Muhammad Shahfiq bin Ghani (born 17 March 1992), also known as Shahfiq Shahfiq or just Shahfiq, is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays either as a forward or midfielder for Malaysia Super League club Negeri Sembilan the Singapore national team. Shahfiq is known as a free-kick specialist.
Shahfiq began his club career with S.League club Young Lions in 2010. He scored 7 goals in 37 competitive matches over three Seasons from 2010 to 2012.
Shahfiq was selected to be in the LionsXII squad in 2013.[2][3] He contributed with 5 goals in 13 MSL matches as LionsXII won the 2013 Malaysia Super League. He drew criticism from head coach V. Sundramoorthy for his dismissal for slapping Sarawak's Muamer Salibašić in a Malaysia Cup match on 24 August 2013.[4]
A spinal injury threatened to rule Shahfiq out for the start of the 2014 season.[5] He missed the Charity Cup match against Pahang and the Malaysia FA Cup match against DRB-Hicom, returning as a 74th-minute substitute against Selangor on 25 January. In total, he spent only 77 minutes on the pitch for his club in 2014.[6]
During his two-year spell with LionsXII, he scored six goals in 31 appearances.
In 2015, Shahfiq return to the Young Lions, where he scored 5 goals in 22 league appearances for his club.
In 2016, it was announced that Shahfiq would be joining Geylang International at the start of the 2016 S.League season on a 2 year contract.[6] However, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee during pre-season training and was ruled out for 6 months.[7] This resulted in Shafiq missing most of the games of the season although he did make a return during the second half of the season. He returned to full fitness in July and made a surprise cameo appearance in the League Cup Plate Final against Hougang United.[6] He marked his return from injury by scoring a goal for his club in a friendly match against the Cambodia national football team and laying off an assist for a last gasp goal in a 2-1 victory over Balestier Khalsa in the league.
He scored in his first goal for the club during the last game of the season in a 4-1 win over Home United.[8] He came back strongly enough to be recalled back to the national team and making the final 23 for Singapore's disappointing 2016 AFF Championship.[9]
Shahfiq scored his first goal of the 2017 S.League season in a 2-0 win over Brunei DPMM FC while also winning another penalty which teammate Víctor Coto converted.[10]
After being rumoured to join UKM F.C. in Malaysia, Shahfiq signed for Hougang United in 2018.
Shahfiq was part of the Singapore national under-23 football team that won the bronze medal at the 2013 Southeast Asian Games.
He earned his first senior international cap in a friendly match against Hong Kong on 15 August 2012.[11] His first international goal came against China PR in a friendly match in 2013.[12]
Shahfiq graduated from the Singapore Sports School in 2008.[13]
International goals
Statistics accurate as of match played 5 March 2014
LionsXII
Hougang United
Singapore
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