The Lion City Sailors return to action after a two-week international break this Thursday (8 October), determined to make a stronger mark on the regional stage as they begin their 2026/27 ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup campaign.
While their Group B opener against Công An Hà Nội (CAHN) FC at the Jalan Besar Stadium presents a stern test, full-back Nur Adam Abdullah believes the Sailors’ quality and close bonds will stand them in good stead as they prepare for their second game under new Head Coach Mark Jackson.
“I’m excited to be back playing for the Sailors after the international break. My focus is on giving 100% in every training session and every match this season,” said the 25-year-old.
“Looking at the calibre of players we have, our goal is clear: to win every competition we can. There’s no reason to believe we can’t do that. We want to build a winning mentality at the club, and that starts with doing well in the Shopee Cup.
“We have a good coach on this journey with us. He has done well at his previous clubs and has plenty of experience in ASEAN tournaments, so I believe he can take us to the next level. The team feels very positive about working with him.”
Several of the Sailors’ national team players have returned from a difficult FIFA ASEAN Cup campaign, which saw Singapore bow out of a group featuring Indonesia and Malaysia.
For Nur Adam, however, the priority is to take those lessons back to the club and respond with stronger performances.
“Despite the results not being what we wanted, playing in the tournament was still a great experience and an eye-opener for all of us. One lesson we took from it was not to take things for granted and to ensure we always perform at the highest level,” he explained.
(Photo: Football Association of Singapore)
“We have a group of national team players at the Sailors who know how to bounce back from defeats like these. I know they will come back stronger and be looking to prove themselves again at club level.”
Thursday’s opponents will put that resolve to the test, with Mano Pölking’s CAHN boasting a squad packed with quality. Indeed, the Sailors are familiar with the threat they pose, having lost 5-0 to the Vietnamese side in the 2024/25 Shopee Cup.
But Nur Adam is determined to help the Sailors make amends, as he highlighted composure and togetherness as being central to their approach.
“It will be a difficult challenge, especially since they beat us the last time we played, but things are different this season. We have prepared well, and what matters is how we respond, especially if things don’t go our way during the game. Ultimately, our performance will determine the result.
“Besides the quality we have in the team, the close bonds we share will drive us to give everything to get a positive result on Thursday.”
While the Sailors have endured a testing start to the season, Nur Adam believes their fans can provide a timely lift as they look to return to winning ways.
“I would like to thank our fans for always being there for us. Even when things get difficult, they still make the effort to come down and cheer us on,” he said.
“The atmosphere they create gives us an extra boost. They are a very important part of our team as we look to get back to winning ways.”
“The Shopee Cup is a tournament we want to go far in this season, and our target for this match is clear: to start our campaign with a win in front of our fans.”
