy hopes alive for this season and ended Liverpool's quest for four trophies with a dramatic extra-time victory in an FA Cup quarter-final. Amad Diallo was the match-winner right at the death, completing a memorable comeback to set up a semi-final clash against Coventry City. So did Manchester United win it, or did Liverpool lose it? We discuss! Got a story to tell...

England take on Brazil and Belgium at Wembley this month in the last fixtures before manager Gareth Southgate names his squad for Euro 2024. With some eye-catching inclusions and omissions, we assess the Three Lion's chances ahead of the showpiece event happening in June. Is this Southgate's final chance..especially with one Jose Mourinho lurking? Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker...

With a handsome bounty of US$2,500,000, the Porsche Singapore Classic will take centre stage at the Laguna National Golf Resort Club from 21-24 March - featuring the likes of Rasmus Højgaard, Tom McKibbin and Yannik Paul. Returning with a bang after a prolonged hiatus, what will the event offer? We caught up with Patrick Bowers, Executive Championship Director of the Porsche Singapore Classic, to...

The inclusion of BG Tampines Rovers head coach Gavin Lee to the National Team backroom staff has got fans of the local game talking! Known for his distinct brand of football in the domestic league, what will the 33-year old coach bring the table as new Lions head coach Tsutomu Ogura looks revive the fortunes of Singapore football? We spoke to Gavin to find out! READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes....

What were you doing at 14-years old? Well chances are you weren't clinching multiple world titles, showcasing your extraordinary talent with a steering wheel! That's exactly what Singaporean Dillan Tan has achieved at such a young age, and we spoke to him to find out more about his meteoric rise! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg |  raushan@sph.com.sg See omnystudio.com...

The Premier League's recent history has been defined by the managerial rivalry between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. And if this was its final chapter, then Liverpool and Manchester City closed the book in fitting fashion with an Anfield classic in a pulsating 1-1 draw. With the three-way title fight well and truly on, who has the edge? We discuss! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edan...

Paul Pogba has been banned for four years for charges of doping. And that got us thinking...who else joins the enigmatic frenchman as footballers who failed to follow through on their promise? We check in with the fans to discuss the 'what could have been' tales of some of football's brightest talents! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg |  raushan@sph.com.sg See omnystud...

Tia Rozario is only 23 years young, but she already has broken TWO national records in long jumping. If you thought that was impressive, wait till you realise she did this while pursuing a master’s in biomedical science at Duke University after completing your four-year degree in neuroscience at Princeton University. So how does the Singaporean track and field hotshot balance athletics with academ...

Simona Halep has vowed to return to tennis with "renewed vigour and an invigorated spirit" after a four-year doping ban was reduced to nine months. The 2-time Grandslam winner has not played competitively since the US Open in August 2022 - when she failed a doping test. Halep's suspension was backdated to the start of her provisional suspension in October 2022, meaning she is able to return to com...

The world’s best Table Tennis stars are coming back to Singapore for the Singapore Smash at Singapore Sports Hub from Thursday 7 to Sunday 17 March. But this year's event will be for more than just lovers of the sport, promises to be bigger and better. Why? We speak to Shaun Nik, Head of Event and Experience at World Table Tennis, to find out! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph...

It's getting tight at the top as City closed the gap on pace-setters Liverpool with 3-1 win in the Manchester Derby. We review the 'inevitable' nature of their win, plus the rest of the 'inevitable' subplots that took centre stage this past sporting weekend!  Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg |  raushan@sph.com.sg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Swift-mania may have hit Singapore in a big way, but that's not the only event happening this weekend. The Singapore Cricket Club is hosting the SCC International Hockey Sixes, with a host of teams local and abroad set to do battle at the Padang. Why should you make time for this FREE event? Subhas Nathan, Chairman of the SCC International Hockey Sixes, tells us! Got a story to tell? Get in touch...

The Lion City Sailors have signed attacking midfielder Bart Ramselaar from Dutch Eredivisie side Utrecht on a deal till the end of the 2025-26 campaign. The 27-year-old, who won the Eredivisie title with PSV Eindhoven and has three caps for the Netherlands, arrives for a reported fee of about €1.5 million (S$2.2 million) - making him the SECOND most expensive signing in SPL history. So what can fa...

Singapore bodybuilding has taken a back seat in recent years with its reputation tainted by local cases of doping. But under a new guise as the Association of Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Singapore (ABPS), it's looking to restore it's reputation and retain it's NSA Status. How? Newly-elected President of ABPS, Alan Ng, tells us more. READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/bodybuilding-b...

The Singapore Youth League (SYL), co-organised by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and Sport Singapore (SportSG) kickstarted on the weekend of 24-25 February across the island. Could the league, an initiative under the Unleash the Roar! (UTR!) national football project and Singapore’s inaugural nation-wide elite youth football competition which will feature over 200 registered teams fro...

Jurgen Klopp called his side's Carabao Cup final victory over Chelsea the "most special trophy" he has ever won. With five players aged 20 or under featuring on the day, and with the average age of the team that finished the game being below 22, how did Klopp galvanize his charges to overcome the Blues? We discuss! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg |  raushan@sph.com.sg...

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 27.7% buy-in at ­Manchester United has been officially completed. So with Ratcliffe and co. gaining control of the club's football policy, what will the future look like? We convened the in-house council of red devils to discuss! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg |  raushan@sph.com.sg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having garnered headlines for their social media post about an “in-principle approval by FAS” to become the 10th team in the 2024 Singapore Premier League season, Tengah FC have come under scrutiny regarding their eligibility. So who are they? And how close are they to securing a spot in the domestic league? Deepanraj Ganesen, sports reporter with The Straits Times, has the details. READ MORE: htt...

Emerging sports like tchoukball and powerlifting having been boosted by DPM Wong’s pledge of up to $20 million top-up at Budget 2024. How will this help these sports, and how much more needs to be done? To find out more, we hear from Singapore powerlifter Farhanna Farid, and are in conversation with Delane Lim, Tchoukball Association of Singapore president.  Got a story to tell? Get in touch with...

Reports have emerged that ex-Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a shock potential interim solution should Bayern Munich part ways with the underfire Thomas Tuchel mid-season. Would it the right move? We hear from a Bayern fan to get their thoughts! Plus, Dan Ashworth's imminent arrival at Manchester United takes shape with Newcastle putting him on 'gardening leave' while both clubs...

Bayern Munich’s latest 3-2 loss to Bochum capped off a nightmare week of three consecutive defeats for Thomas Tuchel. With Harry Kane under scrutiny and an 8-point game to Bundesliga leaders Leverkusen, the perennial German champions  have plunged into deep crisis. Will Tuchel survive the season? Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg |  raushan@sph.com.sg See omnystudio.com...

The Singapore National Netball team takes on cross-border rival Malaysia in a three-match test series scheduled for 15, 17 and 18 February 2024. Bragging rights are up for stake as the causeway rivals clash, so how is the host nation getting ready? We caught up with Aqilah Andin, vice-captain & K Mishalenee, to find out!   Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg |  rausha...