Month: June 2024
Any fears that the Lion City Sailors Women’s Team’s season would be derailed following their shock 2-1 defeat to Geylang International last Sunday (23 June) were well and truly put to rest, as Daniel Ong’s charges got back to winning ways with an emphatic 13-0 win over Tiong Bahru FC at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Saturday (30 June) evening.
With Albirex Niigata (S) hot on their tails in the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL), the Sailors Women knew they could ill-afford to drop points in this one.
Nonetheless, Head Coach Daniel continued to place his trust in the club’s youth players, even handing a debut to 14-year-old Nur Ain Salleh – the first female scholar from the Lion City Sailors Football Academy’s Elite Development Programme.
And it was Ain, lining up on the right side of attack, who opened the scoring for the Sailors after just five minutes.
Receiving a pass from Dorcas Chu, the teenager took a touch to steady herself before slamming a fierce drive past the goalkeeper into the far corner.
Ain scoring so early on her debut may have come as a surprise to some fans in the stands, but Daniel insists he always had full confidence in her ability to make an impact on the team.
“She has been training with us for some time now, so her goal was not a surprise to us. We know what she is capable of, and in fact, she can perform much better than what she did today,” Daniel said after the game.
The early lead signalled the start of a relentless onslaught by the Sailors, as they launched wave after wave of attack on the Tiong Bahru goal. And the Sailors’ sustained pressure finally paid off in a devastating seven-minute spell, during which they scored four goals without reply.
First, forward Raeka Ee raced onto a through ball into the box, and calmly picked her spot past the despairing dive of the goalkeeper to make it 2-0 in the 19th minute.
That was her 12th goal of the season as she pulled level with Albirex’s Manami Fukuzawa at the top of the WPL scoring chart.
Barely two minutes later, Nur Sarah Zu’risqha won possession in the Tiong Bahru box and curled a shot into the far corner to make it 3-0 to the Sailors.
Dorcas then made it four with a long-range shot, before Sarah got her second of the game with a tap-in, giving the Sailors a five-goal lead in the 26th minute.
With the Tiong Bahru defence still reeling from the rapid succession of goals, Sarah capitalised to complete her hat-trick in the 32nd minute, pouncing on a loose ball in the box and calmly slotting it into the back of the net.
Now full of confidence, Sarah went on to score two more goals – one on the stroke of half-time and another just after the break – to take her tally this season to an impressive eight goals.
Reflecting on her prolific performance, the 17-year-old winger remarked, “I’m surprised I scored five goals tonight. Normally, I’m the one crossing the ball and creating opportunities for my teammates.
“But this week in training, we focused heavily on our attacking positioning and getting into better scoring positions — I believe it paid off, as I had plenty of chances today.”
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with the Sailors pressing forward in search of goals while limiting Tiong Bahru to speculative shots from range.
Sailors substitute Josephine Ang needed just five minutes to open her account in the game, pouncing on a deflected pass into the box and coolly directing a shot past the stranded Tiong Bahru goalkeeper.
Josephine then scored her second of the night after heading home Nurhidayu Naszri’s pinpoint cross, before curling a 66th-minute free-kick over the wall and into the back of the net to complete her hat-trick in style.
Incredibly, this was not the first time this season that Josephine has come off the bench to score a hat-trick, having done the same in the historic 18-0 win over Balestier Khalsa last month.
When asked about the competition for places in a squad filled with attacking talent, she explained, “Even though it’s challenging to secure a spot on this team, my teammates and coaches provide me with great motivation. So every time I come off the bench, I’m focused on giving my best for the team.”
Further goals from captain Umairah Hamdan and substitute Cara Chang added a touch of gloss to the scoreline for the Sailors, who have now completed the double over Tiong Bahru this season.
Despite securing a comprehensive win and increasing their goal difference, Daniel believes there is still room for further improvement from his team.
“Today we saw some positive movement, and combinations between the players, but there is still a lot of work to be done,” he reflected. “Nonetheless, I trust everyone in this squad, regardless of their age.”
The win moves the Sailors three points ahead of their closest rivals, Albirex, who face Geylang International on Sunday (30 June) night. The Sailors and Albirex will meet head-to-head on 20 July at Choa Chu Kang Stadium.
The Lion City Sailors saw their perfect start to the 2024/2025 Singapore Premier League (SPL) campaign come to an end at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday (28 June) night, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by an impressively tenacious Geylang International side.
Indeed, it required a moment of magic from Maxime Lestienne to rescue a point for Aleksandar Ranković’s charges, who were far from their free-flowing best on the night.
The tone for the match was set as early as the 10th minute. The Sailors failed to clear their lines from a Geylang corner, leading to a gilt-edged opportunity for forward Tomoyuki Doi, who somehow managed to send the ball over the bar from point-blank range.
Barely three minutes later, the hosts found themselves ahead, with Vincent Bezecourt winning the ball in midfield before firing a long-range shot past the despairing dive of Sailors goalkeeper Zharfan Rohaizad. This marked the first time this season that the Sailors had trailed.
It was the wake-up call that the visitors – who had started the game sluggishly – needed, as they began to assert themselves on the game.
However, Mohd Noor Ali’s men put in a disciplined and hardworking shift to limit the gaps in their defence and midfield, making it difficult for the Sailors to carve out clear-cut opportunities.
At the other end of the pitch, Geylang continued to pose a threat on the counter, but they were unable to seriously test Zharfan in the Sailors’ goal.
By half-time, Geylang had outshot the Sailors eight to five – a clear indication that the Eagles had edged the first 45 minutes.
The Sailors, however, came out after the break looking intent on making amends for their first-half underperformance.
Unsurprisingly, it was Maxime who provided the spark for the Sailors, creating no less than three decent opportunities within the first five minutes of the restart, the closest of which came when Toni Datković headed the ball just wide from a set-piece routine.
Eventually, however, the Sailors’ pressure on Geylang paid off in the 57th minute. Bart Ramselaar delivered a low cross into the box from the left flank, finding an onrushing Maxime, who superbly placed a first-time shot into the bottom corner of the net for his fourth goal in as many games to draw the Sailors level.
Three minutes later, the Sailors came close to taking the lead for the first time in the game, but substitute Adam Swandi’s effort from Maxime’s cutback sailed just over the bar.
In the 65th minute, Geylang carved out their best opportunity of the second half, as Iqbal Hussain set Ryoya Taniguchi through on goal, but the Japanese was denied by a superb point-blank save by Zharfan.
The final quarter of the game saw a series of half-chances for both sides, with Bezecourt and Sailors striker Lennart Thy coming closest for their respective teams.
It took until the second minute of injury time for another clear-cut opportunity to present itself – this time, it was Sailors defender Bailey Wright who came close to scoring, as his header from Hafiz Nor’s cross drew a superb save from Geylang custodian Hairul Syirhan.
Ultimately, though, Ranko believes that a draw was a fair result on the night for both teams.
He said, “At the end of the day, I think a draw was justified. Both teams had chances to score. In the first half, Geylang had a little more initiative, but they didn’t really create much apart from a couple of set-pieces and their goal.
“In the second half, we were the better team, and the result could have been different if things had gone our way. But I think a point was the maximum we deserved to get.”
Ranko also admitted that there were aspects of his side’s performance that needed improving ahead of their next game against Tanjong Pagar United on 7 July.
“We played really poorly in the first half, especially in terms of our intensity. It was really surprising, and some of the players looked a little leggy, so that’s something that we’ll have to look into,” said Ranko. “Nonetheless, we knew we had to dig in during the second half, and that’s what we did. So, I’m happy overall that we managed to get a point.”
With the draw, both the Sailors and Geylang maintained their unbeaten records this season. The Sailors currently lead the SPL with 13 points, three ahead of Geylang and BG Tampines Rovers, who occupy second and third place in the table respectively.
The anguish and tears on the faces of the Lion City Sailors Women team at the final whistle following their 2-1 loss to Geylang International in the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) last Sunday (23 June) said it all.
This was a foreign, unfamiliar experience – the pain of defeat was something that the Sailors Women had not felt before.
But all good things must eventually come to an end. And after 37 games, two years, and two WPL titles, the Sailors Women’s incredible unbeaten run – which began at their inception in 2022 – was finally over.
Understandably, this past week has been one of introspection and reflection for Daniel Ong’s youthful charges.
“We sat down as a team to discuss the game – Coach Daniel told us his point of view, and each of us also expressed how we felt,” revealed Sailors Women captain Umairah Hamdan. “We had honest conversations with one another, and this really helped the team internalise what happened last Sunday.”
As one of the more experienced members of the squad, Umairah acknowledges that she is relied upon to provide guidance and mentorship to the younger players this season – an especially important role during difficult times.
It is a responsibility that Umairah relishes, as she explained, “We’re an ambitious team that not just wants to win the WPL, but we also want to do well in the upcoming AFC Women’s Champions League.
“The pressure sometimes can be huge, and it does get to the younger players. So it’s our job as the senior players to reach out to them, provide support, and help them out in any way we can. We’re a close-knit group on and off the field, and that will help us in the important months ahead.”
Umairah also expressed her confidence in the Sailors Women not only bouncing back from the defeat to Geylang, but also growing from this painful experience.
She said, “It’s a good wake-up call. The girls now understand that we are not invincible. Each of us have to take ownership of our individual roles, as well as fine-tune our style of play together as a team to regain our winning formula.
“It wasn’t a bad thing to see how sad the younger girls were after the final whistle. It just shows how passionate and determined the team is to deliver results.
“Instead of being down, I can see the team having a lot of hunger to improve, and together, we’re going to fight and battle even harder so that we can be champions again by the end of the season.”
To that end, the Sailors Women have been working hard this past week on a number of attacking drills, while also ironing out certain defensive kinks that appeared in their previous game.
And they will be looking to get back to winning ways when they take on seventh-placed Tiong Bahru at Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Saturday (29 June) evening.
“We actually played according to our plan against Geylang, but we did not crack their defence often enough, and when we did, we did not finish our chances,” Umairah reflected. “As such, we’ve been working on our creativity and movement in the attacking third so that we can find new ways of scoring.”
The Sailors and Albirex Niigata (S) are currently tied at the top of the WPL standings with 21 points each, but the Sailors hold the edge due to a superior goal difference.
With a swing of his right foot, Lion City Sailors midfielder Song Uiyoung volleyed the ball into the Albirex Niigata (S) goal, past the despairing dive of Hassan Sunny.
As Song ran off to celebrate his goal, the net still rippling from his shot, it was clear for all to see that the 30-year-old was well and truly back to his best.
Song’s goal was the fourth of seven for the Sailors in their 7-1 victory over defending Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions Albirex at the Bishan Stadium last Sunday (23 June).
More significantly for the Incheon native, however, it was his first goal for the Sailors since returning to the club in the off-season.
Song admits it was a special moment for him, one he had been looking forward to experiencing since donning the Sailors’ colours again.
“It was amazing to see the big reaction from the fans after I scored, and I fully felt the love coming from them. For me, this is what football is all about – it’s not just about us players, it’s about creating joy and having that genuine connection with our supporters,” said the Singapore international.
“I really appreciate their support, and we want to give them more things to be happy about this season.”
Song may have netted plenty of memorable goals during his first stint with the Sailors from 2020 to 2022, but he claims that this goal against Albirex ranks among his favourites.
Looking almost sheepish, the ever-humble Song said of his goal, “It was good…a good finish. The credit goes to Obren (Kljajić) – his cross was excellent and he gave it to me exactly in the spot that I wanted.
“We’ve been working on this (combination) and communicating a lot in training. He knows if he receives the ball on the flank, he can just cross it in because our attackers will be waiting in the box to receive.”
While Song has opened his account this season, he wants to temper expectations of being a regular scorer, as he has been assigned a different role since his return to the Sailors.
Given the plethora of attacking options within the Sailors’ ranks, Song has been deployed in a deeper role, where he is tasked with being the ‘bridge’ that connects the midfield and attack.
Regardless of where he plays, however, one thing is for sure: Song will always give 100 percent commitment and play for the team’s cause.
Up next for Song and the Sailors is a tough challenge against third-placed Geylang International at Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday (28 June) night.
The Sailors will head into the game in good form, having gotten off to a perfect start in the 2024/25 SPL season with four wins out of four. But Song believes the team should stay grounded and continue working hard to keep their winning run going.
“We’re satisfied with our current results, and the team’s atmosphere is very positive. However, we must remain hungry and not let complacency sneak in. It’s a long season, and we need to stay motivated for every challenge,” he declared.
“Taking things easy after a good start is not our way. Every match is important, and we’re always on our toes during training to improve ourselves as individuals and as a team.”
Alongside the Sailors and BG Tampines Rovers, Geylang are one of three teams still unbeaten in the SPL. They also boast the league’s leading scorer, Tomoyuki Doi, who has netted nine goals so far.
As such, Song acknowledges that the Sailors will have to bring their A-game against the Eagles in order to pick up their fifth straight win on Friday.
“The SPL is not what some others think it to be – many teams have improved, and we’ve already seen some surprising results this season,” Song elaborated.
“Geylang is definitely a strong team, and we’ll have to be at our best to beat them. What’s most important for us is to prepare well and stick together as a team whenever we face any setbacks in a match or during the season – that is what will carry us throughout this long season.”
Two years. 38 matches. One defeat.
After an historic 37-match unbeaten run, the Lion City Sailors Women’s team suffered their first-ever loss in the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL), falling 2-1 to Geylang International at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Sunday (23 June) night.
It was a shock result that blew the WPL title race wide open, with Albirex Niigata (S) moving level on 21 points with the Sailors after their 6-0 thrashing of BG Tampines Rovers earlier in the evening.
Finally back on the pitch after a month-long mid-season break, Daniel Ong’s charges never really got going against the Eagles, whose gutsy and defiant display starkly contrasted with the Sailors’ uncharacteristically flat performance.
Nonetheless, it was the Sailors who fashioned the first real chance of the game in the 13th minute, with Nur Sarah Zu’risqha coming close to opening the scoring. Geylang goalkeeper Nur Alysha Nasrina, however, was able to make the save – one of many she would go on to make in the game – to keep her side level.
Just two minutes later, the Sailors thought they had made the breakthrough when Miray Altun’s corner was tapped home by Raeka Ee, but the goal was eventually chalked off for offside.
At the opposite end of the pitch, Geylang’s Farhanah Ruhaizat and Victoria Sarka were a constant menace to the Sailors’ defence – a portend of what was to come in the second half.
Ultimately, both teams were unable to find a breakthrough in the first half, marking only the second time this season that the Sailors failed to score in the opening 45 minutes.
Daniel believes the Sailors were unable to sufficiently threaten the Geylang goal due to the lack of movement in the final third.
“We struggled to identify gaps and create space for our players to make runs and receive passes,” explained the 35-year-old. “And when we did manage to do so, we failed to capitalise on those opportunities.”
The Sailors were punished for their sluggishness in the second half as Sarka scored twice in quick succession in the 70th and 73rd minute to hand Geylang a 2-0 lead. Incredibly, this was the first time the team have trailed by two goals since making their WPL bow since 2022.
The goals seemed to rouse the Sailors from their stupor, and they managed to claw a goal back in the 87th minute through Madison Telmer.
However, Madison’s goal proved to be too little, too late for the Sailors. Despite a late flurry of attacks in the dying minutes of the game, they were unable to find the crucial equaliser to extend their unbeaten run.
Reflecting on the frenetic end to the game, Madison said, “Things did get really hectic towards the end, and there were times when we needed to calm down and play the ball around a bit more. That’s something we’ll work on for future matches. It’s important to keep a level head in these kinds of situations.
“Nonetheless, we gave it our all to score another goal, so it was unfortunate that we couldn’t convert earlier.”
While the Sailors’ proud unbeaten streak has come to an end, Daniel insists that this setback will serve as a valuable lesson for his team.
“I feel this is a good wake-up call, and it has come at the right time as we prepare for the AFC Women’s Champions League,” Daniel elaborated. “I believe the players and the coaching staff will work harder together as a team and move on from this defeat.
“Nobody wants to lose, and all the players gave their very best until the final minute. No one is to blame, and we’ll all take it together as a team. We take each game one at a time.
“Having said that, all credit to Coach Ratna (Suffian) and his Geylang players. They were very organised and defended well as a team.”
The Sailors will look to recover from this setback as they face Tiong Bahru next on Saturday, 29 June at Choa Chu Kang.
On paper, it was expected to be a closely-fought encounter between last season’s Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions Albirex Niigata (S) and their closest challengers, the Lion City Sailors.
But after 90-odd minutes at the Bishan Stadium on Sunday (June 23) evening, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the balance of power had decisively shifted in favour of the Sailors.
The final score? An incredible 7-1 to the Sailors.
It was a result that maintained the Sailors’ 100% start to the 2024/25 SPL campaign, and propelled them to the top of the table, two points ahead of BG Tampines Rovers.
There were six different goal scorers on display for Aleksandar Ranković’s side on the night, with perhaps the most noteworthy being new signing Lennart Thy, who scored his first goal for the Sailors.
Bart Ramselaar netted a brace, while reigning SPL Player of the Year Maxime Lestienne, Shawal Anuar, Bailey Wright, and Song Uiyoung were also on target. Albirex’s only goal came via a first-half strike from Shuhei Hoshino.
Ranko acknowledged that his team deserves the praise they have received for their impressive victory, but believes they could have scored even more.
“The way we started the match, and the way we finished, there was only one team that deserved the win and that was us,” the Serb said after the match.
“That was something we were looking for. Our attackers have a job to score, but I’m very happy if everybody else can contribute too. But like the rest of the team, we agree that we had the chances to score more today.”
Bailey also admitted to feeling frustrated about conceding the goal they did.
“Albirex are a good side, and I think it goes to show tonight that we can do what we set out to do despite not being at our best,” said the 31-year-old, who returned to the Sailors side from a one-match suspension.
“We could have scored more, and I thought the goal we conceded was offside. For me, that’s frustrating because as a defender, you want the clean sheet. Although we won, the cherry on top would have been a 7-0 win, but 7-1 shows that we still have areas to work on.”
The Sailors dominated proceedings from the start, opening the scoring after just nine minutes through Shawal, who has now found the net in each of his five appearances this season.
Shawal’s goal was reminiscent of the one he scored against Tottenham Hotspur in the Tiger Cup encounter in July last year, with the 33-year-old ghosting in behind the Albirex defence to turn home a pinpoint cross from Maxime.
The Singapore international nearly added to his tally on 16 minutes, but he somehow put his effort wide after being teed up in the box by Bart.
Five minutes later, Albirex equalised through Hoshino, who appeared to be in an offside position when he headed home Arshad Shamim’s cross from the right.
However, that proved to be a minor blip in the Sailors’ quest for victory as Lennart restored the hosts’ advantage shortly after the half-hour mark.
After being slipped through by Bart, Lennart took a touch before finishing clinically into Hassan Sunny’s far corner for his first goal in Sailors colours.
The Sailors picked up right where they left off after the break, with Bailey extending their lead to 3-1 in the 54th minute. The Australian defender pounced on a loose ball after Albirex failed to clear their lines, before unleashing a sweetly-struck left-footed volley into the bottom corner.
And the goals didn’t stop there.
Song, who had replaced the injured Shawal in the first half, expertly guided home Obren Kljajić’s cross on the hour mark. Four minutes later, Bart coolly fired the ball into the bottom corner.
Maxime then produced a moment of magic in the 68th minute, firing an unstoppable left-footed rocket into the top corner which left Hassan grasping at air for the Sailors’ sixth goal.
Bart then completed the scoring seven minutes from time, sweeping home substitute Hafiz Nor’s cutback for his second goal of the night and fourth of the season.
Reflecting on his two-goal performance, Bart, who was named Man of the Match, said, “I’m very happy to have been able to help the team today. We could have scored four or five goals in the first half, but we made it difficult for ourselves at 2-1. In the second half, we played really well, and the win was a reward for us.”
Next up for the Sailors is a crucial match against a resilient Geylang International on Friday (28 June). While the Eagles are unbeaten so far this season, Bart is confident that the Sailors will rise to the challenge and secure all three points against Mohd Noor Ali’s charges.
“I’m looking forward to the game, which will be a tough one, of course. They play good football and score a lot of goals, but they also concede, so we are confident,” the 27-year-old said.
The Choa Chu Kang Stadium could witness a family reunion of sorts this Sunday (23 June), when the Lion City Sailors Women’s Team takes to the pitch for their Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) clash with Geylang International.
For the first time since their days at Telok Kurau Primary School, sisters Natasha and Nurhidayu Naszri will don the same jersey — the Sailors’ — and could potentially line up side by side in the centre of midfield against the Eagles.
Natasha and Nurhidayu were among the four new signings made by the Sailors during the recent WPL mid-season transfer window. The other additions to the team are forward Priscille Le Helloco and Nur Ain Salleh, who is the first female Sailors Football Academy Scholar.
The Sailors signed 20-year-old Nurhidayu from BG Tampines Rovers, while her younger sister Natasha, who played for the club in 2023, has rejoined Daniel Ong’s squad until the end of the 2024 WPL season. Natasha will then return to Spain to continue her tenure at the ESC LaLiga Academy as part of her Unleash the Roar! (UTR) scholarship.
The prospect of sharing the pitch with her older sister once again is something that Natasha is looking forward to.
“On and off the pitch, we have great chemistry and always support each other. I think this will really help us both perform at our best,” Natasha said. “Since we both play in central midfield, I believe we’ll combine with each other really well.”
Natasha also revealed that watching Nurhidayu play football when she was younger inspired her to get into the game herself.
She shared, “I was inspired by her (Nurhidayu) as I watched her train with the school team and play with teams outside of school. So, playing with her in the WPL means a lot to me. It’s something I looked forward to while growing up.”
Nurhidayu acknowledged that sharing the pitch with her sister would be a special moment for both of them.
“Natasha first started playing football because she saw me join it as a CCA (co-curricular activity) and decided to follow in my footsteps,” Nurhidayu recalled fondly. “We bickered a lot, but no matter what, we always supported each other.
“We have a very close relationship, and it’s been great having her back. Since we play in similar positions and have different strengths and weaknesses, I look forward to seeing how we perform on the field together as teammates again.”
While excited to make her debut for the Sailors alongside her sister, Nurhidayu admitted that she is still not at her 100% yet, having just returned from a year-long ACL injury in April.
Nonetheless, she is determined to make up for lost time, as she works towards full fitness with the Sailors.
“Having missed a full year of football, I’m pushing myself harder to match the intensity at The Sailors,” she said. “With support from coaches, teammates, and my own determination, I’m confident that through rigorous training and effort, I’ll return to my peak condition with this team.”
Both Natasha and Nurhidayu will be aiming to help the Sailors extend their lead at the top of the WPL and maintain their perfect record this season — having secured seven wins out of seven — as they prepare to face Geylang, who are currently third in the table.
With a year of experience at the ESC LaLiga Academy in Spain under her belt, Natasha is eager to demonstrate what she learnt when she steps onto the pitch on Sunday.
“In Spain, they emphasised making quick decisions whenever I had the ball. By improving my possession skills and increasing my speed of play, I hope to help dictate the team’s tempo,” Natasha said.
“It’s crucial to maintain high intensity in both training and matches. To continue progressing, I need to uphold the same level of intensity I maintained in Spain so I can stay focused and disciplined, especially on Sunday.”
It is still early days, but the Lion City Sailors’ 2024/25 campaign could not have gotten off to a better start.
Having started the season by beating Albirex Niigata (S) to lift the Singapore Premier League (SPL) Community Shield, the Sailors have gone on to win their first three league matches, and are now second in the table on nine points – just one behind BG Tampines Rovers, who have played a game more.
While the fortunes of Aleksandar Ranković’s side appear to be on the rise, the opposite seems to be true for defending SPL champions Albirex. The White Swans’ rejigged squad, now comprising a predominantly local roster, has begun the season in uncharacteristically poor form, with just one win and three defeats from their first four games.
Nonetheless, Sailors defender Christopher van Huizen insists his side cannot afford to be complacent when the two teams meet again this Sunday (23 June) at Bishan Stadium.
“I know there are people saying they’re not the Albirex of old, but we shouldn’t see it that way. Look at the game against Young Lions (which the Sailors won 3-1 in May) – they posed a real threat to us as well. If we start taking teams for granted and slack off, that’s when these games will cost us,” emphasised the 31-year-old.
“We want to be a consistent team that keeps winning matches, so the key is to focus on ourselves and keep our mindset firmly on how to play even better as a team.”
The Sailors’ drive for perfection and excellence is also fuelled by past disappointments – in particular, their failure to land the SPL title last season.
And Chris revealed that the team is determined not to let history repeat itself this year.
“It may sound cliché, but we’re going all out in every game because we know how important every point is. Personally, I go into every game with the mindset that I want to make amends for last season. The silly points that we dropped then, and the two or three matches where we weren’t switched on – that proved to be the difference in the title race and it still hurts,” he reflected.
“We worked so hard but in the end, we didn’t achieve our objective of winning the league. So, we’re going to push even harder this year, and we’re not going to let it slip away from us this time.”
Having featured prominently and impressed in every minute of the Sailors’ three SPL matches so far, Chris recognises that he has made a strong start to the season. This marks a significant turnaround from his pre-season, which was marred by an injury that hindered his progress.
“It means a lot to me (to be starting regularly) because it didn’t go that well for me in the initial part of pre-season,” the full-back admitted. “I guess I pushed too hard after coming back from a two-month break and got injured. But the pre-season trip to Thailand helped me get back up to speed, and I feel I’m now playing to the team’s strengths.”
With the Sailors playing well and winning matches, Chris acknowledges that the resilience and spirit within the team is as strong as it has ever been – qualities that he believes will help them go all the way in the title race this year.
“Of course, it took a bit of time for the newer boys like Toni (Datković) and Bart (Ramselaar) to adapt to us and how the dressing room is like,” said Chris. “But it didn’t take that long – I felt they really grew with us and we’re all now having fun together.
“We’re like one big family, and I’m sure these good vibes will help us throughout the season. We’re going to fight for one another and make sure we achieve success together.”
The Lion City Sailors Women’s Team have strengthened their squad by adding four new signings during the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) mid-season transfer window.
Priscille Le Helloco, Nurhidayu Naszri, Natasha Naszri, and Nur Ain Salleh have joined the reigning WPL champions, who are aiming not only for a third consecutive league title but also to make an impression at the inaugural Asian Football Confederation Women Champions League (AWCL) Qualifiers.
Sailors Women Head Coach Daniel Ong believes the four new additions will provide healthy competition within the team and help them cope with the demands of playing in two competitions.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve the team and evolve our style of play. The inclusion of these players will foster strong and healthy competition as we head into a crucial period of the season,” 35-year-old Daniel said.
“I’ve either worked with some of them or watched them up close before, so I know the qualities they will bring to the team. They’re all technically-gifted players who have a good understanding of the game. Equally important, they’re players who have great personalities and are eager to improve themselves.
“With these four additions, we now have cover for every role, and most of our players know how to operate in at least two positions. I know I can count on every player, and they can be relied upon to step in at any moment.”
Both Priscille and Nurhidayu have joined the Sailors from BG Tampines Rovers, where they spent the past one and half seasons.
Equally adept on the wings and as a striker, 17-year-old Priscille enjoyed an outstanding debut WPL campaign as she led BG Tampines in both assists and goals (nine) in 2023. Priscille, who was born in France, has lived in Singapore for the past eight years, and previously played in the JSSL League.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old Nurhidayu – who can play both at left-back and in central midfield – is looking to revive her promising footballing career after spending a year out of the game due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. Prior to the injury, she had established himself as a regular member of the Singapore Women’s National Team, and even featured in the Lionesses’ 2022 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games campaign.
Joining Nurhidayu at the club is her younger sister, Natasha, who has rejoined the Sailors Women until the end of the 2024 WPL season. Thereafter, the 17-year-old will return to Madrid, Spain, to complete the final two years of her three-year stint at the ESC LaLiga Academy as part of her Unleash the Roar! (UTR) scholarship.
Having made her WPL debut for the Sailors Women back in 2023, Natasha will add creativity, power, and strength to the midfield alongside the likes of Ho Hui Xin and Dorcas Chu.
Ain, the first female Scholar of the Sailors Football Academy, will complete the new quartet, although her inclusion is subject to a technical assessment by the Football Association of Singapore. The 14-year-old has been promoted to the senior squad following several impressive displays for the club’s Under-13 Elite Boys’ team – a move that was endorsed by her coach, Ashraf Ariffin.
A right winger with superb technical ability, steely determination, and grit, Ain is a promising prospect poised for a breakthrough.
And she cannot wait to make her WPL bow.
“I’m really excited to be given this opportunity to represent the Sailors Women’s Team. It’s a goal I’ve been working towards for the last couple of years. I’ve to thank Coach Achap (Ashraf) for all his guidance and encouragement in helping me make this step up,” said the teenager.
“I’m going to work very hard to show my qualities and prove that I can play at this level. Being on the same team with such talented and experienced players is something that I’m really looking forward to, and I just want to make the best of this chance by learning everything I can from them.”
Meanwhile, three players will be de-registered from the squad for the remainder of the season. They are German midfielder Laura Gänser, and defenders Nadia Nuraffendi and Fatin Aqillah, who are still recovering from their ACL injuries.
The Lion City Sailors will find out who their opponents in the revamped Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Two will be on Friday, 16 August, when the official draw ceremony for its Group Stage takes place at the AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
The AFC confirmed yesterday (19 June) that Aleksandar Ranković’s charges will gain direct entry into the brand new second-tier men’s club competition in Asia.
Having qualified for the competition by finishing last season as the top local side in the Singapore Premier League (SPL), the Sailors are among the 32 clubs that will be divided evenly into eight groups to contest a round-robin, home-and-away format between September 17 to December 5.
(Photo: AFC)
The knockout stages will be played in the first half of 2025, with a one-off final slated for 17 May next year.
During their inaugural ACL campaign two years ago, the Sailors made history as the first local team to defeat a K-League 1 side with a stunning 3-0 victory over Daegu FC. They went on to accumulate seven points in the group stages, the highest ever for a Singaporean team in the ACL.
In 2023, they recorded a couple of notable results as they defeated Hong Kong’s Kitchee SC 2-1, before claiming a significant victory over two-time ACL winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors with a 2-0 win at Jalan Besar Stadium.
This will be the third consecutive season that the Sailors will represent Singapore in AFC club competitions, and captain Hariss Harun is looking forward to flying the nation’s flag high again at the regional level.
“It’s a huge honour for the club to consistently compete in Asia’s top club competitions – it’s something we don’t take for granted, and we’re always going out there with the mentality to showcase what Singapore football can achieve,” said the 33-year-old, who holds the record for the most ACL appearances by a Singaporean player with 18 under his belt.
“We may be competing in the ACL Two this year, but the prestige of the competition remains high, and the team’s determination to continually raise our standards is stronger than ever. Currently, our focus is on our SPL title charge, but we’ll also work hard to prepare for our debut campaign in the ACL Two.”