Warriors FC winger Hafiz Rahim urged his teammates to channel their late season form from last year as they prepare for a seven-game title run-in starting with Courts Young Lions on Friday.
The defending champions trailed Brunei DPMM throughout last season's campaign only to wrestle the title away from Steve Kean's men on the final day of the season.
With seven games left to play, it will take another herculean effort from the Western giants if they are to triumph again.
"Mathematically it is still possible for us to win the title," Hafiz told ESPN FC. "We just have to take it one game at a time.
"It was the same situation last season as we were playing catch-up (to DPMM). We (the players) know what is at stake with seven games left and everyone is focused on the task and looking forward to the challenge."
Alex Weaver's team will rely on 14-goal striker Fazrul Nawaz, who helped Singapore to a 2-1 win over Cambodia on Tuesday night. He will be ably supported by Shi Jiayi -- replacing the suspended Miroslav Pejic -- and Hafiz Rahim, but the latter knows that a win against the Young Lions is not as straightforward as it seems.
In their two league meetings this year, Warriors beat them 2-1 at Jalan Besar Stadium before the U23 side stunned them at Woodlands Stadium with a 2-0 victory in July.
Juergen Raab's young charges may be on a four-match winless streak, but they have scored six goals in the process with Sherif El-Masri and Jordan Webb as their leading lights.
"Young Lions are a very dangerous team as you can see from their past results. They have very quick players who are great in one-on-one situations. That is what you get from a young team." added Hafiz.
"We will need to be very focused to execute coach Alex's tactical game plan and I know my team will give our best on Friday to achieve the result we need."
Even with onlookers calling for his inclusion in the national team setup, the 31-year-old who has started in all eight league matches for the Warriors since July, is unconcerned with his own performance, preferring to channel his focus towards a team effort to achieve the desired target.
"Scoring goals and providing assists for my teammates is a bonus. I would be even happier if we were to win the remaining seven games and retain the title at the end of the season. This is a team game and that is the only way we can win the league for a second time in a row." remarked Hafiz.
Despite having to face fellow title-contenders Tampines Rovers and Albirex Niigata (S) in the coming weeks, it will be the home game on Nov. 6 against DPMM that could turn out to be the title decider, in what has been one of the most fiercely contested seasons in the S.League.
But like what Hafiz has said, the reigning champions must get past an unpredictable Young Lions team before they can look further ahead.
Courts Young Lions Probable Lineup: Syazwan Buhari (GK), Safirul Sulaiman, Amirul Adli, Sheikh Abdul Hadi, Fadli Kamis, Ammirul Emmran, M. Anumanthan, Shahfiq Ghani, Suria Prakash, Jordan Webb, Sherif El-Masri
Warriors Probable Lineup: Shahul Rayyan (GK), Syaqir Sulaiman, Marin Vidosevic, Daniel Bennett, Emmeric Ong, Irwan Shah, Karlo Ivancic, Kevin McCann, Hafiz Rahim, Shi Jiayi, Fazrul Nawaz