The Lion City Sailors began 2026 on a triumphant note, as they clinched their first trophy of the season after a 2-0 victory over BG Tampines Rovers over 120 minutes in the 2025/26 Singapore Cup final at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday (10 January).
The game was marred by an alleged substitution-related regulatory breach by BG Tampines, who failed to maintain the minimum requirement of four Singaporean players on the pitch in the second half.
However, the match was allowed to run its natural course, with extra-time goals from substitutes Hami Syahin and Anderson Lopes delighting a 3,767-strong crowd and ensuring the Sailors completed a Singapore Cup hat-trick in emphatic fashion.
The victory also meant the Sailors became the first local team in Singapore football history to win three Singapore Cups in a row.
Despite the unusual circumstances, Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković was keen to underline the manner in which his side earned the trophy.
“The decision to continue the game was perfect. All the fans did not come here for nothing, and we were eager to win the game and show that we are the better team,” said Ranko.
“For the Singapore Cup, I’m emotionally attached to it. It’s the trophy I value the most in my career. Winning it for the first time in 2023 was the start of something great for us as a club, and I would never have imagined winning it three times.”
The Sailors set the tone from the opening whistle and immediately pinned BG Tampines back with their attacking intent. And they fashioned the first real chance of the game just three minutes in, when Bart Ramselaar’s pinpoint delivery picked out Shawal Anuar, whose header forced an early save from Syazwan Buhari.
Song Uiyoung went even closer moments later, crashing a first-time volley against the crossbar, before testing the BG Tampines goalkeeper again from range five minutes after that.
Tsiy Ndenge then grazed the roof of the net with a dipping strike in the 14th minute, while the Stags’ only proper chance in the first half came three minutes later with Takeshi Yoshimoto’s audacious long-range effort landing just off-target.
Unfazed by the incessant boos from the BG Tampines faithful, former Stag Kyoga Nakamura, who was named in the starting XI just two days after being unveiled as a new Sailor, dictated proceedings in midfield, though neither side could find a breakthrough before the interval.
With the contest remaining cagey after the restart, Ranko decided to freshen things up for his side by introducing Anderson Lopes and Hami Syahin in the 75th minute.
Then came the controversial moment when BG Tampines allegedly breached competition regulations, when Joel Chew was replaced by Yuki Kobayashi in the 81st minute, leaving just three local players on the pitch. Although they subsequently introduced Ong Yu En three minutes later to replace Japanese midfielder Koya Kazama, it was too late to negate the breach.
Nonetheless, play was allowed to continue, and Bart forced Syazwan into a sharp near-post save late in regulation time, before new signing Luka Adžić almost made an instant impact with a dipping free kick that was tipped over the bar.
While the earlier breach led to a lengthy pause before extra time, the delay did little to disrupt the Sailors’ momentum. Bailey Wright’s header forced another save in the 101st minute, before the breakthrough finally arrived in the 115th.
Luka’s outside-of-the-boot pass released Diogo Costa down the left, and his driven cross was met emphatically by Hami, who rifled the ball into the roof of the net to spark wild celebrations.
Not long after, in the 123rd minute, another substitute delivered the finishing touch for the Sailors, as Ivan Sušak’s long punt found Anderson, who outmuscled Dylan Fox before smashing a powerful effort home to seal the victory on the pitch.
“We were very cautious with our substitutions because we knew the game might go into extra time,” Ranko added.
“I’m happy with all the players who came on because they all made a difference. This is exactly what we want from our squad.”
At the other end of the pitch, Bailey produced a commanding display at the heart of defence and anchored a backline that kept BG Tampines quiet all night.
“You never want to win a final like that, as we didn’t want the trophy to be handed to us,” said Bailey, who was named Man of the Match. “We wanted to earn it on the pitch, and we’ve done that.”
The Sailors will return to league action against Geylang International on Sunday (18 January), before facing Hougang United on 24 January and travelling to Vietnam to take on Nam Định FC in the ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup five days later.
“I’m very proud of my team,” Ranko said. “This win gives us real momentum. We’re hungry, and our aim is to win the remaining trophies this season.”
