Author: Lion City Sailors
The 2023 Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title is in the bag, and with the Lion City Sailors’ coronation just days away, Ernie Sulastri Sontaril looked back on what has been a character-defining season for every Sailor involved with the Women’s Team.
Ahead of the season’s final game this Saturday (25 November) against Tiong Bahru at Choa Chu Kang Stadium, the Sailors skipper’s proudest moment this season is not exactly a single moment, but a resilience – across the entire team – that has peppered what has been a challenging year.
“The team showed bravery throughout the season to win the league for a second consecutive year, especially with some of our key players missing due to injury or overseas scholarships,” said Ernie.
“No matter what the obstacles were, we went through thick and thin together. We needed to adapt and build chemistry with the new players. It was great to see our young Sailors building more confidence, even scoring in matches. They will keep the Sailors’ legacy going.”
Several times across the season, the Sailors bench could only pull together just two or three players due to the slew of injuries suffered. For the veteran, resilience and trust is what encapsulated the team’s spirit this season, and – should the Sailors avoid defeat on Saturday – key factors behind what could be a second consecutive Invincible season.
“What kept us going was the belief we had in each other on the pitch. We always encouraged each other. Whenever someone made a mistake, we simply covered them and fought as a team,” said the 35-year-old.
“The idea is to just stick to our game plan and enjoy this last match. I’m looking forward to finishing with a positive result and no injuries.
“This season’s trophy lift will be emotional as we won’t have many players present in person but I believe their heart and soul will be. We have something special planned to honour them on Saturday too.”
Often standing alongside Ernie in the Sailors’ defence, Munirah Mohamad shares Ernie’s bittersweet memory of depleted matchday squads.
“It is definitely going to be an incredible feeling lifting the trophy on Saturday. When we think about all the injuries, not having players on the bench and even being forced to try out new positions, the hard work and dedication from the team has really paid off,” said Munirah.
“We always found ways to overcome obstacles that were thrown our way and kept a positive mindset throughout the season.
“The seniors and juniors learned a lot from each other while training together. The youngsters are better than us in certain aspects and the seniors were able to share our experience with them,” added the 26-year-old.
The job is not yet done however, as Tiong Bahru lies in wait.
“We are not going to be complacent. Even though we are already champions, we are going to continue to play with the same mentality that we have throughout what has been a challenging season, and finish the year with the same spirit.”
The Lion City Sailors were well represented at the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) Awards Night 2023 – held at Orchard Hotel on Thursday (24 November) night, with a slew of Sailors recognised for an excellent 2023.
All eyes were on Maxime Lestienne, who was the favourite to win the AIA Player of the Year after a stellar season which saw him delivering 25 goals and 21 assists – both league-topping tallies. And there was little surprise when he beat Balestier Khalsa’s Ryoya Taniguchi and Albirex Niigata (S)’s Seia Kunori to the most prestigious prize of the night.
On top of receiving the Top Scorer award, the brilliant Belgian was also named in the SPL Team of the Year along with two other Sailors – Diego Lopes and Shawal Anuar, who was second in the league’s assist charts with 13, and the joint-top local scorer alongside teammate Abdul Rasaq Akeem with 10 goals.
Going home with three individual trophies in the bag, Maxime was pleased but turned his focus back to the football pitch.
“I’m very happy and proud to win this trophy. I enjoy this individual honour, but all year me and my teammates have worked hard together – so this victory is about them too. Without them, I cannot win this,” said Maxime.
“But now my focus is very much on the next two to three weeks – we’re aiming to win the Singapore Cup and we want to qualify for the last 16 of the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Champions League as well. These are big goals for me and the team to go for.”
In leading the Sailors Women’s Team to a second successive Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title, Yeong Sheau Shyan staved off competition from Hougang United’s Sivaraj Geevananthan and Tanjong Pagar United’s Samawira Basri to retain the WPL Coach of the Year gong she won in 2022.
In a season that saw the Women’s Team have to cope with several absences due to mid-season player departures and youngsters leaving for overseas scholarships or studies, the 45-year-old was able to improvise and inspire her charges to an outstanding season, winning 16 matches and drawing one with one remaining match left to go.
FAS Awards Night 2023: Photos courtesy of FAS
There were no individual awards for the women players, with Izzati Rosni and Syazwani Ruzi both losing out in the Deloitte WPL Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards respectively.
“I was quite sad for Wani because I thought she deserved a chance; she has improved so much, she truly stepped up this season and has become a leader on the pitch for us despite her young age,” said Sheau Shyan. “But besides that disappointment, I have to say it was really a huge team effort this year.
“Last year was different – we had 20 over players to call upon, there were quality players to come off the bench if anyone from the first 11 was tiring. This year, we had to work with a skeleton squad of 12 to 13 players on an average on matchday and that was really difficult to plan. But the players were resolute and carried out whatever game plan I had for them, so I have to dedicate my win to them.”
Sailors Women’s Team goalkeeper Noor Kusumawati Rosman picked up a FAS Special Award for sporting excellence in Singapore football, rounding off an eventful decade-long career with 51 caps with the Lionesses – the second-highest capped women’s player in Singapore behind Ernie Sulastri Sontaril.
Rounding up the club’s list of award winners, there was also double joy for the Sailors media team that swept all available media awards for the very first time.
Kenneth Tan’s story titled: Yes, we work like women – and it’s been wildly effective, that turned the spotlight on the contributions of two females in the Sailors ranks, was named the Story of the Year, while Ashok Kumar’s photo of Maxime in full flight at the Bishan Stadium, with the caption: Beguiling mix of Belgian muscle and magic, took the Photo of the Year award.
Sailors’ Winners for FAS Awards Night 2023
AIA Player of the Year: Maxime Lestienne
SPL Top Scorer: Maxime Lestienne (Winner)
SPL Team of the Year: Maxime Lestienne, Diego Lopes, Shawal Anuar
WPL Coach of the Year: Yeong Sheau Shyan
FAS Special Award, Sporting Excellence in Singapore Football (51 National Team Caps): Noor Kusumawati Rosman
Story of the Year: Yes, we work like women – and it’s been wildly effective by Kenneth Tan
Photo of the Year: Beguiling mix of Belgian muscle and magic by Ashok Kumar
A stunning 3-0 win over Daegu FC in April 2022 for a Singaporean club’s first-ever win over a K League 1 side, a plucky 2-1 victory over Hong Kong champions Kitchee SC a month ago and now a brilliant 2-0 upset over two-time Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
There is clearly something about the ACL that brings out the best in the Lion City Sailors.
Adam Swandi, one of the key members of the Sailors squad, believes it boils to the desire of wanting to push the Sailors and Singapore to the forefront of Asia in the continent’s flagship club competition.
“It’s a huge honour for us to play at the highest level in Asia, on the same stage players like Ronaldo are also playing. We’re so motivated coming into the Champions League because it’s really important to show what we – a Singaporean team – can do,” said the 27-year-old.
“The level’s really high of course – we’re not just coming up against teams from Korea and Japan, but the champions in these countries. It’s tough, but I’ve always believed that the bigger the pressure, the better the rewards are.
“Getting results in this competition brings happiness not just to our fans, but to the entire Singapore football fraternity. It helps to elevate the sport here as a whole, so we want to keep doing well.”
And motivation to excel is very easily found.
“Whenever we’re going up against big teams, there’ll be many people saying ‘sure lose’, ‘sure bantai’ (Malay word for massacre) – it’s like we’re going there to get shot. But in football, the ball is round. You can always get surprising results if you work hard as a team.
“We’ve shown these two years that we can get good results against teams that people least expect us to deliver against, and that’s a great feeling that we want to keep replicating,” said Adam.
After achieving seven points – the best-ever points tally by a Singaporean club in the ACL group stages – in an impressive debut voyage last year, the Sailors were always going to be under pressure to do even better in their second year participating in the competition.
Adam acknowledges that expectations levels have rocketed but the Sailors are embracing the pressure, and indeed, cherishing jostling with the continent’s best players.
“We’re a decently good team who can do well in this competition. While we understand these expectations, we’re also setting our own targets high because that’s the only way to go forward,” he said.
“As much as there’s pressure, it’s definitely an experience that us Singaporean players have to cherish. There was a time we wouldn’t even imagine being at this stage. I did talk to Hami (Syahin) recently, saying that ‘a few years down the road, we’ll realise what a big stage this was for us’.
“Footballers sometimes feel like we’re going through motions, trying to get through a run of games. But if we sit down and look back for a moment, we’d realise that it’s something really significant and one that we all should be proud of.”
To Adam, nothing tops the feeling of winning ACL matches and he has already been involved in a few significant ones since 2022.
“Honestly, that feeling of joy once the final whistle is blown is indescribable. It just feels like everyone’s hard work as a team – from the players to the backroom staff, and even the kit man – have come off together.
“And it’s a kind of feeling that we want to feel week in week out and we’re definitely now fueled to go for more,” he said.
While the Sailors are bidding to become the first Singaporean club to qualify for the ACL knockout stages, the club is already looking further into the future and the work that lies ahead.
“Obviously as a club, we have ambitions of being a big club in Asia and there’ve been investments to ensure we’re on the way to achieving that. But it’s a difficult process – football looks simple, but it’s actually very complicated and takes a lot of work outside the pitch to succeed. Even the smallest of details will matter in a game,” said Adam.
“Everyone hopes the road to success can be instant or cut short somehow, but it definitely takes some time. A good example is our neighbours JDT (Johor Darul Ta’zim) – it took them quite some time to get used to the ACL and they’re now competing at a very good level, so we’re definitely looking to emulate them.
“The key is to be exposed to this level of competition every year, where we have to play our A game and raise our levels physically and mentally. First, we need to make sure we do well in the league to gain a spot in the ACL every year.”
An incredible upset of Jeonbuk on Matchday Four has sparked life into the Sailors’ ACL campaign reigniting their chance of qualifying for the Round of 16, and Adam continues to believe in that dream.
“It won’t be easy because we also have our eyes set on the domestic (Singapore) Cup while the ACL is going on. We want to win the Cup, but at the same time we want to help the team create history. I think this team is on a good way to achieve all our aspirations, if we continue to play like this and work as a team.”
After referee Mooud Bonyadifard blew the full-time whistle at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Wednesday (8 November), a deafening roar reverberated around the entire ground as fans applauded the players off the pitch and reveled in the winning atmosphere.
The Lion City Sailors beat South Korean giants Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2-0 in a crucial Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) 2023/24 Group F clash, and the impact of that result was not lost on anyone present at Jalan Besar.
Richairo Živković’s brace means Aleksandar Ranković’s Sailors sit third in the group with six points after four matches, behind Jeonbuk only on goal difference.
The win revives the Sailors’ hopes of progressing into the next round, with leaders Bangkok United (10 points) and bottom placed Kitchee SC (1 point) playing out a 1-1 draw in the group’s other match on Wednesday.
The winners of each group and three best runners-up from each region advance to the Round of 16.
Against the nine-time K League 1 winners and two-time ACL champions, the Sailors put in a solid all-rounded display in front of a boisterous crowd of 3,562 fans.
The figure included some 100 Team Nila volunteers, as well as German legend and South Korea’s national team coach Jürgen Klinsmann, who was here on a scouting mission ahead of the Taegeuk Warriors’ World Cup qualifying game against Singapore on 16 November.
It was a much improved result from two weeks ago when Jeonbuk defeated the Sailors 3-0 at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.
Ranko was satisfied with how his charges bounced back from the loss.
“We gave the perfect response which was really necessary. I want the players to realise the significance of what they’ve done,” the 45-year-old Serb said at the post-match press conference.
Man-of-the-match Richi added: “We played very well from our goalkeeper all the way to the forwards. We executed our game plan well.”
Sailors fans, who will be feeling a sense of déjà vu after defeating fellow South Korean outfit Daegu FC 3-0 in the ACL group stage last year, will have much to cheer about this time round.
This comes after they were unable to witness that victory up close due to Covid-19 restrictions causing matches to be played at a neutral venue in 2022.
Ranko reserved special praise for the fans decked in blue and white, who turned out in droves and never failed to cheer throughout the 90 minutes.
“The supporters were tremendous, they helped us a lot and they’re a part of our club, in the way they support us, even in away games,” he noted.
“I hope we gave them something they could be proud of, and I hope to see at every game we play that we have crowds like this, not only in the ACL but in the league and Singapore Cup as well.”
The Sailors opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. Maxime Lestienne’s cross-field pass found Shawal Anuar, who leaped above his defender and nodded the ball into Richi’s path. The 27-year-old Curaçaon international finished with aplomb, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
The lead was doubled 10 minutes into the second half after Richi played a one-two with Shawal and curled the ball into the corner beyond Jeonbuk goalkeeper Jeong Min Ki’s reach.
Jeonbuk were given a lifeline in the dying stages of the game when Sailors centre-back Manuel Herrera López (Súper) was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area, but Gustavo Henrique Sousa’s penalty was high and wide of Zharfan Rohaizad’s goal.
There was still time for a heartwarming moment at Jalan Besar as striker Kodai Tanaka made his first appearance since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in March as a substitute two minutes into stoppage time.
The Sailors’ organised shape while defending was enough for them to pull off the win in the end, a fact Jeonbuk Head Coach Dan Petrescu credited the home side for.
“The Sailors have good foreign players and also locals who are part of the national team. They defended well for 90 minutes and we couldn’t find space to attack,” said the former Chelsea man.
For the Sailors, the two remaining games in the continental competition will be crucial – they will next take on group leaders Bangkok away on 29 November before hosting Hong Kong champions Kitchee SC on 13 December.
“The main thing we spoke about last week was to at least take something away from this game, so I’m very happy we’re still in the running to progress to the knockout phase,” said Ranko.
But next up for the Sailors is a Singapore Cup Group B clash against Hougang United at Jalan Besar on 21 November. They will be looking to reach the maximum nine points as they aim to top the group.
“First I need to refresh my guys, then we’ll focus on the Cup game before turning our attention to the away game against Bangkok,” said Ranko.
Zulqarnaen Suzliman and nine other Lion City Sailors players are in line for a reunion with Son Heung-min just months after facing the Tottenham Hotspur star in July’s Tiger Cup – this after being named in Takayuki Nishigaya’s 24-strong Singapore squad that will face South Korea and Thailand during the November FIFA international window.
These two games will kick off Round 2 of the joint qualification process for both the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup.
Mamat, along with Singapore captain Hariss Harun, Lionel Tan, Christopher van Huizen, M. Anumanthan, Hafiz Nor, Hami Syahin, Adam Swandi, Shawal Anuar, as well as custodian Zharfan Rohaizad kept their places after being named in the squad for October’s double-header against Guam which saw the Lions prevail 3-1 on aggregate to progress to this stage.
Apart from Son, the Sailors’ National Team representatives will also face internationally renowned South Korean stars in the likes of Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae, Paris Saint Germain’s Lee Kang-in and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Hwang Hee-chan.
They will also face Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors’ duo of Kim Jin-su and Moon Seon-min – just a week after facing the Korean pair in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday (8 November).
Hariss and the Lions will kick off their Group C qualifying campaign against Jürgen Klinsmann’s South Korea at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on 16 November, before hosting Thailand at the National Stadium in Singapore five days later.
Dan Petrescu: Sailors are no pushovers
Heading into their Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) 2023/24 Group F clash against the Lion City Sailors on Wednesday (8 November), Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will feel like a wounded animal.
After all, they have just suffered a 4-2 loss to Pohang Steelers in the Korean FA Cup final last Saturday (4 Nov), a defeat that means the South Korean powerhouse will end the season without a single trophy for the first time since 2013.
With that result still stinging, Jeonbuk will walk out at the Jalan Besar Stadium with fire in their belly.
Last season’s ACL semi-finalists will be encouraged by the fact they recorded a 3-0 win against the Sailors in their previous clash at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium on 25 October.
No room for complacency
But Head Coach Dan Petrescu warned his charges against any hint of complacency.
“We’re talking about different competitions. This is the ACL, where top teams from Asia play, and just like teams in Europe, we have to forget about the FA Cup game and focus on this competition,” said the former Chelsea defender.
“Losing the FA Cup final was not a good result, but It’s going to be an exciting match between both teams. I’m sure the Sailors will play well just like they did in previous matches and it’s going to be hard for us.”
The FA Cup loss will not be the only thing on Jeonbuk minds.
Earlier on Tuesday (7 Nov), the Korea Football Association rejected their appeal over an issue of an additional opposition player on the pitch in their K League 1 match against Pohang on 28 October. The match that ended 1-1 saw Pohang played with 12 men on the pitch for six minutes.
A successful appeal would have meant a 3-0 win awarded in favour of them and given them a significant boost in their chances of finishing third – which comes with a spot in the play-off rounds of the 2024/25 ACL Elite competition.
Jeonbuk are now in fourth, four points off third-placed Gwangju FC with three matches left in the 2023 K League 1 season.
But Petrescu insists that the events surrounding the team will not affect their performances on the pitch.
“Of course I heard the news, but this is football sometimes, we have to accept this and quickly move on to our next match.”
Fatigue may be a factor
Since their previous encounter with the Sailors, Jeonbuk have played three competitive matches in the space of eight days, while the Sailors will undoubtedly come into Wednesday’s clash the fresher of the two sides, having not played any competitive games since falling to Jeonbuk in Jeonju on 25 October.
But midfielder Paik Seung-ho, who played the full 90 minutes across the three matches, is confident that their players are fully prepared for Wednesday’s clash.
“Of course we’re a little tired, but as players we’re thankful we get the chance to play so many games and competitions,” said the 26-year-old, who scored against Brazil in last year’s Qatar World Cup.
“Our strength is we have a lot of quality and depth in our squad, and those who go out onto the pitch will fight hard to get us the result we need.”
Weather and pitch conditions may play a part
For Jeonbuk, playing on an artificial pitch and adjusting to the weather conditions here will be challenges the players have to overcome.
“The weather here is totally different to that of Korea, and in these one or two days we have to try our best and adapt,” Petrescu said.
“In football, the game will never be the same, and we expect our chances to be even for tomorrow’s match.”
Sailors braced and ready
The Sailors are also in need of a result to keep their dream of becoming the first Singapore team to get through the ACL group stage alive.
And Sailors defender Manuel Herrera López (Súper) revealed that the lengthy rest the team has enjoyed will aid their cause, adding: “Right now we’re ready and everyone’s expecting a tough game.”
Jeonbuk have won twice at home – against Kitchee SC and the Sailors – in the group stage of the continental competition, but suffered a 3-2 defeat to Bangkok United in their only Group F away fixture thus far.
And at the halfway mark of the group stage, the nine-time K League 1 champions and two-time ACL winners are second in Group F with six points, three ahead of the Sailors.
Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković highlighted the changes his side will need to make in order to achieve a better result this time.
“In the away game, the defensive side was something we didn’t do well, especially the second balls we didn’t win. That’s something we’ve been working on for the last two weeks,” he said.
“We’ll need the fans tomorrow for us to play the perfect game and get the result we want.”
Defiant Sailors plotting Jeonbuk revenge
Even as the Lion City Sailors trudged off the Jeonju World Cup Stadium some two weeks ago, they already had that look on their faces.
The 3-0 defeat to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors that night stung, and it was clear that even as they dragged their feet off the pitch and into the dressing room in South Korea, the Sailors were plotting revenge.
The Singapore Premier League’s representatives at the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) line up against Jeonbuk, two-time ACL champions, on 8 November at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Matchday Four of the ACL 2023/24 group stage, and they are hell-bent on making amends.
“I don’t think we did that bad. We tried to execute what we worked on in training, but a small mistake or lapse in concentration became crucial, as they do in games like these.
“When you concede a goal in the first five minutes against a team that has such quality, things become very difficult,” said Manuel Herrera López (Súper), referring to Jun Amano’s 5th-minute opener on the night.
“If we had gone into half time 0-0, they would’ve been in a rush, possibly making mistakes and we could have had more chances.”
The 31-year-old has already set his mind on a specific goal in the rematch.
“Playing against their no. 10, the striker (1.93m tall Park Jae-yong) was one of the hardest challenges I’ve ever faced,” said Súper.
“And I need revenge.
“Every day since, I’ve been thinking about how I could have done better, and I’m sure my teammates are also thinking how they can improve, and help the team get a result.”
Christopher van Huizen is another who has revenge on his mind.
“We could have kept better shape as a team and been stronger in one-on-one situations – especially me. I was quite disappointed with the way I played, especially because I was in quite good form for the previous one and a half months,” said the 30-year-old.
“I know one thing for sure, I’m not going to let this happen again.”
With a clearer picture of how Jeonbuk set up, coupled with the factor of playing in front of a home crowd at Jalan Besar, Súper is certain that the Sailors can jettison the underdogs tag and go all out for a victory on Wednesday.
“It’s going to be a different game here because it is hotter here than in Korea, the field is smaller and we are playing on an artificial surface. Jeonbuk play really nice football, but we are going to make it tough for them,” said the Spaniard.
“I’m not talking about one point – we’re going for three. I’m an optimist and I want to get the win so that we can keep dreaming of qualifying for the Round of 16.”
The Sailors are three points behind second-placed Jeonbuk at the halfway mark in Group F and six behind leaders Bangkok United. A win is the perfect tonic to revive the Sailors’ chances of progression ahead of the final two group games.
It is a fact not lost on Chris.
“We came into the competition believing we can do something, and we know we could have done better thus far – but we’re not giving up without a fight, even though it’s tough to get out of the group now,” said the Singapore international.
“Whenever we’re playing at home, we are pretty hyped and we’re going to draw on that energy from the crowd to push ourselves beyond our limits. It’s about keeping our shape, encouraging each other and keeping our heads screwed on throughout the 90 minutes.
“Let’s do that and see where it gets us.”
When the final whistle was blown at the Clementi Stadium, the stands erupted in wild cheers before chants of “Campeones” rang out, lauding the eleven players that made up the entire matchday squad of the Lion City Sailors Women’s Team on Sunday (5 November).
The evening’s resounding 11-0 victory over Geylang International saw the women seal the Deloitte Women’s Premier League title for the second year running, and there was a mix of joy and relief.
The team weathered a tough 2023, losing several players to long-term injuries while others headed overseas on football scholarships. The Sailors have had to dig deep several times all season, with last night proving a unique challenge – the women only managed 11 players on the day, and not all of them were fully fit.
“I already told the players that we should enjoy these two matches because for the whole season, we’ve been struggling with different challenges,” said Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan, who was effusive with praise for her players.
The Sailors got off to an energetic start, with Lila Tan taking two shots at goal and Josephine Ang hitting the woodwork.
“Initially, it was quite hard to break down the defence because they packed the middle,” said captain Ho Hui Xin. “I told the team at the start that if there is a half-chance, we have to take it.”
The team’s patient build-up play was rewarded in the 12th minute after Julia Farr hammered in the opening goal from the left flank.
Still working through rehabilitation for a knee injury, the early goal provided the German a big confidence boost.
“I haven’t played a full match in a while and knowing I could get some tackles did make me a bit nervous,” said Julia. “But everybody was amazingly supportive, kept pushing me, helping me and cheering me — that helped tremendously.”
In the 20th minute, fullback-turned-centre back Nur Syazwani Ruzi sent a delightful through-ball to Miray Altun on the right flank, beating the entire Eagles defence. Miray calmly slotted home the Sailors’ second goal of the night.
A Geylang handball in the box gave the Sailors a 32nd-minute penalty, with Josephine converting from the spot to pick up her first goal of the evening. She later scored another two goals to snag her first WPL hat-trick.
Josephine is now the team’s third-highest scorer with seven goals, only behind Miray who has eight and Nur Izzati Rosni who netted 12.
“I think that we are really a team,” Sheau Shyan said. “We are passing the ball around trying to find the free player. It’s not about who is a good goal-scorer, but who is in the correct position.”
Before half-time, Julia bagged another goal while Lila capitalised on a smart switch in play to send the Sailors 5-0 up going into the break.
“It was definitely such a good feeling, especially after coming back from a five-month injury break,” said Julia, after her two-goal showing. “I just kept telling myself: do what you can and try to enjoy the game. Try to help the team and keep it simple. Focus on the basics and then see what I can do.”
In the second half, skipper Hui Xin and mid-season signing Nica Siy each picked up their first goals of the season. The Sailors now boast 19 different goal-scorers in this season, testament to the depth and clinical finishing across the entire squad.
Teenager Madelin Lock also got herself on the scoresheet in the 58th minute, after a solid performance in the Sailors midfield. The 16-year-old played a big role in relentlessly switching plays across both flanks, consistently opening up pockets of space for her teammates.
Miray then secured a brace for herself after firing a spectacular shot into the top corner in the 71st minute.
“Everybody knows their roles and responsibilities,” Hui Xin said. “As captain, I only had to remind everybody about the game plan, because everybody carried their weight tonight.”
Looking ahead, Hui Xin acknowledged that their next match against Hougang United, currently ranked third in the league, a fortnight later on 19 November will be a stern test.
“At the end of the day, we are a team and can be very proud to have overcome so many different challenges and obstacles this year,” added Julia.
“We always believed that we could win the league again and, after a lot of hard work from everyone, here we are.”
After last weekend’s (29 October) 3-0 win against second-placed Albirex Niigata (S), the Sailors propelled themselves seven points clear at the top of the 10-team Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) table.
With just three games left to play in the WPL 2023 season, that hard-fought victory now gives the Sailors the opportunity to seal back-to-back WPL titles this Sunday (5 November), if they beat Geylang International at Clementi Stadium.
In a challenging season that saw several key players sit out with long-term injuries and others leaving in mid-season to either further their studies or go on scholarships, several youngsters – seven in total – stepped up and into the spotlight after being promoted from the Sailors Girls’ Academy.
One of them is Josephine Ang, who will always remember the moment Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan told her she was going to be promoted to the WPL team.
“It was very shocking to me, but I knew I had to make Coach Sheau Shyan proud because she really believed in me from the start. She talked to me about the discipline and the commitment I need to have in order to be in the senior team,” said the 17-year-old forward.
There is little doubt that Josephine has come a long way as a player, but it is the team ethic and unity that makes her heart swell with pride.
“We lost many players due to long-term injuries and instead of us being negative about it, we worked even harder to get closer to the WPL title. The team has put in an incredible amount of effort this year – it’s surreal,” said the teenager, who already has four goals in her debut WPL campaign.
“The Albirex game last weekend was one of my proudest moments. The whole team worked hard and fought for one another. I saw my teammates score while I was on the bench and I’ve never been more proud of my team.”
Josephine called for discipline and composure as the women prepare to take what could be the final step up to be crowned champions this Sunday.
“We must treat this game like any other game but we cannot be complacent,” she explained. “We need to stick to Coach Sheau Shyan’s game plan, play to our strengths – keeping the ball in tight areas and being able to switch it out – and play with a higher intensity too.”
Lila Tan, who has three years on her younger teammate, has already established herself as one of the Sailors’ senior players. She is confident that the team has what it takes to get the job done on Sunday.
“I believe with an optimistic mentality and a strong team cohesion, we will be able to remain composed and execute our game plan,” she said.
“I do still get pre-match jitters, but I am eager to simply play my part in the team to get us that win. We have been pushing ourselves for the potential title at training and I’m confident we will implement what we have learned.”
Lila has watched the young ones come into the team this year, and the 20-year-old has enjoyed seeing them grow into their respective roles.
“It has been such a privilege to play with the juniors, they are full of spirit and determination,” gushed Lila.
“There is a growing unity between the juniors and the seniors, and I think it’s also important that we are having fun at training sessions – that can only help us improve as a team, and consistently get results, like we aim to do on Sunday.”
He was called up to the Belgium national team at the age of 21, scored in the Italian Serie A as Genoa famously beat Inter Milan 3-2 and even played a starring role in PSV Eindhoven’s upset of English powerhouse Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League (UCL).
There is little doubt, Maxime Lestienne has stood under the bright lights of big-time European football – and shone.
Speaking under the orange glow of lights at our makeshift studio – a repurposed briefing room – at the Lion City Sailors Training Centre on Mattar Road, it was clear that the fire in his belly that helped him hit those heady heights still burns strong.
Maxime is now 31 and well into his second Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) campaign with the Sailors but there is a real drive to push boundaries, and this time, pull the Sailors along his football adventure.
“It’s very important not just for me, but also the supporters. In football, we always need to have a big objective and that’s the one we have as a team,” said Maxime, of helping the Sailors become the first Singapore side to qualify for the ACL Round of 16.
“I believe we can still do it – and it’ll be a big moment for us.”
Maxime inspired PSV to victory over Louis van Gaal’s Man United Class of 2015, and also scored a brace in the Dutch side’s 3-2 defeat to CSKA Moscow in that UCL season. The opportunity to now make his mark in the ACL, Asia’s equivalent elite club competition, remains a big motivation.
“The ambition of the club is why I decided to come and there are no regrets, I’m very happy here. Last year, not a lot of people know of the Lion City Sailors and we made something in the ACL although we didn’t qualify,” he said of his debut campaign last year.
The Sailors beat Korean side Daegu FC 3-0 en route to a seven-point finish.
The Belgian has not looked back and is relishing the challenge of guiding the Sailors into the Asian football spotlight.
“This year, we’re not a surprise package anymore, so we have to work and show why we deserve to be here. We’re not here just for Sailors’ fans, we also want to make Singapore proud,” he added.
Having experienced last year’s pandemic-enforced centralised tournament format ACL, Maxime is loving this season’s home-and-away format that brings out the best elements – and colourful fan culture – of Asian football.
He said: “Last year, we stayed almost a month together in Thailand and couldn’t see our families. Now it’s better, we can play in front of our fans: I have to say the atmosphere was amazing when we played Bangkok United at Jalan Besar.
“And it’s also nice for us as a team to experience playing against an away crowd when we played against Kitchee SC. We were also touched to see the support from our fans who travelled to Hong Kong. When you’re on the pitch, you do want to give a bit more for them and those watching on TV.”
To Maxime, the 2023/24 ACL campaign is bringing the best out of the Sailors as he lauds the raised levels that come with competitions like these.
“I can feel and even see that we’re more focused and motivated before games, because we know the importance of this competition to the club. We must give more than what we give normally; we have to be very organised on the pitch and be compact as a team,” noted Maxime.
“For myself, I have to defend more even if I don’t like it. Obviously the intensity in the European competition is a bit faster, but there are good teams and good players in Asia – Urawa Red Diamonds is an example,” said Maxime of the defending ACL champions the Sailors faced in the 2022 campaign.
“And it’s nice to see how we’re all stepping up as a team for the higher levels we face in the ACL.”
Maxime may be stealing the headlines with sensational performances in his second year as a Sailor, chalking up the most goals (25) and assists (21) in the Singapore Premier League (SPL), but he is adamant that it is the spirit of the Class of 2023 that is most important facet of the Sailors.
“I’m not the leader of the team,” he insisted. “This team works in a way where everybody can speak; you can say something and everyone will listen to you. We’ve got some fantastic young players here, and they are not afraid to step up and take responsibility to lead the team.
“We even have players as young as 15, 16 joining our squad this season and making their debuts – they’ve worked really hard to get to be here. I remember being in the first team in Belgium (with Mouscron) at 16 and it’s the same – I worked very hard to achieve my dream and every young player should be doing this.”
Under the tutelage of Aleksandar Ranković and his blend of promising youngsters and experienced campaigners, the Sailors squad has been in pretty good form the last couple of months, from the SPL then into the Singapore Cup, and also getting a gritty away win against Kitchee in the ACL earlier in October.
It is a fact that delights Maxime.
“It’s so fun to be in this team, with the foreign players offering not only different qualities but a different experience from where we used to play at. All of us try to give something to the team and have blended very well with the locals – now I feel that I’m already a local!” he joked.
“Coach Ranko’s technically a very good coach; he tries to apply what he learnt in Europe to give to us – how to build up, how to be tactical. Maybe in the first two weeks (when he first took over), it was a bit difficult to understand. But now everyone understands what he wants from us and we’re enjoying every single day in training.”
At the halfway mark of the Sailors’ Group F campaign with three points and a battling chance of still making it into the knockout stages, Maxime insists there is no inferior complexity when the Sailors compete in the ACL and is determined to push all the way.
“We have no reason to fear anyone and second place is still up for grabs. We have to play with confidence – not scared, not stressed about losing – we must enjoy the game and work hard as a team. It’s important that after the game, when we reflect, we know we gave everything.
“We know we have enough quality to beat teams in front of us, we just have to go out there to play,” said Maxime.
“If we can consistently play like we did in the first half against Kitchee, I think we can qualify.”
