Month: August 2024
The Lion City Sailors were left to rue a string of missed chances that saw them drop two points in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) title race on Friday (30 August) night, as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Geylang International at the Bishan Stadium.
With league leaders BG Tampines Rovers also dropping points in a 1-1 draw against Hougang United on the same night, the Sailors would have gone top of the table with a victory over the third-placed Eagles.
But despite twice taking the lead through Bart Ramselaar and Maxime Lestienne, the hosts were pegged back by a Tomoyuki Doi brace on what was a frustrating night for the team and their Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković.
Ranko had been looking for a positive response from his side after back-to-back defeats in the ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup and in the league against Albirex Niigata (S) last weekend.
However, it was Geylang that produced the first shot on goal when Ryoya Taniguchi shot straight into the hands of Izwan Mahbud, who this week celebrated his first Singapore national team call-up in over two years.
The Sailors did create chances in transition during the opening 45 minutes, but their inability to make these chances count left Ranko disappointed.
“In the first half, we had a lot of opportunities where we had four against four, or even four against three,” said the Serb. “I think we didn’t make the right decisions at those moments.
“I have a feeling that this season, we’re missing so many chances. With our experience, we should’ve controlled the match.”
The Sailors did get off the blocks quickly in the second half, as Maxime’s pass found Bart who kept his feet brilliantly before producing a smart finish for the opening goal.
The Eagles equalised nine minutes later through Doi, but the Sailors regained the lead soon after.
This time the roles were reversed, as Bart turned provider with a sublime pass with the outside of his right foot to find Maxime who rounded Geylang goalkeeper Rudy Khairullah to make it 2-1 in the 65th minute.
But with time running out, the visitors salvaged a point through Doi’s spot-kick after Lionel Tan was penalised for a challenge in the box.
A disappointed Ranko later said that while his side were the better team overall, their profligacy in front of goal ultimately cost them all three points.
“I think if we look at the whole game, we were the better team,” he said. “We had more chances and of course, I think Geylang were happy with the draw.
“When you have so many chances, you expect that you have to score. But I cannot say anything about the players, they gave a lot of effort. This is something that’s been happening now for a long time, that there are so many chances that are easier to miss than to score.”
Man of the Match Maxime echoed these sentiments.
“Honestly, I think we were the better team today but we didn’t get the result. We missed too many chances and we gave away two goals. We are a good team this year but we have to be much better when it comes to scoring and creating more opportunities,” said the Belgian, who now has 10 goals to his name this season.
After a two-week international break, the Sailors will return to league action on Saturday, 14 September, when they face Tanjong Pagar United at the Jurong East Stadium.
This will be followed five days later by the commencement of their AFC Champions League (ACL) Two campaign on home soil against China’s Zhejiang Professional.
“The positive for us is that nobody got injured and we got some players back,” said Ranko. “The only thing is that I have some players going for national team duty; that’s not really helping, but we have to shoulder on and prepare for a very difficult period.”
The Lion City Sailors Women’s Team fought tooth and nail before going down to a 5-0 defeat by Jordan Women’s Pro League champions Etihad Club to end their 2024/25 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Champions League (AWCL) campaign at the Preliminary Stage on Wednesday (28 August) night.
Up against far superior opposition at the Prince Mohammed Stadium, the Sailors Women held out well until their resistance was broken in the 30th minute. The hosts added two more goals before the break to effectively kill the tie off, before a quickfire double in the second half put an exclamation mark on an emphatic win.
Speaking after the game, Sailors Women Head Coach Daniel Ong refused to blame fatigue – his side were playing their second game in the space of four days, after an opening-day 4-1 reverse to India’s Odisha FC – and was determined to learn from the harsh lessons of playing continental football.
“Given the number of training sessions we had with the girls, we prepared the team to the best of our abilities and the girls truly gave their very best in these two matches. Every single one of them, including those who didn’t play, did their part in pushing each other to their very best,” said the 35-year-old.
“What we’ll need to do is work more on our fitness and levels of concentration, because some of the goals that we conceded could definitely have been avoided and should have been better dealt with.
Midfielder Dorcas Chu sang from the same hymn book.
“Etihad are technically and tactically really strong; they play really fast football – they are the benchmark of what we hope to achieve one day. The speed of their game was even faster than Odisha’s, and something that the team had never encountered before,” said the 22-year-old, who was her usual bustling self in the middle of the park.
“After the first-half goals, we regrouped and adjusted our game plan and did way better in the second half. We kept trying to play proper football. I’m really proud of the team for being so flexible and resilient even though we were losing; none of us had our heads down.”
There was little doubt about the calibre of the opposition that the Sailors Women were coming up against. Representing Jordan, a country ranked 68th in the FIFA World Rankings – 64 places above Singapore – Etihad fielded several Jordanian internationals with AFC Asian Cup experience under their belts.
One of those was Jordan women’s national team captain Maysa Jbarah, who came with the reputation of being fourth in the list of all-time leading goalscorers in international women’s football, with an astonishing record of 137 goals in 133 caps.
It was little surprise, then, that the 34-year-old was the star of the night, plundering four goals past Sailors custodian Beatrice Tan.
Having made two changes from their first game with 15-year-old Cara Chang and Miray Altun coming in for Priscille Le Helloco and Nurhidayu Naszri, the young Sailors Women side did however hold their own in the opening exchanges.
There were glimpses of the pass-and-move philosophy that Daniel has been trying to instill in his side, with the Sailors Women stringing passes together and looking to exploit the pace of 14-year-old Nur Ain Salleh down the right flank.
The girls were up for the physical duels too, with Dorcas and pint-sized Khairunnisa Anwar flying into challenges to thwart Etihad’s attacks.
The Sailors Women could even have taken a shock lead just five minutes in when Raeka Ee capitalised on a defensive error to run through on goal, only to lose her footing at a crucial moment and see the chance go begging.
After that early escape, a formidable Etihad side – boasting a 100% record of 12 wins in their domestic league so far with 56 goals scored and just two conceded – began to impose themselves as the first half wore on.
After producing two brilliant saves to deny Zeina Hazem and Bin Ziyan Fatma, Beatrice was unable to prevent Jbarah’s effort from sneaking underneath her grasp to give the home side the lead in the 30th minute.
The Etihad No. 8 – who has played professionally in France, Turkey and Saudi Arabia – was at it again six minutes later as she latched onto Leen Al-Btoush’s defence-splitting pass to score with a comfortable finish.
The hosts made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time when the Sailors Women failed to clear a corner, and winger Rouzbahan Fraij’s shot was deflected past Beatrice by an unfortunate Raeka.
Jbarah rounded off the scoring in the second half with another two lethal finishes from close range to give her side a comfortable victory.
The win leaves Etihad and Odisha to battle for qualification to the Group Stage in a winner-take-all clash on Saturday (31 August) night, while the Sailors Women return home with plenty of pride as they resume their Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title pursuit with three matches left.
Reflecting on the “huge learning curve” for his side, Daniel said: “The biggest takeaway is not only the tactical situations that we encountered, but also the individual technical abilities that we need to keep improving on.
“But I have to say, I loved the way the girls played their football even though they knew our opponents were a lot better and stronger than us. Their bravery, willingness to try and eagerness to improve are qualities that will help us in the future.”
For Dorcas, it is all about looking at the bigger picture, as the Sailors Women continue to be trailblazers for Singapore women’s football.
“We’re all extremely grateful to have had this opportunity to represent the club at international level,” she said. “Not everyone has this chance, and especially as the first Singapore team to play in the AWCL, we couldn’t be any more honoured.
“I want the people back in Singapore to know that we as a team gave our 110% on the field, and I hope we have given a good account of ourselves and of Singapore women’s football. It gives us great confidence to know that we can compete at this high level and even score against India’s top team.
“We saw the difference in the level of intensity of the teams that we played against and we hope to have the fans’ patience, as we are determined to work really hard when we come back home to bridge the gap. It will take time, and we hope to have their support along the way.
“We’re excited to bring this level of intensity back to the WPL and one thing is for sure – we want to win the league so that we can compete in the AWCL again next season.”
We owe it to the fans: Bart
The disappointment on the faces of the Lion City Sailors players as they trudged off Jurong East Stadium on Sunday (25 August) said it all.
A 3-1 defeat to defending Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions Albirex Niigata (S) was not only their second loss in four days, after a 3-0 ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup defeat by Borneo FC Samarinda in Balikpapan, Indonesia; it also meant the Sailors missed the opportunity to leapfrog BG Tampines Rovers at the top of the league standings.
Midfielder Bart Ramselaar acknowledged that the team had fallen short of their usual standards and ought to do better.
“That just wasn’t good enough from us,” the Dutchman said. “Of course, we travelled and had a game a few days before but it’s not an excuse at all. We had some good chances at 0-0 and things could have been different if we had put them away, but we should have done better overall.”
The two defeats were especially frustrating for Bart, who produced some promising moments in both matches and showed no signs of the muscular injury that had kept him out of the previous four matches.
“It wasn’t good having to watch the team from the sidelines, so I was really happy to be back on the pitch and I really tried to help the team get going,” said the former PSV Eindhoven man. “I think we were unlucky with the finish and the last pass; it’s important for me to be influential to the team with goals and assists, but I’m sure it will come again,”
“I’m feeling pretty good about my condition right now and the key is to settle into a rhythm and get that connection with my fellow attackers again. Ultimately, it’s not about myself; I want us to win games as a team.”
Make no mistake about it – the Sailors are hurt, wounded, and out to channel that frustration towards a much-improved display when they host third-placed Geylang International in the SPL at Bishan Stadium on Friday (30 August) night.
The Eagles are one of three sides that have taken points off the Sailors this season – in a 1-1 draw at Jalan Besar Stadium back in June – and Bart is determined not to let history repeat itself.
“Over the week, we’ve been analysing what didn’t go right for us and we know exactly what we need to do to correct those wrongs. The positive is that no one is blaming anyone and we’re all working in the same direction,” he said.
“We’re taking this responsibility as a team with a positive mindset, and it’s important that we are at our best to defeat a very good Geylang side.”
That is the main thing on the Sailors’ minds right now: to put in a performance back at their Bishan den that the fans can be proud of.
“Our supporters are always there for us; they were singing and chanting for us all the way till the end at Jurong East, and I feel we really owe it to them. We’ll go out there on Friday to make sure we deliver a strong performance and good result for them,” Bart said.
“It’s important for us to stick together as one team – players, staff and fans – because we still have a long journey this season and there’s plenty for us to get excited about.”
Izwan earns long-awaited Lions recall
Lion City Sailors goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud has been named alongside three other Sailors – Hariss Harun, Hami Syahin and Shawal Anuar – in Tsutomu Ogura’s 28-strong Singapore National Team squad that will gather for local centralised training during the September FIFA international window.
The call-up is 34-year-old Izwan’s first since March 2022, when he was named in the Singapore squad for the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) Tri-Nations Series tourney in which they took on Malaysia and the Philippines.
Izwan has bounced back strongly from the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear that ruled him out of the majority of 2023. He started all six matches of the Sailors’ 2023 Singapore Cup triumph and has started four Singapore Premier League (SPL) matches thus far this season – including the Sailors’ last three league outings.
The experienced custodian made 54 appearances for Singapore between 2011 and 2021, with his last start coming in June 2021 in a 3-0 away defeat against Saudi Arabia in a FIFA World Cup 2022 and AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualifier.
In preparation for the year-end ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup, the Lions will play two training matches as part of the upcoming training stint – against SPL side BG Tampines Rovers on 6 September and reigning Malaysia Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim a day later.
The odds ultimately proved too great to overcome for the Lion City Sailors Women’s Team, who put up a gutsy display in their maiden Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Champions League (AWCL) outing before going down 4-1 to reigning Indian Women’s League champions Odisha FC at the Prince Mohammed Stadium on Sunday (25 August) night.
Against a professional outfit representing a country ranked 68th in the FIFA World Rankings – some 70 places above Singapore – the Sailors Women gave an extremely good account of themselves, even threatening to produce a shock with the scores level at 1-1 going into the break.
However, two quick-fire goals early in the second half proved to be the difference, before Odisha netted a fourth late on to seal an opening Group B victory in the Preliminary Stage.
Speaking after the game, Sailors Women Head Coach Daniel Ong spoke with pride about how his team had fought bravely against a fancied Odisha side.
“The final score doesn’t reflect how well our girls performed tonight,” the 35-year-old said. “The way the team played was exactly how we have been training to play, and they executed the game plan really well.
“We did well in terms of keeping possession when going forward. Defensively, we kept them at bay with our shape and compactness as a team. Most importantly, the girls showed that they have the desire and discipline to play good football; we have shown that we can play good football against a team which is much faster and stronger than us.”
Indeed, there was little doubt that the Sailors Women were up against the odds, against an Odisha side that included several seasoned Indian internationals as well as a new foreign duo that was brought in to bolster their AWCL campaign.
Marshalling Odisha’s backline was 28-year-old Maryam Juke Ibrahim, who was a member of the Nigeria team that finished runners-up at the FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup a decade ago, while leading their attack was Ghana’s reigning Female Footballer of the Year, Jennifer Kankam Yeboah.
However, the Sailors Women – whose starting eleven had an average age of 20.2 – showed no signs of being overawed by the occasion, sticking to their principles of stringing passes together and building from the back.
They even produced the first shot of the game after six minutes, with Priscille Le Helloco firing straight at Odisha goalkeeper Shreya Hooda.
Daniel’s charges tried to keep things tight at the back but were undone in unfortunate fashion after 19 minutes, when Dorcas Chu inadvertently directed Neha Sillay’s corner into her own net.
Despite the setback, the Sailors Women stuck to their game plan, with 14-year-old Nur Ain Salleh proving a real threat down the right with her speed and trickery.
Both Raeka Ee and Priscille came agonisingly close to finding an equaliser, before the former wrote her name in the history books by scoring the club’s – and, indeed, Singapore’s – first-ever AWCL goal just before half-time.
Ain was the catalyst for the historic goal, producing a brilliant turn of pace to give Nishka Parkash the slip and then playing a perfectly-weighted pass in behind the Odisha defence for Raeka to beat an onrushing Hooda with a composed finish that sent the Sailors Women’s bench into raptures.
It was a goal that left Raeka looking back on the night with a huge smile on her face.
“It’s a huge honour to have earned this achievement, especially considering the immense effort that the club has put in over the past three years towards participation in the AWCL,” the 20-year-old said. “I am grateful to have been able to contribute to the team today, and to help us make our mark on this stage.
Recalling that moment, she said: “I trusted my speed and made my run between the defenders upon seeing Ain with the ball. She provided the perfect through ball; I knew exactly where I wanted to place the shot and took my time with it. Seeing the ball roll into the back of the net gave me a sense of relief!”
It did not take long after the restart for Odisha’s quality to show, however, as striker Lynda Kom capitalised on a couple of defensive lapses to net a quickfire double.
Daniel tried to freshen things up with the introduction of Academy graduates Yuvika Suresh, Seri Nurinsyirah, Miray Altun and Josephine Ang, as the Sailors Women went in search of a way back into the game.
In the 83rd minute, Dorcas lashed a shot from range just wide, before Miray saw her dipping effort from 30 yards out strike the crossbar and go out of play.
But it was Odisha that sealed victory shortly after, when Sailors Women full-back Syazwani Ruzi unfortunately cleared into her own net while trying to deal with a cross from the left.
Despite the defeat, the Sailors Women were determined to learn from their first experience of playing at this level.
“The level of intensity and technical play was definitely much higher than what we are used to,” said Raeka. “What we experienced in this game has set a new benchmark for us to strive towards.”
The Sailors will wrap up the Preliminary Stage with a clash against Jordan Women’s Pro League winners Etihad Club on Wednesday (28 August), and Daniel wants his side to relish the opportunity to improve on Sunday’s performance.
“First thing first, the girls need to recover well. Then we’ll try to work on our individual technique and make some adjustments to player positioning when defending,” he said.
“Playing at this much higher level means that we really have to minimise the number of errors we make, but I’ve full confidence that the girls will go out there and put in another solid performance to make Singapore proud.”
It was a disappointing return to Singapore Premier League (SPL) action for the Lion City Sailors on Sunday (25 August) evening, as they fell to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of defending champions Albirex Niigata (S) at the Jurong East Stadium.
All four goals came in the second half, with Arya Igami’s opener and Shingo Nakano’s brace rendering Lennart Thy’s strike a mere consolation for the Sailors.
Back in action just three days after their 3-0 away defeat by Indonesian side Borneo FC Samarinda in the ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup, Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković made three changes, with the likes of captain Hariss Harun and Shawal Anuar returning to the starting lineup while Obren Kljajić started for the first time since picking a muscular injury in mid-July.
Despite the changes, Ranko acknowledged that Albirex took full advantage of his team’s fatigue from their continental exertions over the past week.
“I think they were smart, they were waiting for us to burn out. Congratulations, it’s a very good win for them,” he said.
The Sailors did have their moments and could have taken the lead after only three minutes when Albirex goalkeeper Hassan Sunny, who recently announced his retirement from international football, gave the ball straight to Maxime Lestienne but the Belgian failed to hit the target from close range.
Bart Ramselaar then came close to breaking the deadlock shortly before half-time, only for his goal-bound effort to be cleared off the line by Albirex centre-back Koki Kawachi.
The Sailors continued to create the better chances after the break, and it was only a smart save by Hassan that kept Lennart’s goal-bound effort out midway through the second half. Barely two minutes later, Albirex took the lead through Igami.
Lennart levelled the score just four minutes later with a deft header from Maxime’s corner, but the Sailors were unable to build on the equaliser.
Instead, it was the home side that regained the lead after Hami Syahin’s late challenge on Nakano resulted in referee Muhammad Taqi pointing to the penalty spot after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check.
Nakano stepped up to fire past Izwan Mahbud from 12 yards out, before he sealed a 3-1 victory for Albirex two minutes from the end with a powerful run and finish.
Ranko later admitted that his troops should have made more of the opportunities that came their way on the night.
“I think we missed a little bit of energy; you see that in the small details like the chances we had,” he said. “In these kinds of games, we have to score.
“And of course, as the game goes on and especially when you’re 1-0 down, it’s difficult to chase the game with heavy legs.”
The Serb was also left sweating on the fitness of Toni Datković, who went off with an injury after around an hour.
“Honestly, we still don’t know what it is,” Ranko said. “I have to wait till tomorrow and then we will know.
“But we cannot miss a lot of players because my squad is pretty small for so many competitions and it’s going to be tough.”
Sunday’s defeat was the Sailors’ second in the league this season, and left them two points adrift of BG Tampines Rovers at the top of the table.
They will return to league action on Friday (30 August) when they host third-placed Geylang International at the Bishan Stadium.
A nine-month long wait that began at the end of last season will finally come to fruition on Sunday (25 August) night, when the Lion City Sailors Women’s Team step out onto the pitch in Jordan’s Prince Mohammed Stadium to take on Indian Women’s League champions Odisha FC in their Group B opener of the inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League (AWCL) Preliminary Stage.
They will then take on Jordan Women’s Pro League winners Etihad FC three days later at the same venue to round off the Preliminary Stage.
Speaking at the pre-tournament press conference, captain Umairah Hamdan believes it will be a bag of emotions.
“We’ve been training so hard, so it’ll be a surreal moment to walk out at the stadium tomorrow with the AFC anthem playing in the background. For our club to be representing Singapore in the AWCL is a huge and proud moment, and I want all our girls to cherish this moment and fight together as one team,” said the 22-year-old.
“We’ve been diligently working on the game plan that Coach wants us to play, and we’re ready to go out there to show the best version of ourselves.”
In preparation for the first-ever flagship club competition for women’s football in Asia, the Sailors have ramped up the regularity and intensity of training with an emphasis on establishing a more cohesive team shape and structure.
Head Coach Daniel Ong’s charges also embarked on a training trip to Thailand two weeks ago, testing themselves against Thai Women’s League 1 sides Bangkok WFC and Kasem Bundit FC, and are raring to go for this unprecedented challenge.
A 23-strong squad set off from Singapore’s Changi Airport on Thursday (22 August) night and took over 15 hours – including a nine-hour long transit in Bahrain – to finally arrive in the Jordanian capital of Amman on Friday noon local time (five hours behind Singapore).
The Sailors Women are placed in a group with opponents representing countries way above 138th-ranked Singapore in the FIFA World Rankings – India are ranked a whole 70 spots higher at 68th, while Jordan are placed at 74th.
And while the Sailors play their domestic football in the still-amateur Deloitte Women’s Premier League, Odisha and Etihad Club play in countries which have had professional football structures and leagues for women for the past decade.
Both sides also boast players who have tasted top-tier European football – Odisha’s Kiran Pisda was on the books of Croatian Women’s League club ŽNK Dinamo Zagreb and was part of the team which won the Croatian Women’s Football Cup as recently as June 2024, while Etihad’s Enas Al-Jamaeen used to turn out for Turkish Women’s Super League club Fomget G.S.
With only the group winners advancing to the Group Stage, it would appear that the Sailors Women face an uphill battle in Jordan.
Nonetheless, a youthful Sailors outfit – with the majority of players aged 22 and below – remain undaunted as they look to fly the Singapore flag proudly at the regional level.
“Yes, we have many young players in the team, but these are players who not only have high potential but are extremely willing to learn and eager to develop themselves,” said Daniel, who has had two days to acclimatise his side to the conditions in Jordan.
“Of course it will be difficult to play against these full-time players, but this is such a valuable opportunity for the girls to elevate themselves and be exposed to what the level is like in top Asian football. We’re ready to challenge – we’re not here just to pump the ball high and see what happens, we want to play the way we’ve been trying to play in the WPL and try to keep the ball as much as possible.”
Echoing Daniel’s sentiments, Umairah stressed that success in the campaign constitutes to beyond results alone, and that the team have a bigger picture in mind.
“Instead of being afraid of these high-quality opponents, we’d like to take this opportunity to learn and compete. We want to look back on this years from now and reflect on how fortunate we are to have had the chance to play in this tournament,” said the defender, who has made 28 appearances for the Singapore national team.
“We’ll try to play our passing football and that’s the only way for us to improve. This experience is going to help the young girls in this team, and help greatly improve Singapore women’s football as a whole.
“Ultimately, we have a bigger objective than just results – we want to be the best representation of Singapore women’s football on this stage and we vow to give our all in these two matches.”
Team’s character will come through: Lionel
The Lion City Sailors will return to Singapore Premier League (SPL) action less than 72 hours after a gruelling ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup opener in Balikpapan, Indonesia, as they take on defending champions Albirex Niigata (S) at the Jurong East Stadium on Sunday (25 August) night.
Rest and recovery are paramount for the Sailors, who only arrived back in Singapore on Friday night and will have a solitary training session today before the White Swans encounter.
Defender Lionel Tan acknowledged the less-than-ideal preparations, but is backing the team to rise above the fatigue to secure an important three points in the title race.
“From the start of the season, we knew we’re going to be competing in four different competitions, so keeping players fresh will be tough. But we as a club want to take up this challenge because that’s how we can grow.
“This won’t be the only time we have to play a league game that quickly after coming back from a continental match, so we’ve to grow accustomed to this and adapt accordingly,” said the 27-year-old.
Indeed, there will be a similar situation next month with the Sailors playing Công An Hà Nội FC in Vietnam on 26 September in their next Shopee Cup game, before facing fellow SPL title contenders BG Tampines Rovers three days later back in Singapore.
“We’re well aware of the tight schedule and as players, we just have to make sure we rest properly so that we’re both physically and mentally refreshed. With the key recovery strategies set in place by our backroom staff, I’m sure we will go into each game prepared.”
With participation in the Shopee Cup and Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Two augmenting the SPL and Singapore Cup, Aleksandar Ranković’s men are now about one-quarter into a season which will likely see them play more than 50 games.
Squad depth will be key to helping the Sailors steer through their congested fixture list and remain on the course to attain major both domestic and continental honours.
“Every single player in this team is very driven because they know that opportunities will come in a season like this, and we have to step up whenever we’re given the chance to play,” said Lionel, who has made 10 appearances in all competitions this season.
“We’ve prepared for this since pre-season, so I believe whoever steps in to play will know what exactly to do.”
The Singapore international, who was one of those that emerged with some credit from Thursday’s 3-0 loss to Borneo FC Samarinda, believes the defeat has not disheartened the Sailors one bit.
“We could have managed the game better, but I think we did okay in the tough conditions. We weren’t outplayed; we created a number of opportunities and if we had put them away, it could easily have been a different game,” he said.
“But we’ve to keep moving forward and not dwell on the past. It’s lucky that we have a game so quickly after, so that we can get Thursday’s defeat out of our system.”
For Albirex, a full two weeks of rest ahead of Sunday’s game may not be the only advantage. The defending champions are also enjoying a bit of a resurgence after Keiji Shigetomi took over at the helm in mid-July, with the 45-year-old presiding over two wins and a draw in the five games that he has been in charge.
With that in mind, Lionel believes the Sailors have to approach this game carefully and keep their focus on the key objective – a win will see them leapfrog BG Tampines to go top after 12 games each and gain a slight psychological advantage in an enthralling title race.
“I’m sure Albirex will push hard in the first half to test our physical levels, so we must be prepared to deal with them tactically. The key for us is to cut down the individual errors that happened against Borneo and work well to cover for each other. I’ve full confidence that our team’s character will come through in this game.”
A 10-man Lion City Sailors side battled hard but eventually fell to a 3-0 defeat to Indonesia Liga 1 outfit Borneo FC Samarinda in their 2024/25 ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup Group B opener at the Bakatan Stadium on Thursday (22 August) night.
Borneo’s Brazilian duo of Léo Gaúcho and Berguinho proved the difference on the night, scoring the goals that gave their side a winning start in the competition.
It was a tough night for the Sailors, who played the majority of the second half with just 10 men after Portuguese midfielder Rui Pires was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 52nd minute, while having two goals ruled out for offside and one effort that came off the woodwork.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Rankovic lamented the fine margins that defined the game.
“I think we played quite well in parts of the game, but we gave away two easy goals in the first half due to mistakes. We know that at this level, the game is decided by details and every mistake is going to be punished,” said the Serb.
“That’s something I hope we will learn from for the next games, because these types of opponents are not going to give you anything for free.”
In front of a boisterous home crowd, the Sailors got off to the worst possible start when they conceded within three minutes. Stefano Lilipaly’s outswinging corner found Gaúcho, who duly bundled the ball past Izwan Mahbud at the far post to give Borneo an early lead.
On a pitch which was still cut up from the previous day’s Shopee Cup Group A clash between PSM Makassar and BG Pathum United, Ranko’s charges tried their best to play their passing game and found the back of the net six minutes later, only for Song Ui-young’s strike to be ruled out for offside.
Toni Datković then went close with a header off Christopher van Huizen’s corner in the 16th minute, but the Croat’s effort was palmed to safety by Borneo goalkeeper Nadeo Argawinata before Rui’s follow-up effort was denied by the post.
Just four minutes later, the deficit was doubled when winger Berguinho pounced on a defensive error to fire home from close range.
The Sailors continued to search for a way back into the game, with Lennart Thy and Maxime Lestienne both testing Argawinata within a four-minute spell.
Lennart then coolly lobbed home in the 41st minute after being found by a sublime Maxime cross, but the Sailors were once again frustrated by the offside flag.
Any hopes of a second-half comeback were diminished just seven minutes after the restart, with Rui dismissed for two yellow cards in quick succession.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, the Sailors kept plugging away and managed to carve out a few good openings through a fit-again Bart Ramselaar and Maxime, but were unable to find the finishing touch.
The contest was then settled 10 minutes from time, with Gaucho dispossessing Bailey Wright in the Sailors half before producing a delightful chip over Izwan to round off the victory.
But even in defeat, Ranko credited the boys for their spirited performance on a difficult evening.
“My players showed some character and determination – even after the red card, we had more chances than the opponent. All we needed was just one goal and I think the game would have turned,” he said.
The Sailors will have to bounce back quickly, with a crucial Singapore Premier League (SPL) game away against defending champions Albirex Niigata (S) in three days’ time.
“The only thing that I’m concerned about is getting the guys recovered. It’s going to be a tough challenge because we will only reach Singapore on Friday night and then we have one day before we play against Albirex.
“It’s going to be tough, but we’re used to this as a team and we’ll do what is necessary to help us get back to winning ways in the league.”
The Lion City Sailors Women’s Team may have dominated the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) with back-to-back titles — and a strong chance of securing a third this season — but they will face their toughest test yet as they kick off their campaign in the inaugural AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Women’s Champions League (AWCL) this weekend.
The Sailors, who have been drawn in Group B, will first face Indian Women’s League champions Odisha FC in Jordan this Sunday (25 Aug), before hosting Etihad Club three days later (28 Aug). Only the group winner will advance to the next round, which is scheduled for October.
With the stakes this high and the team’s desire to give a strong representation of women’s football in Singapore, Sailors midfielder Ho Hui Xin admits that the nerves are starting to set in.
However, Hui Xin believes they turn this pressure into an advantage, as they look to make history in the competition.
“Feeling the nerves is a sign of how much we care. It’ll push us to become the best versions of ourselves on match day,” the 32-year-old explained. “This is the first time playing in such a tournament for everyone, including the senior players. I believe we will feed off each other’s energy and really go for it.”
Seri Nurinsyirah, one of seven teenagers to make their WPL debuts this season, echoed her vice-captain’s sentiments. The 15-year-old said, “I’m feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. It’s an honour to play in the AWCL, and I’m thrilled to be here. My team and I have worked hard to get to this point, and now it’s time to focus on the game plan and trust in each other’s abilities.
“Representing Singapore and the Sailors in this historic tournament is an absolute privilege, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity. There’s a strong sense of pride and responsibility to make my country and team proud. I’m excited to gain this experience and showcase our team’s talent.”
Two years ago, the Sailors competed in the SingaCup’s Women’s Football Championship, where they had the chance to pit themselves against teams from Southeast Asia such as Philippines’ Kaya FC-Iloilo, Indonesia’s Persib Bandung Putri and Thailand’s Phranakorn FC.
“The intensity and level of play in the SingaCup were more advanced,” Hui Xin recalled. “I think the AWCL is going to bring that and more. With the AWCL being several levels above the WPL, it will be interesting to see where we stand in the region. That’s something I’m really looking forward to. It’s going to be a good test for the team.”
Indeed, both Odisha and Etihad Club are regarded as the cream of the crop in their respective leagues. Odisha recently concluded their domestic season as champions, while Etihad Club currently sits at the summit of the Jordan Women’s Pro League.
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Despite Odisha and Etihad Club’s undoubted quality, however, the Sailors are confident of putting up a good show against the two much-more fancied opponents.
“We’ll need to work together as a unit, stay focused under pressure, and play smart,” Seri elaborated. “Playing in the WPL has taught me how to remain calm under pressure, think tactically, and build my endurance, which has prepared me for the AWCL.”
Hui Xin added, “We’ll follow our tactical preparations, and Coach Daniel (Ong) will make any necessary adjustments to ensure the best outcome for us. It’s also up to the players to adapt on the pitch. While we may not have experience at this high level, we are mature enough to make adjustments as needed.
“We control what we can and will stick to our playing style. Ultimately, it’s a fair 11v11 contest. For us, it’s always about working for each other. Regardless of the opponent, our focus remains the same: communication, teamwork, and running for one another. As long as we maintain that, we’ll make it work.”
