Author: Lion City Sailors
It may not the tidiest of finishes, but it gave Shawal Anuar a goal he will never forget.
As Maxime Lestienne swung a trademark sublime cross from the right flank, Shawal escaped the attentions of Spanish international Pedro Porro, and instinctively stuck out a foot to divert the ball past goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
It was 14 minutes into the Singapore Festival of Football’s Tiger Cup, and the scoreboard at the National Stadium read: Tottenham Hotspur 0 Lion City Sailors 1.
Aleksandar Ranković’s charges eventually fell 5-1 to the English Premier League (EPL) side.
However, Shawal made history by becoming the first Singaporean player to score against Spurs since Samawira Basri did so for the Singapore national team in 1995 – when the Lions drew 1-1 with the North London side before prevailing 4-2 on penalties.
Shawal is still coming to terms with how a training ground move was the platform that gave him a unique goal.
“Before the match, coach Ranko kept telling me ‘Shawal, I want you to make the runs into the box’. Max also told me ‘you just run inside and I will definitely give the ball to you’,” revealed the Singapore international. “I did and the ball just fell nicely for me to tap in.
“The crowd cheered so loud that I couldn’t hear myself, it was like my ears were blocked. This is definitely one of the best moments in my career to score against a team like Spurs. I’ve never thought something like this would happen,” said Shawal.
But the goal came as no surprise to its architect.
“I’m not surprised by this goal, honestly,” said Maxime. “I’ve just started playing with Shawal this season, but I already have a very good connection with him – I know where he wants the ball and how he makes the run.
“I’m very happy for him and he really deserved this because he is a top, top player for us.”
Many probably came to the National Stadium expecting a whitewash given that the Sailors are coming up against an esteemed opponent plays several rungs above in the widely-acclaimed English top-flight, but that goal gave Ranko’s men a solid foundation and the confidence to build on as they kept their more reputable opponents at bay for virtually all of the first half.
Setting up in a compact 5-4-1 formation in preparation for the upcoming Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) campaign, the Sailors were resolute in defence.
On the couple of occasions where Spurs got a clear sight of goal, there was either a decisive tackle from a Sailors defender or an alert Zharfan Rohaizad standing in the way.
The Sailors backline was eventually breached with the last kick of the half, with Ange Postecoglou’s men drawing level through a Harry Kane penalty.
As Ranko rang the changes with an eye on the Singapore Premier League (SPL) clash against Balestier Khalsa next Monday (31 July), the Sailors lost a bit of momentum and eventually went down to a 5-1 defeat.
However, the resilience and battling display was one that filled Maxime with pride and optimism ahead of the Sailors’ second ACL voyage in September.
“Today we played as a team and stayed compact according to Coach Ranko’s instructions. The focus was really to go out to enjoy the game because ultimately there is no pressure on us,” said Maxime.
“And the belief within this team was very strong. We knew we were facing a big team, but football is still 11 versus 11 and anything can happen. We just must go into games with the right mindset and I believe we can do great things as a team.”
For the Sailors, the focus now shifts back to the Singapore Premier League as they look to at least finish as the top-ranked local side to ensure qualification into AFC club competitions in 2024.
Ranko’s charges are now two points off second-placed Tampines Rovers, with four games left to play.
“The way we move, the way we shift as a team is something that we should be doing in every match. We’re taking the positives from this match to push ahead and everyone is now looking forward to finishing the season strongly,” said Shawal.
“Our fans really turned up and showed us fantastic support tonight, and we don’t want to let them down. We’re going to push till the end and see where that takes us in the league.”
As the final whistle sounded at the National Stadium on Wednesday (26 July) night, Lion City Sailors fans rose to their feet, raised their scarves into the air, and painted the Kallang sky with swirls of blue and white.
The Sailors lost 5-1 to Tottenham Hotspur in the Singapore Festival of Football’s Tiger Cup, but won hearts with what was a battling performance in front of over 25,000 under the domed crown jewel of the Singapore Sports Hub.
Aleksandar Ranković’s side gave the English Premier League (EPL) side – that fielded a line-up that included crowd favourites Harry Kane, Son Heung-min as well as Argentina’s World Cup winner Cristian Romero – a scare, taking the lead and holding onto it until the last kick of the first half, before conceding four goals in the second half.
Ranko was satisfied with both the experience that the occasion provided, and the performance that it drew from his charges.
“I think we gained a lot from this game and we experienced how top opposition can play – speed, power, physicality and tactical awareness – differently. This was a great learning opportunity for my team,” said the 44-year-old.
“In the first half, we put up a good fight and I am very pleased about it, and I was happy to see a lot of duels and it was very competitive in both halves,” said Ranko.
Ranko put out a strong starting 11 as he looked to experiment ahead of the Sailors’ upcoming Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) campaign – a total of six foreign players started with Manuel Herrera López (Súper) and Pedro Henrique on either side of mid-season signing Bailey Wright in a three-man backline.
In midfield, former Portugal youth captain Rui Pires started alongside M. Anumanthan who wore the armband for the Sailors.
The match commenced with Spurs having an early chance in the 3rd minute, as Yves Bissouma delivered a delightful pass over the top to Dejan Kulusevski. However, left back Christopher van Huizen put in a well-timed sliding challenge to put the ball out for a corner, thwarting the opportunity.
While the Sailors were under pressure from the Spurs attack from the get go, they stunned the visitors with what was the first meaningful chance on goal in the 14th minute.
Rui, who was playing his first game for the Sailors, intercepted a pass in the middle of the park before finding Maxime Lestienne on the right flank. The Belgian winger delivered a splendid cross to Shawal, who instinctively stuck out a leg to divert the ball past Spurs’ new Italian goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
“I think he’ll have trouble sleeping tonight,” quipped Ranko. “That was a great moment for Shawal, considering that they have a central defender (Cristian Romero) who won the World Cup just last December, and he’ll definitely remember this goal.”
Spurs continued to dominate possession and create chances in the first half, with new signing James Maddison coming close but failing to capitalise on a Kulusevski pass. It was a combination of resolute defending and the commanding presence of Zharfan Rohaizad in goal that saw the Sailors hang on to the lead.
One of those chances fell to Son Heung-min at the edge of the box in the 44th minute. In what is now his trademark move, the South Korean talisman cut inside and unleashed a powerful left-footed strike that narrowly dipped dangerously, but narrowly missed the target, landing on the top of the net.
The Sailors weathered the storm and while it looked like they would take a shock lead into the break, Spurs were awarded a penalty. Rui was adjudged to have impeded Pape Matar Sarr in the area, and Harry Kane stepped up to convert the penalty and level the scores with what was the last kick of the half.
Both sides rang the changes after the break, with the Sailors – who had one eye on Monday’s Singapore Premier League (SPL) fixture against Balestier Khalsa – making six changes with the likes of Hariss Harun, Hami Syahin and Abdul Rasaq Akeem entering the fray.
Ange Postecoglou’s men took just three second-half minutes to race ahead.
Giovani Lo Celso made a powerful run into the box, only to be denied by a block from Hariss Harun, but Richarlison was quick to jump on the rebound to put Spurs 2-1 up in the 48th minute.
Four minutes later, a long throw from Ivan Perišić caused chaos in the Sailors’ defence, with Richarlison pouncing on a poor clearance to head home his second of the match.
Spurs continued to press forward, and Lo Celso found the net on 73 minutes to make it 4-1 after Manor Solomon’s cross was deflected onto his path.
Richarlison completed his hat-trick in the dying embers of the fixture, calmly slotting the ball past Sailors’ substitute goalkeeper Adib Azahari who had come on for Zharfan in the 79th minute.
“I think it was a good game. Traditionally (the Sailors) have always been one of the two strong sides in Singapore and it was definitely a worthwhile exercise for us,” said Spurs manager, Postecoglou. “And we got a great reception here in Singapore too.”
Despite watching his team concede four goals in the second half, Ranko came away from the match satisfied.
“I was not disappointed with the second-half performance at all, because I know that we cannot keep this pace for 90 minutes. Even though it was mostly different players who played in the second half, I think they gave their best and I am not disappointed about their performance,” he said.
“I was looking at this game as a learning process and also as a test of things that we can apply in the ACL. I tried a different formation today and I still have other ideas as well, so it is not 100 percent confirmed,” added Ranko who also drew other positives from the game.
“I am very pleased that I can use all of these (foreign) players in the ACL, and I have to respect Pedro, especially because he is coming back after 11 months out injured,” said Ranko.
“He needs some time to build his physical strength back and this game was a great opportunity for it.”
Sailors’ young guns Nathan Mao and Muhammad Nur Asis were also given the opportunity to step onto the field for the final five minutes in an experience that the pair relished.
“It was a good opportunity and I will cherish this experience,” said 15-year-old Nathan. “And despite the short period of time played, I can see their qualities and I know how much more I have to improve to get to their level.”
The Lion City Sailors are bracing themselves for the clash against English Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur in the Singapore Festival of Football’s Tiger Cup on Wednesday (26 July), but instead of fear, Hariss Harun and his Sailors are embracing what could well be a test of a lifetime.
“They have prominent players like Son Heung-min and Harry Kane, but once we cross that white line, it’s all about what we want to do and what we want to achieve as a team,” said Hariss, who addressed the media at the pre-match press conference at the Lion City Sailors Training Centre on Tuesday (25 June).
This is the final game of Spurs’ Asia-Pacific Tour 2023, they lost 3-2 to fellow English Premier League side West Ham United in Perth before travelling to Bangkok, Thailand where their friendly game against Leicester City was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.
Hariss believes that the Sailors must test their abilities against the best to rise up to the challenge that lies ahead in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL).
Tottenham, with their reputation and international acclaim, provide the perfect litmus test for the Sailors to gauge their own strengths and areas of improvement.
“Spurs are of a different calibre and they play at a higher level week in and week out, and it is going to be a good challenge for us,” he said.
“It is pretty cool that we are involved in this game, especially because it will be played at the National Stadium. It is a wonderful arena and a fantastic pitch and it will be good preparation for us ahead of the ACL.”
“Most importantly, the players can soak in the atmosphere, in the minutes we get and relish the experience,” said the Singapore captain.
Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković echoed similar sentiments.
“It is very important to play games like this because this game against Spurs will help us to test ourselves against world class players, I can use every single player in the squad, and this game serves as a platform for me to try out formations and strategies that I can use in the ACL,” said the 44-year-old.
Admitting that this game against Spurs would be different from their style of play in the Singapore Premier League, Ranko is relishing the chance to play differently while embracing what will be a stern test against a higher level of competition.
“Of course it’s not going to be the same game we play in the local competition – we won’t have much possession compared to what we get against opponents in the local league – and that’s something that I’m going to be looking out for,” said Ranko.
Bailey Wright, one of three mid-season new signings, is looking forward to a mini Aussie reunion at the National Stadium. Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou and assistant Mile Jedinak were key figures in the Australian national team when Bailey donned the green and gold.
The relationship with Ange holds a special place for Bailey, Ange was the manager who gave him his debut for Australia and the opportunity to participate in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
“Ange was my national team manager for a number of years and gave me my first-ever national team call up, which led to taking me to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. So obviously I’ve always been grateful and thankful for the opportunities he has given me and he also was a great person to learn from on and off the pitch. He always wanted to push the game forward and his vision was always clear,” said Bailey.
“I am looking forward to catching up with him and Mile but obviously I’ll probably leave all that after the game and for now, focus is on the game,” chuckled Bailey.
Bailey, who already feels a strong sense of belonging to the Sailors, attributes this to the cohesive and professional environment at Mattar.
“Even though I just joined the Sailors, I feel like I’ve been here longer, and that’s because I feel there’s a great group of people here who work hard every day to get to know each other and get to improve as a team,” said the former Sunderland skipper.
For Bailey, the upcoming encounter is more than just a battle on the pitch.
“The opportunity for us to test ourselves against opponents like Spurs – with some world class players – is great. In addition to that, we can put into practice things we’ve been working on,” he added.
“We really want to take in this experience, test ourselves against some of the best, and put on a performance our fans can be proud of.”
An invaluable opportunity awaits the Lion City Sailors as they face English Premier League (EPL) side Tottenham Hotspur in the Tiger Cup at the National Stadium on Wednesday (26 July) night.
The match-up will kick off the Singapore Festival of Football (SFoF23) Driven by CDG Zig, which also sees EPL giants Liverpool take on Leicester City in the Standard Chartered Singapore Trophy on July 30 before the Merseysiders lock horns with reigning German champions Bayern Munich for the Singapore Trophy Presented by Audi and Standard Chartered on 2 August.
This will be the second time in as many years that the Sailors are playing reputable European opposition, they faced eight-time German champions Borussia Dortmund (BVB) last November in the first leg of the BVB Southeast Asia Tour and showed moments of good football in the 7-2 defeat.
The Spurs-Sailors tie was confirmed just two weeks ago with Aleksandar Ranković’s charges stepping up to replace Italian side AS Roma. This move was due to a change in the Italians’ pre-season plans, a move that has seen Mattar Road bubbling with excitement.
“Obviously everyone in the squad was thrilled when we were informed of this game. It’s not every day that you get an opportunity to come up against players that you’re usually watching on TV and to test yourselves against the very best,” said defender Zulqarnaen Suzliman, who last played against European opposition in the youth sides of Manchester City and FC Porto in the 2012 Lion City Cup.
“Unfortunately, I was not able to play any part in the game against Dortmund last year due to injury, so I’m going to grab this opportunity with both hands and hopefully I get the chance to impress in this match.”
With the 2023 Singapore Premier League (SPL) campaign just four games from its conclusion, attention will turn to the 2023/24 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League group stage with the Sailors flying the Singapore flag in what is their second appearance in Asia’s top-tier club competition.
ACL regulations allow teams to field six foreign players in the starting lineup – up from the four that are allowed in the SPL – this game is the first time the Sailors will be able to test themselves under similar conditions against a Spurs side that plays at a much higher intensity, and with a world-class squad to call on, no less.
With former Portugal youth captain Rui Pires set to make his first Sailors appearance alongside the likes of Maxime Lestienne, Diego Lopes, Richairo Živković and Bailey Wright – all coming with experience in top European leagues – the Sailors will look to give a good account of themselves.
“Within the club, we all know how important the ACL is and the target is really to do even better than the 2022 campaign. It is great for us to have the opportunity to test ourselves against a team like Spurs because we’re surely going to play against teams that play at a similar intensity and have physically strong players in their ranks,” said forward Shawal Anuar, who already has eight goals in his debut season with the Sailors.
“Apart from our foreign players, we also have exciting young local players who are hungry and eager to show their abilities against a world-class opponent so we’re all ready to go out there to put up a good performance.”
With big names like Son Heung-min, Harry Kane, as well as new signing James Maddison included in the Spurs travelling party, the Sailors will be in for a stern test.
“It’s not about the scoreline in matches like these, we’re not worried about being thrashed. It may sound like a cliché, but the performance is more important and we want to show that we can match up to Spurs in certain moments or aspects of the game,” said Shawal, who is particularly looking forward to coming up against Spurs’ experienced Welsh full-back Ben Davies.
“We have to be tactically sharp and play as a team, according to coach Ranko’s instructions. If we can do that for long periods of the game, then we can say that we’ve done well and achieved our objectives.”
The clock is ticking down to the Sailors’ first-ever appearance at the National Stadium and Zulqarnaen is looking forward to seeing the fans paint Kallang blue on matchday.
“This match is important for the club as it gives us international exposure and we know we can attract more eyeballs and fans if we turn in a good display,” said the 25-year-old full-back.
“Our fans have really backed us this season and we really look forward to hearing their chants at the National Stadium. We’re going to give our 100 percent in this game and make sure we don’t disappoint those who turn up.”
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The Lion City Sailors Women quashed any doubts over their ability to deal with the various challenges arising over the FIFA international window – and emphatically so – with a 6-0 thumping of Geylang International at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Saturday (22 July).
The win – that witnessed an emotional farewell, a stirring first start and a teenager’s hat-trick – saw the Sailors remain atop the 10-team Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) table on 19 points, one ahead of Hougang United.
“There were a lot of feelings because this was Madison’s last game before she leaves and we really put our hearts into getting the best out of the game,” said winger Miray Altun, of midfielder Madison Telmer who departed Singapore the following morning for a university education back home in Canada.
“There were also other factors at play, including a technical knowledge gap partly because a big number of our team – about half – were away with the national team. But we solved that issue with proper communication out on the pitch,” added the 18-year-old.
It was Miray who got the Sailors going on the night, capping off an elegant dribble by slotting the ball into the bottom left corner of the Geylang net in the 26th minute.
“I usually don’t score that much, but this was my second this season and I am very happy about it. It’s a great feeling to start off the goalscoring on the night, and it was a good team play leading up to the goal too,” she said.
The Sailors fashioned more chances to extend their lead with Ardhra Arul Ganeswaran and Madison – her 37th-minute thunderbolt crashed off the crossbar – coming close, but the Sailors Women went into the break with just a 1-0 lead.
The second half saw the Sailors press forward and get an early goal. Chloe Koh, 16 – who came on for Ardhra – was left with a tap-in to convert a well-placed Miray right-wing cross in the 47th minute.
It was another substitute who came on to make an almost immediate impact on the game.
Venetia Lim came on for Madelin Lock in the 52nd minute, and just two minutes later sent a stunning freekick into the Geylang goal to extend the Sailors’ lead to 3-0.
Chloe continued to shine, scoring her second goal of the match in the 62nd minute, the teenager was again the beneficiary of another excellent Miray cross.
She would score again, this time off a pinpoint Tia Foong cross that rendered the entire Geylang defence helpless. The goal capped off two milestones: it saw Tia mark her first start for the Sailors with an assist, and rounded up Chloe’s first Sailors’ hat-trick.
A beaming Chloe said: “In our last training session, we practised crossing and finishing, and before the game I told my mom that I really wanted to score – and finally, I did.”
“When the crosses came in, I told myself that Geylang weren’t doing well clearing loose balls in the box and I took my chances all three times,” added Chloe, with a slight grin.
Venetia would round up the scoring on the night with another free-kick goal to seal the 6-0 victory.
The Sailors Women may have scored six goals, but Chloe believes that there is still much room for her and her team to grow.
“I think we could have actually scored more goals. Our decision making in front of goal was a bit slow and hesitant. It felt like we were afraid to take shots in front of the goal and we were not aggressive enough as well.”
But the hat-trick and win gave Chloe an experience that is seared into her memory, especially with devoted Sailors’ fans singing from the stands at Choa Chu Kang.
“It is always heartening for the fans to come down and support us,” she said. “They are very special to us and I am very grateful for their support.”
“It’s been an unbelievable couple of years with the Sailors. This team has been like family to me – training with them everyday, not just my teammates, but also the coaches as well as our fans from the Crew,” said Madison, who scored a total of nine goals across 15 WPL games and has been a major driving force in the Sailors’ engine room.
“These will definitely be my best memories from Singapore. I’m so glad to help my team win the title last season and be involved again this season. Hopefully they go on to win the title without me and I’ll be supporting the team from wherever I am.”
The women will line up against fellow title challengers Hougang next Sunday (30 July) night at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium in their next WPL assignment.
We must be better, and that is my job: Ranko
For some 20 minutes at the Bishan Stadium on Thursday (20 July) night, Aleksandar Ranković’s Lion City Sailors looked like they were spinning towards defeat at the hands of a robust Tanjong Pagar United side.
Akram Azman’s 64th minute goal put the Jaguars 2-1 up on the night, and it took a Maxime Lestienne penalty to drag the Sailors back into the game before Shawal Anuar scored to secure all three points.
While pleased with the hard-fought 3-2 victory, Ranko has demanded improvement in the team’s overall performance, but perhaps more importantly, in his players’ mental approach.
“It is good that we won but this kind of game should not happen especially with the quality that we possess,” said the 44-year-old, after watching his side forced to battle to come from behind.
“When we conceded the first goal, I saw a lot of guys hanging their heads down and that is really something that I want to change in this team. I don’t want to see that in my team even if everything goes wrong. I want my team to be immediately hungry to get back into the game and that is something we should improve on,” said a disappointed Ranko.
“And it is my job to make that a reality.”
The result saw the Sailors narrow the gap to league leaders Albirex Niigata (S) and Tampines Rovers to just two points, but that provided Ranko scant consolation. Tampines have a game in hand over the Sailors, while Albirex have two.
“I don’t think we should talk about the title race. We should approach every game one step at a time and we have to win everything, then see where we will end.”
The Sailors started the game with real attacking intent, dominating possession right from the kick-off, taking an early lead.
Diego Lopes forced Tanjong Pagar goalkeeper Fashah Iskandar into a full-stretch dive to keep out his 12th-minute shot, but Maxime was on hand to tap in the rebound to make it 1-0.
Just six minutes later, Hafiz Nor almost doubled the lead with a powerful shot that was tipped over the bar by Fashah.
Even this early on, it wasn’t just one-way traffic at Bishan.
In the 28th minute, Khairul Amri’s long-range shot tested Sailors goalkeeper, Zharfan Rohaizad, before Syukri Bashir’s follow-up somehow went off-target.
In the 33rd minute, Tanjong Pagar was awarded a penalty when skipper Akram was brought down by Hafiz. Syukri then made no mistake from the spot, levelling the score.
“I think we played well in the first 35 minutes and we should have scored a lot more goals. But there was a lack of concentration after that and once Tanjong Pagar equalised, it was tough to open them up once they started to be more compact.
“Their goalkeeper played very well too, big compliments to him because he saved a lot of shots,” said Ranko of Fashah, who was named the Man of the Match.
The second half witnessed a determined Tanjong Pagar side take the lead in the 64th minute through a well-placed shot from Akram that nestled into the bottom corner.
The Sailors pushed forward to salvage the game and were presented with a golden opportunity in the 81st minute when Raihan Rahman was deemed to have kicked out at Maxime inside the penalty area. The Belgian picked himself up to level the scores and set the Sailors back on the hunt for a win.
That was Maxime’s 20th goal of the season, seeing him pull level with Balestier Khalsa’s Ryoya Taniguchi at the top of the SPL scoring charts.
The Sailors intensified their attacks following the equaliser, and in the 86th minute, a pinpoint Adam Swandi cross found Shawal who made no mistake with his header, giving the home side a 3-2 lead that they saw out to the end of the match.
“I am delighted that the younger players and the players who don’t start that often have been stepping up in the recent games. They are really knocking on the door of the first 11,” said Ranko, who drew some positives from the game.
“But overall there are several aspects we must improve on.”
Balestier are the Sailors’ next SPL assignment, on Monday, 31 July at Bishan Stadium.
After a three-week international break, the Lion City Sailors Women’s Team return to action in the Deloitte Women’s Premier League’s (WPL), taking on league cellar-dwellers, Geylang International, at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Saturday (22 July) night.
The Sailors Women are perched atop the summit of the 10-team WPL table with 16 points from six games, while Geylang have lost all of their six WPL matches thus far, with just a solitary goal to their name.
Despite what the numbers suggest, midfielder Venetia Lim warned against complacency, pointing to where potential banana skins could lie.
“With a relatively new team of young talents, you can expect some unpredictability in terms of their performances, but we know they have key individuals in their team who have quality. I foresee them being hungry to show their potential.
“We could also be surprised by them changing up their tactics that we might not have seen before,” said the 20-year-old.
Venetia has a clear picture of just what the team needs to do to secure three points on Saturday.
“We simply cannot be complacent. We must stay focused on ourselves, how we play as a team and execute what we have worked on in training sessions,” she said.
“Respect for our opponents, combined with tenacity on the field will be important for us.”
With 12 games – two-thirds of the WPL season – still to go, Venetia stressed that the learning process holds far greater significance than merely winning on the field on Saturday.
“I hope to put into action the things I have been working on, contribute effectively to the team and guide the younger players on the field,” said Venetia. “Every game we play presents an opportunity for us to learn and grow so we will approach this upcoming game with the same mindset as we do with every other game.”
Nine Sailors were part of a 20-strong Singapore squad that beat Pakistan 1-0 in an international friendly played on Tuesday (18 July), and the last time the Sailors Women played together was 25th June – almost a month before Saturday’s Geylang clash – in a 8-0 win over Balestier Khalsa.
But Venetia remained confident that her Sailors Women are equipped to deal with the situation, perhaps even flourish.
“Returning from a long break does pose certain challenges – disruption to the team’s rhythm and tactical flow – for the team to regroup and play again,” noted Venetia, who played the full 90 minutes for the Lionesses in that Pakistan win.
Photo courtesy of the Football Association of Singapore
“But this is not the first time we have experienced this, and we have learnt how to adapt to similar situations. Regardless of whether it is with the national team or the club, everyone in the team has worked hard and continued to improve during this period.
“I believe we are ready for Geylang.”
Marko Perović has joined Aleksandar Ranković’s backroom staff as Assistant Coach to the Lion City Sailors first team.
“Ranko comes from Dutch football, I come from Italian football, and I think it can be a good blend of two different styles for the team,” said the 51-year-old Marko. “Ranko and I are good friends and his presence is one of the big reasons I joined the club.”
At the Sailors, he will work closely with Ranko, providing support in managing the delicate balance between the immediate aim of achieving results in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) title race and the overarching objective of establishing a professional and competitive presence in the region.
And Marko believes the Sailors are well-equipped to achieve the ambitious targets the club has set for itself.
“The organisation and set-up of the club is very good. I have been to various countries in Europe, even Saudi Arabia, and the Sailors organisation set-up and structure is very good, and maybe it’s even better,” said Marko.
“We have a very good team and I hope we can turn in good performances in the league, and then later in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) and Singapore Cup,” said Marko, who began his coaching journey as an assistant manager at Serbian Super League club FC Vojvodina Novi Sad and later held various roles in prominent clubs across various nations.
From FC Spartak Subotica and OFC Beograd in Serbia to US Cremonese in Italy, the Serbian plied his trade at both youth and senior levels, including working closely with Marco Giampaolo during his time at US Cremonese, before the latter joined Sampdoria in 2016 and became one of the most highly-rated coaches in Italy.
Marko held head coach positions at Serbian SuperLiga team Železničar Pančevo and First League (second-tier) side GFK Dubočica, before joining the Sailors.
“My objective at the Sailors is to help the team improve in terms of both performances and results,” said Marko. “And I’m very happy to be a part of a project that is both ambitious and has the right ingredients in place as a platform for all of us to try and build something.”
Christopher van Huizen believes there are two factors that can help the Lion City Sailors rediscover success on the pitch in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) after a gut-wrenching 3-1 defeat to Albirex Niigata (S) last Sunday (16 July): fun and fans.
And he is confident that if they are present against Tanjong Pagar United on Thursday (18 July) at the Bishan Stadium, the Sailors will get back on track.
“We can’t let this loss against Albirex affect us too much. We just have to keep winning games, sticking with Coach Ranko’s (Aleksandar Ranković) game plan and philosophy, and to do that, we need to go out there and just keep having fun.
“If we can manage that, I’m sure we’ll do well,” said the experienced full-back.
“We invested so much of our good energy and good vibes into the game against Albirex, but I don’t think this loss should affect the rest of our matches. So while we have to give our all and be consistent as a team in the games ahead, we must also enjoy our football on the pitch.”
While there still remains a mathematical chance to win the league, the Sailors are focusing on an important mission: to at least finish second to qualify for Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) regional competitions.
To do that, the Sailors will need to finish as the top Singapore club in the nine-team SPL standings. They are currently third on 39 points, five adrift of both Tampines Rovers and league leaders Albirex who have far superior goal difference over both teams, and a game in hand.
With just five games of the SPL season left to play, time is running out for the Sailors who will need help from other teams to secure second spot.
“It is frustrating for all of us at the club. We can’t go back in the past to change things, but right now we must stay focused on finishing second in the league to make sure we remain competing at the regional level,” said the 30-year-old, who has made 12 appearances for the Sailors in 2023.
Second-from-bottom Tanjong Pagar have endured a challenging season, mustering only 16 points over the course of 19 games and the Sailors came away with a resounding 7-1 victory the last time the two sides met, but Chris warned against complacency.
“We can’t afford to underestimate them. We lost to Brunei DPMM in our last home game – our first loss at home – and we don’t want any chance of repeating that ever again,” he said.
“Tanjong Pagar, despite enduring a tough season, will have their sights set on making a statement. They will be determined to avenge their earlier loss to us and this will make them dangerous opponents – they have nothing to lose.”
Chris, who missed three games in July due to reservist duties before returning to the bench against Albirex, believes that the sensational support from The Crew could well help make the difference in the Sailors’ remaining games.
“The crowd at the Albirex game was amazing. The energy and commitment the fans brought that day was amazing, and I could feel it even when I was warming up on the sidelines – it gave me goosebumps,” he said.
“That made me feel like I had to give everything I had to get our fans a result – this is exactly the kind of feeling that can help us win games and get us to where we want to be.”
Lion City Sailors Women’s pair, 16-year-old Chloe Koh and 15-year-old Natasha Naszri, could make their debuts for the Singapore Women’s National Team on Tuesday (18 July) night when the Lionesses take on Pakistan in an international friendly at Jalan Besar Stadium.
The two join seven other teammates – namely goalkeepers Noor Kusumawati Rosman and Beatrice Tan, defenders Umairah Hamdan and Syazwani Ruzi, midfielder Ho Hui Xin, Venetia Lim and Khairunnisa Khairol Anwar – in a nine-woman Sailors contingent.
They are part of a 20-strong national squad called up to face a Pakistan side 26 places below them in the FIFA rankings at 157th.
Sailors skipper Ernie Sulastri Sontaril, Nur Izzati Rosni and Lila Tan have been left out due to ‘various reasons’ as confirmed by the Football Association of Singapore on Monday (17 July).
Promoted from the Lion City Sailors Girls’ Academy to the Women’s Team this season, Chloe and Natasha – both born in 2007 – have impressed in their maiden Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) campaign thus far.
Chloe came on to provide two assists on her Sailors Women’s debut in June’s 8-0 thumping of Balestier Khalsa, while Natasha has already made a number of appearances at the heart of midfield for Yeong Sheau Shyan’s side.
Both of them were part of the Singapore Under-19 side that played against Vietnam and Malaysia in the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Under-19 championship earlier this month.