The Lion City Sailors will look to maintain their perfect start to the 2025/26 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season when they face Tanjong Pagar United at the Jurong East Stadium on Monday (22 September) night.
The match comes on the back of the Sailors’ 1-1 draw in their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Two opener against Indonesian champions Persib Bandung on Thursday (18 Sep), where Lennart Thy’s stoppage-time header salvaged a valuable point for the Singapore side.
Among those who played the full 90 minutes at the Gelora Bandung Lautan Api Stadium was Sailors midfielder Tsiy Ndenge.
In spite of the hostile atmosphere, the 28-year-old rose to the occasion with a credible performance on his continental debut.
Reflecting on the Sailors’ performance, Tsiy said, “I think for our first away game in the Champions League Two, one point is okay. In the second half, we could have actually won it.
“Overall, it felt really nice playing in an international competition in a good stadium with a good atmosphere.”
Persib began brightly and would have taken the lead if not for Diogo Costa’s brilliant goal-line clearance. Indeed, Aleksandar Ranković’s side had to dig deep to reach the break level, with few chances created in the opening half.
“It was not easy in the first half to play our usual game. We kept fighting and managed to keep a clean sheet, but we didn’t have much of the ball,” Tsiy admitted.
The hosts struck just after the restart through Saddil Ramdani, but the introduction of Lennart on the hour gave the Sailors fresh impetus. Through it all, Tsiy anchored the midfield with authority, and finished the game with an impressive 86.8% passing accuracy.
“In the second half I was more in my natural position, so I could help the team more. We were more comfortable on the ball, and even after conceding, we didn’t give up,” he said.
The Sailors’ resilience was rewarded when Maxime Lestienne delivered a precise cross for Lennart to head home in the 92nd minute. Ivan Sušak then preserved the point with a stunning last-gasp save to deny Berguinho.
“We believed we could take something from this game and tried until the very end to even win it,” added Tsiy, who won a combined eight ground and aerial duels. “The most important thing was our mentality because we never gave up.”
The German-Cameroonian midfielder, who joined from Grasshopper Club Zürich in July, has already impressed in Sailors colours.
Having also represented FC Luzern, Roda JC and Borussia Mönchengladbach reserves, Tsiy brings European pedigree with over 120 Swiss Super League appearances and a full season in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Tsiy’s July move to the Sailors took him to the other side of the world for the first time in his career, but he says his adaptation in Singapore has been seamless so far.
“For me, it was never a problem. I felt good from the start with my teammates and the staff. As a team, I think we’ll continue to grow and get better,” he said.
Ranko’s men now turn their attention back to domestic matters as they target a third straight SPL win. Their next opponents, Tanjong Pagar, may have started the season with a 3-0 defeat to BG Tampines Rovers last weekend but still represents a tricky challenge with their refreshed roster.
“The key after continental matches is to recover well, but I think the team is already accustomed to this type of schedule,” said Tsiy. “It’s an important league match for us and we want to continue our good form in the league.
“The result in Indonesia showed our resilience and how we’re fighting for each other on the pitch. We’ll keep developing as a team to build on our strong start to the league.”
The 28-year-old has already endeared himself to Sailors fans, who chanted his name during the 5-0 SPL win over Balestier Khalsa last weekend.
“I heard the chants, and it felt a little funny and awkward because I’m not used to this,” Tsiy admitted with a smile. “But it’s always nice to get the love from the fans, and we’re going to make sure we deliver the three points on Monday for them.”
