Month: February 2026
It was a contest defined by relentless, end-to-end pressure, but when the final whistle blew, it was the Lion City Sailors Women’s Team who stood tall against Women’s Premier League (WPL) title contenders Still Aerion.
Making just one change from last weekend’s winning starting line-up, the Sailors edged past Aerion with a hard-fought 1-0 victory on Saturday night at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium to deliver a timely birthday gift for Head Coach Daniel Ong.
Having failed to register a win against Aerion across both encounters last season, this victory is a confidence booster for a Sailors side that spent large spells absorbing pressure against a dangerous Unicorns outfit – with the likes of Thai internationals Sunisa Srangthaisong and Pikul Khueanpet, former Stallion Laguna defender Mikayla Simons and former Sailors forward Nicole Lim all in their ranks.
The first half unfolded at a breathless pace, with the Sailors’ best opening falling to 14-year-old Ami Kawase, who connected with a pass from Ami Takeuchi before seeing her effort safely gathered.
At the other end, goalkeeper Izairida Shakira was called into action repeatedly, and produced a superb one-on-one save before both goalkeepers made crucial interventions late in the half to keep the score level at the break.
“It felt great to contribute to the team with some saves today,” said Shakira, who was kept busy for much of the contest.
“At the end of the day, it’s about getting the result, especially after not beating them last season and for me personally, coming back from injury. Today felt like a good comeback for us.”
The Sailors reshuffled after the break with 2025 Women’s National League (WNL) Young Player of the Year Remi Ogawa making her top-flight debut in central defence and the teenager was key in stifling Aerion, who made a number of decent inroads into their attacking third.
Forced into long periods without the ball and players often tightly marked, frustration admittedly crept in for the Sailors and substitute Izzati Rosni admitted it disrupted the team’s rhythm on the night.
“We rushed when the nerves got to us,” explained Izzati, who came on for Kawase in the 68th minute. “Knowing Aerion have strong players made us follow their tempo, when in reality we have the potential to dominate. We had a few good chances but couldn’t convert.”
Shakira added, “We felt the nerves, especially at the back, but I think we helped each other by communicating well. We know our strengths, so we shouldn’t be playing to the style of our opponents. That composure is something we can improve on.”
Nonetheless, as the match entered its final quarter, the Sailors began to apply sustained pressure, and their persistence finally told with 10 minutes remaining. Captain Syazwani Ruzi whipped in a dangerous cross, and under pressure from Izzati, Angelyn Pang inadvertently diverted the ball into her own net past Hazel Lim to break the deadlock.
“From the start, our objective was to get the win,” said Izzati. “As forwards, our job is to attack the ball. I was in the right place with the right intention and hunger. I didn’t expect it to go in, but we’ll take it.”
“It was a late goal, but it really lifted our spirits. The girls were tired and under pressure, but that moment gave us a big boost.”
While the victory may not have been the most fluent, it was one built on collective resilience.
“From Shakira in goal, to the defenders, all the way to the attackers, we fought for every ball,” reflected Izzati. “The team showed real ‘never give up’ spirit and battled until the end.”
The Sailors will now turn their focus to their next league assignment against Tanjong Pagar United on Saturday (7 February), once again at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium.
