Author: Lion City Sailors
He recalled seeing shoulders slump and heads drop, but it was understandable, the Lion City Sailors Elite Under-13 squad struggled against their Sparta Rotterdam counterparts and went down to a heavy defeat, leaving them disheartened and introspective.
Sailors’ Academy Head of Foundation Ashraf Ariffin believes that the gut-wrenching big defeat was one of the most important facets of the young Sailors’ training trip to Rotterdam, Holland earlier this year from 27 May to 11 June.
“The standard of the European trainees is above our players and our boys took some time to actually build themselves up to match their standards in a game. But even still, they couldn’t maintain that standard throughout the game,” he said.
“We lost to Sparta, but we stayed resilient, learnt from the match and came back stronger.”
The reflection that followed the loss was the catalyst for the team’s biggest achievement on the trip — an inspiring four-goal victory over the renowned PSV Eindhoven academy that was responsible for producing talents the likes of Memphis Depay, Steven Bergwijn and Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo.
“All the matches that we played were above standards in Asia, so for the squad to match up and do well, was above our expectations, and the boys did great to reflect and come back to beat PSV.”
This training stint in Rotterdam was made possible, thanks to the three-year partnership between the Sailors and Feyenoord Rotterdam that was established in February 2022.
The experience saw them take on four challenging matches, securing three wins and lost just once. The Sailors team defeated K.M.S.K. Deinze and Excelsior, lost to Sparta Rotterdam before ending off with the win over PSV.
This trip was somewhat more significant because of a series of significant firsts.
“Previously when we went to Europe, we would play opponents of one age group younger, and this is the first time we competed with opposition from the same age group, this was the key difference,” said Ashraf.
“It was a good experience, and the more we play against this kind of quality opposition, the more the boys will realise that if they want to be truly elite players, this is the level they need to be working towards, nothing lower.”
Caden Nicholas Pereira, a left-back in the travelling squad, looked back fondly on his experience in Rotterdam.
“The trip has helped me improve in making quicker decisions on the pitch. And I think I’ve learned from playing against stronger and more physical players,” he said.
Teammate Izzan Rifqi, who scored nine goals out of the four games, recalled the win over PSV very clearly.
“Before the game, our coaches really motivated us and we felt like we desperately needed to win that match. And when we did win, we were all so excited in the locker room,” said Izzan.
“I will never forget that moment.”
Despite encouraging performances all around, Ashraf remained grounded in his assessment.
“Although we won some games, when we compare the players individually to European youth players of the same age, I think we are still quite far away. Our players learnt that we still need to work much harder because the standards are still quite far compared to their European counterparts,” said Ashraf.
“But if our boys play at this level on a weekly basis, I think it will make a huge difference in their development.”
More than just about football development, the trip offered a platform for a different kind of growth in the young Sailors.
“Learning to adapt to a different environment, managing their time effectively, and making decisions on their own, these young athletes flourished in being independent responsible professionals,” said the 36-year-old Ashraf, who witnessed first-hand the growing maturity in his players.
“They had to be more responsible because they were away from their parents and they learnt to carry themselves, and I must say it was nice to see that the boys were up to the task.”
Terms and Conditions – Day-trip to 2025/26 ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) #ShopeeCup vs JDT
- Introduction
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- These terms and conditions, and any other documents and policies incorporated by reference, (“Terms”) shall apply to the Day-trip to 2025/26 ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) #ShopeeCup vs JDT (the “Event”) organised by Lion City Sailors Private Limited (“Lion City Sailors”), and shall form a contract between you and Lion City Sailors.
- Your participation in the Event constitutes your agreement to be bound by these Terms. The offering of the Event to you is conditional on your acceptance of these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not participate in the Event.
- Lion City Sailors’ other policies (including, but not limited to, the Terms of Service available here) (“Policies”) also apply to your participation in the Event – to the extent of any inconsistency between the Policies and these Terms, the Policies shall prevail.
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- Event Period
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- The event shall take place on 21 August 2025 (“Event Period”).
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- Event Mechanics
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- To participate in the Event, you must be a member of the Lion City Sailors official membership program – The Deck.
- To participate in the Event, you must submit the registration form via the designated link, with all compulsory fields completed and ensure that all information provided is accurate (“Registration Form”).
- To participate in the Event, you must agree to submit the proof of match ticket for verification in order to confirm a spot for the Event.
- Successful applications will be contacted via email or phone call by the Lion City Sailors membership team.
- Each prize (“Prize”) is a spot in the return bus service for one person provided to the designated destination in the 2025/26 ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) #ShopeeCup, i.e. Sultan Ibrahim Stadium at this address: Lot Zone C 01-03 & C01 03a, 81120 Gelang Patah, Johor, Malaysia.
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- Unless otherwise determined by Lion City Sailors, each Prize winner shall only be entitled to one spot of the return bus service.
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- Conditions
- By participating in the Event, you represent, warrant and undertake that:
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- you are ordinarily resident in Singapore and:
- are at least eighteen (18) years old; or
- if you are under eighteen (18) years old, you:(A) have obtained consent from your parent or guardian to participate in the Event ; will ensure that your parent/guardian submits a separate Registration Form; and (C) if selected as a Prize winner, you must be accompanied by your parent or guardian (who must also be a Prize winner) at all times during the Event who will be subject to the requirements under section 3.6 ;
- you will comply with all applicable laws when participating in the Event.
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- the Event is deemed void to the extent prohibited by applicable laws;
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- the decisions of Lion City Sailors are final and binding with respect to all matters relating to the Event (including, but not limited to, selection of the successful applicants of the bus spot);
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- you grant Lion City Sailors a non‐exclusive, royalty‐free, transferable, sub-licensable, irrevocable, perpetual worldwide licence and right to use (including commercial use), distribute, reproduce, display and otherwise make available any content that you provide in connection with the Competition (including, but not limited to, your entry as well as your name, likeness and/or voice) (“Provided Materials”), warrant that you have all rights necessary to grant such licence over the Provided Materials, and that Lion City Sailors may use your Provided Materials in any publicity or advertising relating to the Competition or future competitions held by Lion City Sailors without compensation or approval (subject to applicable law);
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- Changes to / cancellation of Competition
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- Lion City Sailors reserves the right to (in its sole discretion): (a) amend or vary any of these Terms (or any other rule of the Event), or suspend or cancel the Event at any time, including, but not limited to, where for any reason the Event is not capable of running as planned, due to any causes beyond the control of Lion City Sailors that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Event (including, but not limited to, any changes to the dates, time or location of the 2025/256 ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) #ShopeeCup; and (b) suspend or disqualify your participation in the Event at any time, including, but not limited to, (i) where you breach any of the provisions of these Terms or the Policies, (ii) where your participation in the Event is deemed by Lion City Sailors to be inappropriate, unsuitable or detrimental to Lion City Sailors, or (iii) where Lion City Sailors determines at its sole discretion that you have engaged in any fraudulent or suspicious activities, including if your social media account is not used for genuine social networking purposes (e.g. bot/fake accounts, accounts used to disseminate false/misleading information, etc.).
- For the avoidance of doubt, cancellation, termination or suspension by Lion City Sailors of the Event shall not entitle any party to any claim or compensation against Lion City Sailors for any and all losses or damage suffered or incurred as a direct or indirect result of the act of cancellation, termination or suspension of the Event.
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- By participating in the Event, you are deemed to have consented to: (i) the collection, use and disclosure of your personal data (including, but not limited to your name, image, voice and/or likeness, if applicable) by Lion City Sailors for editorial, advertising, competitional, marketing and/or other purposes without any payment and/or compensation except where prohibited by law; and (ii) receiving competitional, marketing and other publicity information from Lion City Sailors from time to time.
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- Indemnity; Liability
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- Lion City Sailors may revise and update these Terms at any time in its sole discretion by posting an updated version. It is your responsibility to check regularly to determine if any changes have been made (and the effect of such changes). All such changes to these Terms are effective immediately when posted and apply to your participation in the Event thereafter. Your continued participation in the Event following the posting of such revised Terms constitutes your acceptance and agreement to the changes which are binding on you.
- These Terms and any non-contractual rights or obligations arising out of or in connection with it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Singapore.
- You shall do all things necessary, including executing all documents necessary, to give effect to the intention of the parties under these Terms.
- Failure by Lion City Sailors to enforce any of their rights at any stage under these Terms does not constitute a waiver of those rights.
- Any dispute, controversy, difference or claim arising under or relating to these Terms shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration administered by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre in Singapore in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre for the time being in force, which rules are deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Clause. The seat of the arbitration shall be Singapore. This arbitration agreement shall be governed by Singapore law. The Tribunal shall consist of three (3) arbitrators and the language of the arbitration shall be English.
- A person who is not a party to these Terms shall have no rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act (Cap 53B) to enforce these Terms.
Last update: 15 August 2025
Three young upstarts from the Lion City Sailors Women’s team that play in the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) – Natasha Naszri, Ardhra Arul Ganeswaran, and Chloe Koh – have been granted coveted overseas scholarships as part of the Unleash The Roar! (UTR) national project.
The trio are part of the eight-strong group of inaugural scholarship awardees of the UTR! Initiative that aims to revolutionise the landscape of Singapore football.
The scholarship grants Chloe and Ardhra, both 16, the rare opportunity to spend the next three years at the esteemed IMG Academy in Florida, USA, a renowned institution known for nurturing talents across various sports.
Both of them have already departed Singapore to begin their new journeys.
Natasha, on the other hand, will leave in September to embark on a transformative journey at the ESC LaLiga Academy in Madrid, Spain for a duration of three years.
The detailed selection process for this UTR! scholarship spanned over four months, commencing with an initial shortlist of nearly 40 student-athletes, identified through preliminary assessments by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and the Singapore Sports School.
These promising talents then underwent rigorous scrutiny during training sessions and competitive matches, with this exhaustive evaluation process aimed at identifying individuals who exemplify dedication, technical ability, and a potential to make an impact in the local football scene.
A group of potential players were later chosen for a face-to-face interview with members of the UTR executive committee. This stage aimed to further explore their personal motivations, goals, and dedication to their sport. Ultimately, a special panel approved their scholarships.
For Chloe and Ardhra, this award represents more than a scholarship.
“My goal is always to land a professional contract, and the short-term goal would be to get a scholarship to a Division 1 college in America,” shared Chloe. “Playing overseas will really test my limits and push boundaries, and playing and training with better, faster and stronger players on a daily basis is going to make me a better player, and help me get closer to my goals.”
One key facet Ardhra is looking forward to, is immersing in an environment where sports is the raison d’etre.
“My aspiration is also to play for a Division 1 college in the United States and the UTR scholarship will help me with that because we will be regularly playing at a higher level of competition. Moreover, we will be in an environment where the main priority is football,” said Ardhra who is appreciative of the role the club has played in her journey in football.
“The Sailors provided the infrastructure and many opportunities for us to improve ourselves as footballers and as individuals,” added the midfielder.
Chloe’s journey has been a tad more complicated.
Following an injury during an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-17 Women’s Asian Cup match in May, Chloe, who had recently earned her debut call-up to the national U-16 team, initially feared severe damage to her left leg. Concerns of meniscus tear or anterior cruciate ligament rupture arose, and although the problem was eventually diagnosed to be in the plica (an additional band of soft tissue in the knee), Chloe faced a challenging period, and was sidelined for more than a month.
Chloe knuckled down, focusing on recovery this time instead of playing football, and her dedication paid off when she marked her comeback by participating in her first matches for the national U-19 team, Lion City Sailors Women’s team, as well as the senior national team in the months that followed.
Reflecting on her journey thus far, Chloe holds a deep affection for the cherished memories she crafted during her time with the Sailors.
“My experience in the Sailors Women’s Team and the Academy has been a really pleasant one because I’ve learned so much from the coaches, and I’ve made so many friends. These are the moments and little things that I will really cherish. I think the community here is just so welcoming and everyone’s like a big family, and that has really helped me in terms of my growth,” she said.
“The Sailors have a really clear pathway for development: if you’re from the academy, there’s a pathway to our WPL team which is the path that I went down,” said Chloe.
“I think one of my most memorable moments was when I scored my first hat-trick in the WPL against Geylang and it was quite memorable in the sense that I only came on as a second half substitute – and my first touch on the ball was a goal,” reminisced Chloe.
“That is something I will never forget.
In her heartfelt sentiments, Chloe paused to pay tribute to the unwavering dedication of coaches who have been guiding lights across her journey.
“The coaches at the Sailors care more about your personal development as a player than the results in matches. Although we know results are important, coaches always say that they rather see us apply something learnt from training on the field during a match.
All in all, it was clear the coaches really care about your holistic development as a player and a person. And they actually are more than willing to go the extra mile to help you,” mused Chloe.
“I’m really grateful to Coach (Yeong) Sheau Shyan for just being one of the best coaches I’ve ever had. She has groomed me since 2018 and she really shaped me to become the player I am today so I am thankful to her for that.”
Natasha, who like her Sailors comrades is keen to play professionally, sees the opportunity to train at ESC LaLiga Academy as a platform for her to grow as a footballer.
“This is a good opportunity for me to pursue my goals in sports and academics. My development as a footballer will definitely improve and I am very thankful for that,” said Natasha.
“And I really hope that in the future, I will come back to Singapore and share whatever knowledge that I will gain overseas – lessons from on and off the pitch – with more Singaporean players.”
Bernie leaves the Sailors
The Lion City Sailors have reached mutual agreement with Bernie Ibini-Isei to terminate his contract with the club.
Having come off the bench to make his club debut in a 5-0 win over Hougang back in April, the 30-year-old Australian striker went on to make eight appearances for the Sailors – with the last coming in a 3-0 win over Hougang on 25 June.
Having scored goals in more illustrious leagues like Australia’s A-League and Korea’s K League 1, the former Central Coast Mariners and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors man was unlucky not to have netted in the Sailors’ white and blue colours.
An amiable presence on and off the pitch, Bernie leaves with the best wishes of the team. The Sailors wish him all the best in the next chapter of his career.
The Lion City Sailors Women got the perfect start to the second round of the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL), beating fourth-placed Police Sports Association (Police SA) 3-0 on Sunday (13 August) night at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium.
Goals by Nur Izzati Rosni, Cara Chang and Lila Tan reinstated the four-point lead the Sailors held at the top of the 10-team WPL standings before Albirex Niigata (S) beat Tiong Bahru FC 10-0 on Saturday (12 Aug).
Standing in for Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan who is away on a personal matter, Izz Haziq drew several positives from both the result as well as the team performance.
“Today was one of our best performances in terms of build-up play and creating chances and it was against a team that has proven to be a tough team to beat,” said the Sailors Women assistant coach.
“For us to play the way we did and get the win in the end was very satisfying.”
The Sailors women beat Police 3-0 in their opening WPL fixture in March, but it was two late Izzati goals that put the gloss on what was a hard-earned win then.
This time around, the women needed a penalty to break the deadlock, and it was Izzati who again nudged her Sailors towards victory.
After Nur Syazwani Ruzi, Izzati and Cara all went close, 16-year-old forward, Josephine Ang was tripped inside the box. A calm Izzati stepped up to convert and give the Sailors the lead in the 25th minute and that was her 10th goal of the campaign.
Just a minute before half time, 14-year-old Cara scored her first goal for the Sailors. On her weaker foot, the Academy graduate pummeled the ball past the Police goalkeeper before dedicating the goal to her ex-teammate, Ardhra Arul Ganeswaran, who recently left to train overseas under an Unleash The Roar! football scholarship.
“I’m very happy because I missed a few chances last week. I’m happy to score for my friends who have left,” said Cara, smiling as she recounted her goal.
That feeling is something Cara already wants to recreate.
“Mostly, I just want to improve on my decision-making and how I play with the team,” she said. “Hopefully I can help the team get more goals.”
Haziq is confident that Cara will only grow from strength to strength.
“I’m so happy for her to get her goal and on her left foot too. It’ll be fantastic for her confidence and morale, and she deserves every bit of it. She’s been in our academy for many years now and we had full trust in her,” said a proud Haziq.
“We didn’t register her in the league from the start because we didn’t want to rush her, but from her performances in the last few games (since joining the team in the mid-season transfer window), it is clear that she fits right in.”
After causing problems for the opposition back line all game, Cara had yet another chance on goal in the 76th minute. She sped down the right flank and showed quick feet to turn towards goal, and unleashed a shot that was parried away by Police custodian Nur Fadhillah Hassan.
But Lila was on hand to tap the ball into an empty net for her fourth goal of the season to make it 3-0.
Haziq will continue as the stand-in Head Coach for the Sailors’ next WPL assignment, against seventh-placed Still Aerion FC this Saturday (19 Aug) at Choa Chu Kang, and he is hoping for more of the same from the team.
“We are dealing with several players being unavailable or out injured but in the next two weeks it will be about continuing what we’ve been working on and have already shown that we can accomplish,” he said.
“This win over Police is a very good start and if we continue putting in a performance like this again next week, that’s really all we can ask for.”
The task at hand was clear: win to secure second spot in the nine-team Singapore Premier League (SPL) standings, and that was exactly what the Lion City Sailors did, sweeping aside Hougang United in an emphatic 8-2 victory at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Sunday (13 August) evening.
The result meant that the Sailors will be Singapore’s representatives in Asian Football Confederation (AFC) club competitions in the 2024/25 season. They have accumulated 51 points from 23 games played, seven clear of third-placed Tampines Rovers, who have played a game fewer but can no longer catch up for second.
Sailors head coach Aleksandar Ranković praised his charges after seeing them secure a runners-up finish in sensational fashion, with the usual suspects Maxime Lestienne and Diego Lopes delivering on the night, and the added bonus of Christopher van Huizen and Haiqal Pashia getting their first goals of the season.
“The goal we set when I came here was to finish in first place, but we knew it was going to be difficult,” said the Serbian, who has steered the Sailors to six wins in eight SPL games since being appointed on 28 June. “We didn’t get that, but we didn’t give up till the end, and finishing second is massively important for us, because it secures AFC participation.”
“Today we did a really good job in the transitions and I can see that the team is getting fitter. I’m very proud of everyone in the team and we can now go into this break with a really good feeling.”
The Sailors started the contest the brighter of the two and went 1-0 up on 11 minutes through Diego, this after Abdul Rasaq Akeem had rattled the bar earlier.
Rising highest to meet Nur Adam Abdullah’s left-wing cross, Diego planted an accurate header into Zaiful Nizam’s bottom corner to take his tally to eight for the season.
Rasaq was not to be denied, expertly curling home his 10th of the season after being picked out by Diego on 24 minutes as the 22-year-old struck double digits in a single campaign for the first time in his career.
Hougang would pull one back three minutes later when Richairo Živković inadvertently turned in Naoki Kuriyama’s header off Kristijan Krajček’s corner.
It was something Ranko was keen to cut out, having conceded in similar fashion against Tampines in their previous game.
“We controlled the match in the first-half, but conceded a really easy goal again from another set-piece. It’s happened in two straight games and we have to work on that,” he noted, with his eyes now set on the next big assignment for the Sailors, the AFC Champions League (ACL) which starts in mid-September.
“This cannot happen in the ACL because mistakes like this can cost you games.”
The second half was in stark contrast to the opening 45, with Richairo lashing home into the far corner two minutes after the restart to restore Sailors’ two-goal lead.
Chris then capped off a 20-pass move with a blistering strike for his maiden goal in Sailors colours in the 61st minute to extend the lead to 4-1.
Seven minutes later, substitute Gabriel Quak returned to haunt the Sailors when he hit an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box which beat Zharfan Rohaizad at full stretch.
That joy proved to be short-lived for the home side as Sailors made it 5-2 in the 73rd minute, with Maxime teeing up Richairo for his second of the night – with the Curaçaon forward scoring a brace for a second straight match.
Richairo then returned the favour in the 78th minute, providing the cutback for Maxime to fire in his first of the evening.
There were just 12 minutes left to play, but the Sailors were not done just yet.
Having nicked the ball off Nazrul Nazari, the effervescent Zulqarnaen Suzliman laid it on a plate for Maxime to produce an impudent flick past Zaiful seven minutes from time.
The Belgian’s brace means he currently leads the SPL goalscorer charts with 25 goals, three ahead of Balestier Khalsa’s Ryoya Taniguchi.
Pashia would then round off the scoring in injury-time with a cool finish after latching onto a pass from fellow substitute Hami Syahin – his first since scoring in a 4-0 win over Tampines in May 2022.
With a pair of goals and three assists to his name, Man-of-the-Match Maxime played down his contributions.
“The season was not easy for all of us and I felt a little sad not to have been crowned as champions. We tried and gave everything we could and while I’m happy with the goals and assists today, the most important thing was that the team won,” the former Standard Liege man said.
The Sailors’ next assignment will see them face Geylang International in their final SPL fixture on September 16, but Ranko already has eyes firmly set on what lies thereafter.
“We are definitely going for the Singapore Cup,” he asserted.
“We are also in the ACL and we need to see who we are drawn against, but we are going to prepare well and not just make the numbers. That’s my main goal in the weeks ahead.”
Sailors Women ready to rumble in Rd 2
After a dominant first half of the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) season with eight wins and a draw, the Lion City Sailors Women’s will be looking to continue their impressive form when Round 2 kicks off against Police Sports Association (SA) on Sunday (13 Aug) night at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium.
Yeong Sheau Shyan’s charges are now in pole position in the 10-team WPL table with 25 points from nine games, four more than second-placed Hougang United and six ahead of third-placed Albirex Niigata (S).
Despite the commanding start and gap in points tally, the Sailors Women are not taking things lightly, instead going out to secure yet another three points against Police to set the tone for the remainder of the season.
“It is very important to start positively because anything could happen in the second round. Despite the fact that we are at the top of the table, we need to have a strong and positive mindset,” said Khairunnisa Khairol Anwar, who has shown versatility this season, already featuring at both right-back and right midfield.
“If we’re complacent, teams can easily take points off us. We have to keep winning to remain top and keep the momentum going.”
Sunday’s opponent, Police, have had an encouraging first season in the WPL – after being promoted from the second-tier Women’s National League (WNL) – they have amassed 18 points from nine outings and are just three points off second spot.
A stout performance to hold title-chasing Hougang to a 0-0 draw last weekend not only showcased their defensive strength, but has also lifted their confidence before facing a Sailors side that has scored a league-leading tally of 35 goals – nine more than any side.
“Police is not a team to disregard lightly as they have a lot of experienced players,especially in their backline. Sitianiwati Rosielin is one of their key players and she is very good at distributing the ball. Furthermore, the team also has other players with good technical skills to trouble our defence,” said a serious Nisa.
“We cannot take them lightly at all.”
The Sailors have taken the approach to embrace a more youthful composition amongst the squad and give playing opportunities to rising teenagers – till date, a total of seven Under-16 girls have made WPL debuts for the team after being promoted from the club’s Girls’ Academy.
Nisa, once a junior player in the team, is now wholeheartedly embracing her more senior role. She is enjoying providing guidance to the younger ones and actively helping their seamless integration into the team.
“I try to help the younger players by giving them feedback or when they have questions about our game. And as much as possible, I try to encourage them because the level of intensity is different in the WPL compared to the WNL.
“Afterall, I’ve been in their position before so I know how a little bit of help and encouragement goes a long way in helping them adjust to playing at a higher level,” said the 20-year-old, who has made nine appearances for the Singapore national women’s team.
Sailors’ latest debutant, Cara Chang, holds a deep admiration for the senior players like Nisa who have reached out with a helping hand.
“Playing with the senior players has helped me a lot: there is a lot I am learning from them technically, tactically and physically. I really admire their mentality and composure, and they constantly motivate me by encouraging and supporting me both on and off the field.
“This helped me easily transition into the team and feel part of the Sailors’ family,” said the 14-year-old, who has made two WPL appearances so far and made two assists since being registered in the WPL mid-season transfer window.
“Nisa in particular has helped me a lot because we play in the same position and she helps me whenever I’m unsure about something.”
Cara also echoed Nisa’s sentiments, emphasising the significance of commencing the second round with a victorious start.
“I think starting this round with a strong win is very important because the gap at the top of the table between us and Albirex is quite tight. Every single game matters and winning will help us show that we are ready to compete for the title,” said the young winger, who is also part of the Singapore Under-16 women’s team.
“We’ve learnt a lot from the first round and we hope to implement what we’ve been working on in training sessions in our game this Sunday. It will also serve as a confidence booster and help us keep our momentum going for the rest of the season.”
Coming off two huge wins over Balestier Khalsa and Tampines Rovers in their last two Singapore Premier League (SPL) fixtures, the Lion City Sailors are looking to carry the positive momentum forward and seal second spot in nine-team league standings when they face Hougang United on Sunday (13 August) evening at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
With two games left to play, the Sailors are second in the league with 48 points, eight adrift of leaders Albirex Niigata (S) – who are already confirmed as champions – but four ahead of third-placed Tampines Rovers. A win over the Cheetahs will guarantee a runners-up finish, and with that the right to represent Singapore in 2024 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) club tournaments, courtesy of being the top local side.
Adam Swandi has been a driving force in the team’s recent good form, and against Hougang, his eyes are firmly fixed on that target.
“A win will secure us second spot – it’s as simple as that. We’ve been in good form of late and we’re going to carry the momentum into this one,” said the 27-year-old, who recorded two assists off the bench in the 5-2 win over Tampines.
“We’re all sad that we couldn’t attain the objective of winning the title, but all we can do now is to focus and at least finish second to secure us AFC qualification – and we’re going all out for this game.”
While the Sailors are in the driving seat to finish second and need just three points from their final two matches to do so, Adam is eager to get the job done against Hougang and avoid added pressure in their final league fixture against Geylang International scheduled for 16 September.
Hougang are also riding atop a high wave, having won their last four games on the trot. The run of form has propelled them to sixth spot and reignited hopes of a top-four finish – they are five points behind fourth-placed Balestier with both teams having three games left to play.
Adam asserts that Hougang will be a tough opponent to crack.
“Hougang have done well in recent seasons and they have quality players in the squad even though they’re not as high up as they should be in the table this year. With players like Gabriel Quak and Đorđe Maksimović, they will be a real threat to us.
“I’m sure they’re going to give their best against us and we definitely can’t underestimate them,” he said.
According to Adam, the game plan against Hougang is evidently a simple one: to stay compact and not allow the Cheetahs a fast start.
“We have to keep our defence tight and we cannot lose concentration when we are defending. But if our defence is compact and we work together in keeping our defence organised, we do not have to worry about getting the goals because we have crazy quality upfront,” he stressed.
The “crazy” quality Adam is referring to includes Richairo Živković, whose second-half brace against the Stags the last time out made it four goals in four starts for the Sailors since his mid-season arrival.
Now getting into his groove, the Curaçaoan forward is looking forward to plunder more goals in the Sailors blue and white and and is extending a heartfelt call to the fans to rally behind and support the team.
“I’m adapting very well to the team and how Coach Ranko (Aleksandar Ranković) wants us to set up. It’s also quite easy to settle in with the quality of attacking players we have,” said the 26-year-old. “Of course it feels great for me to be contributing to the goals, but I’m hungry to do even more for the team. I feel very happy here now and it’s great that we’ve such great support from the fans.
“It was amazing to see them being in full voice at an away ground (Our Tampines Hub) last week and that helped us to a huge win. We’re very motivated to do well as a team for them and I’m really looking forward to their brilliant support again when we go to Jalan Besar Stadium this Sunday.”
In a sensational display of attacking prowess, the Lion City Sailors Women’s Team secured an emphatic 10-0 victory against Tiong Bahru FC on Saturday (5 August) in the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL). A young Sailors starting 11 dominated every aspect of the game at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium, leaving their opponents struggling to cope with their relentless attacking pressure and cohesive gameplay.
The win – coming off the back of an early brace from Josephine Ang and a Nur Izzati Rosni hat-trick – saw the Sailors solidify their position at the top of the 10-team WPL standings, with 25 points from nine games. They are now five points ahead of second-place Albirex Niigata (S), who could close the gap when they face Tanjong Pagar United on Sunday (6 Aug).
Staying true to her pre-match words, Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan handed starts to a total of five Under-16 girls – including Cara Chang and Chloe Koh who were given their first starts of the season.
The floodgates opened in the 23rd minute through one from that quintet as Josephine converted the rebound from Chloe’s shot to find the back of the net for her first-ever WPL goal.
“We had possession from the start but that possession didn’t initially turn into goals, but we started switching the ball a little bit quicker and played more penetrative passes. And after Josephine scored, I think we just got into the flow,” said Sailors midfielder Ho Hui Xin.
“And when the next goal and next goal came in, we started to gain momentum.”
Just two minutes after Josephine’s opener, the Sailors doubled their lead with Miray Altun stroking the ball into the left side of the net to score for a fourth successive game after Madelin Lock played a beautiful pass that beat the entire Tiong Bahru backline.
Josephine was not done yet, finding the back of the net again in the 26th minute, this time off a precise Cara pass.
Izzati – who came on for the injured Madelin – wasted no time making her presence felt alongside Josephine. She scored the Sailors’ fourth goal of the night in the 38th minute after controlling a Josephine pass and beating the Tiong Bahru goalkeeper.
Emerging after the break, the Sailors picked up right where they left off.
Izzati, on fire, scored her second goal just two minutes into the second half, drilling the ball into the bottom left corner of the net. And Cara was the provider for this goal with her penetrating pass.
In the 60th minute, Izzati bagged her hat-trick with a powerful shot from some 25 yards out that nestled in the top left corner of the Tiong Bahru goal.
That brought the 24-year-old’s goal tally up to nine for the season as she closes in on Albirex’s league-leading scorer Kana Kitahara (12 goals).
Second-half substitute Lila Tan got in on the action soon after her introduction, weaving her way through the opposition defence before slotting the ball home from outside the penalty box in the 75th minute.
Nur Syazwani Ruzi (77th minute), Tia Foong (81st) and Ardhra Arul Ganeswaran (86th) all got their names on the scoresheet in the last 12 minutes of the game, adding to Tiong Bahru’s woes and bringing the final score to 10-0.
Tia’s maiden strike and Josephine’s goals also meant a total of 14 different players have scored for the Sailors in the WPL this season.
Despite the double-digit scoreline, Hui Xin believes her Sailors can continue to improve.
“Just the willingness to pick the ball forward a little bit more and just having the guts to bring it forward, instead of playing horizontally across, these are some areas we can improve on,” she said after the game.
Josephine, who scored her first two goals for the club on Saturday, was visibly delighted, but like her more experienced counterpart, Hui Xin, could see where she must improve.
“It was a bit shaky for me initially because this was only my second start and I was feeling a bit nervous. But after I scored my first goal, I felt like I got in flow, more confident and calm in front of the goal,” said the 16-year-old. “I’m glad that I got a second goal too, but this doesn’t stop here, I am eager for more.”
“I hope to play more in the upcoming games, and for that I know I have to train harder. I need to play the ball faster and improve on my decision making skills too.”
The Sailors’ next WPL assignment will be at Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Sunday, 13 Aug, against fourth-placed Police Sports Association.
In an electrifying encounter at Our Tampines Hub on Friday (4 August), the Lion City Sailors turned in a dominant performance to secure a convincing 5-2 victory over Tampines Rovers in the Singapore Premier League (SPL).
The result – coming off the back of a Maxime Lestienne first-half hat-trick and a quickfire second-half brace by Richairo Živković – saw the Sailors strengthen their grip on second spot in the nine-team SPL standings, and keep their faint title hopes alive with just two games left to play.
The Sailors have 48 points with Tampines on 44. League leaders Albirex Niigata (S) hold a five-point advantage over the Sailors and have a game in hand over both sides.
Speaking after the frenetic encounter, Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković was effusive in his praise.
“I think it was one of the best first halves that we have played, the only thing we missed in that first half was a fourth goal. I thought we deserved the win for our performance throughout the game,” said Ranko, of his charges’ complete domination of the first period that ended 3-0.
“I would rather have not conceded a goal but we conceded from two set pieces: a penalty and a corner. We were really very good at dealing with these in previous games, but now we have to get back to the drawing board.”
“Nevertheless, I am very proud of my side for this tough win.”
The match started with a flurry of action with the Sailors quick to impose their style of play, taking just 10 minutes to open the scoring.
In a Maxime inverted winger masterclass, the Belgian glided in from the right, cut inside, and curled the ball past Tampines custodian Syazwan Buhari from outside the box to make it 1-0.
Maxime would score his second goal of the night just nine minutes later. The 31-year-old intercepted a loose Shuya Yamashita pass in the Tampines half, and instinctively let fly with a 30-yard chip that drew another despairing dive from Syazwan who was caught in no man’s land.
Maxime would complete his hat-trick in the 36th minute as he slammed the rebound home after his initial lob over Syazwan came back off the post.
This was the former PSV Eindhoven man’s second hat-trick of the 2023 SPL season, and puts him atop the SPL goal-scorers chart with 23 goals, two ahead of Balestier Khalsa’s Ryoya Taniguchi.
The Stags emerged for the second half with all guns blazing, and hauled themselves back into the game with a 58th-minute goal courtesy of Miloš Zlatković’s header off a corner.
In the 74th minute, Tampines were awarded a penalty when Bailey Wright was adjudged to have blocked Yasir Hanapi’s shot with his arm. Boris Kopitović – who came on at half-time – scored the resulting spot-kick to reduce the deficit to just one goal.
But their joy was short-lived.
The Sailors halted Tampines growing momentum just three minutes later. Second-half substitute Adam Swandi delivered a perfectly timed ball over the top to Richairo, who raced into the box and slotted past the goalkeeper.
The former Ajax Amsterdam man pulled the rug out from under the Stags’ feet another three minutes later, tapping home from close range after Adam’s attempted shot fell kindly at his feet in the 80th minute.
“We did a big job today: getting the three points. This gives us some space to breathe in terms of securing second spot, but in this competition you cannot get fooled that you are going to win the games easily,” said Ranko.
“We have two games left to play and they are tough opponents too, so we just have to focus on ourselves, and get the job done.”
The Sailors will next face Hougang United away at Jalan Besar Stadium on 13 Aug, before closing their 2023 SPL season more than a month later against Geylang International at home on 16 September.
While the Sailors have a firm grip on second spot, Maxime refused to close the door on his faint hopes of a league title.
“Today was a very important game for us to be second in the league but the objective for the whole season was to be champions. That is very hard now, but we will give everything until the end,” he said.
“Honestly, I don’t care about being the top scorer, my objective is to help the team win games so we can win the title – and now to make sure we finish second.
“We have two more games and we will continue to give everything.”
