Author: Lion City Sailors
Three days after battling back to hold Tampines Rovers 1-1 in the Singapore Premier League (SPL), the Lion City Sailors cruised to a much more straightforward 4-1 victory over the Young Lions at Bishan Stadium on Saturday (10 June) evening.
The victory cements the Sailors as one of three teams still in the hunt for the SPL title. They are now third in the nine-team SPL table with 30 points, three points behind league leaders Tampines. Second-placed Albirex are on the same tally, albeit with two games in hand over both the Stags and Sailors.
“Having in mind that we drew 1-1 with the Young Lions last time around, we came into this game without complacency. We just needed the three points, and this victory keeps us in the title race,” said Sailors Head Coach Risto Vidaković.
“It was a difficult game for us because we just played a few days ago against Tampines, and nobody likes to play almost immediately after just playing one game – you only have time to recover, and can’t really prepare – but it is what it is.”
Sailors captain Hariss Harun – who claimed the Man-of-the-Match award with a domineering display at the heart of defence – sang from the same hymn book.
“Our last game was just a few days ago, so it is not easy to come and play again. Fatigue and injuries were present in many of us, but I am proud of my teammates for pushing through.”
With a couple of key figures – including playmaker Diego Lopes and central defender Súper – absent due to injuries, Risto made three changes to his starting line-up, bringing in Lionel Tan in defence alongside fullback Christopher Van Huizen, with Hami Syahin coming back from suspension to slot back in midfield.
Clad in their white, blue and bold Home kit, the Sailors dominated much of the possession before taking a deserved lead in the 17th minute. A well-executed Maxime Lestienne corner kick caused mayhem in the Young Lions penalty box, leading to the unfortunate Kan Kobayashi putting the ball into his own goal.
Risto’s charges doubled the advantage in the 33rd minute, with Shawal Anuar slotting home a rebound after his initial shot pinged off the far post to continue his recent hot form in front of goal – that was his fourth goal in as many matches.
Just six minutes later, clever pressing from Maxime and Abdul Rasaq Akeem put Young Lions custodian Aizil Yazid under pressure in his own penalty box – with Rasaq pouncing to block the goalkeeper’s pass before providing an instinctive acrobatic finish to slam home the Sailors’ third.
This was Rasaq’s seventh goal in what is shaping up to be a breakout season for the 21-year-old who received two awards from the league organisers prior to kickoff on Saturday. He was named the SPL’s Young Player of the Month and also took the Goal of the Month gong for his volley, the game-winner in the Sailors 3-2 win over Albirex on 21 May.
The Sailors resumed the second half in exactly the same vein, with the Sailors’ other award recipient – SPL Player of the Month, Maxime – getting on the scoresheet.
In the 53rd minute, Adam Swandi dazzled down the right flank before squaring for Maxime, who stroked the ball into the top left-hand corner of the Young Lions goal for the Sailors’ fourth of the night.
In full control of proceedings, Risto threw on the likes of Haiqal Pashia, Rusyaidi Salime and Arshad Shamim in the latter stages of the second half – with the trio putting up decent cameos to show that they are worthy of more minutes under the belt.
The Young Lions did claw back a consolation goal in the 86th minute, courtesy of Jun Kobayashi. The Japanese defender volleyed home after the Sailors defence failed to deal with a Young Lions corner, in a slight disappointment to what was an ultimately successful night.
“It has been quite a while (seven matches) since we had a clean sheet, and it is a bit disappointing to concede a goal from a set piece. But we will regroup after the international break, and we will be better for the upcoming games,” said Hariss.
“This was not our best performance, but we did what we needed to do – get the three points.”
The Sailors will return to action after the international break with a home game against Hougang United on Sunday, 25 June.
The Young Lions may be on an eight-match winless streak in the Singapore Premier League, and are still without their head coach Philippe Aw, who has been granted time off from the Young Lions’ coaching duties after his role as Head Coach of the National Under-22 side at the recently concluded Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Cambodia.
But Lion City Sailors midfield maestro, Adam Swandi, is still not taking anything for granted when the two sides meet at Bishan Stadium on Saturday (10 June) night.
Adam Swandi is acutely aware of the threat the Young Lions – who are under the tutelage of assistant coaches Muhammad Fadzuhasny Juraimi and Koichiro Iizuka – pose.
“Young Lions are not a team to be taken lightly, they’ve got players with individual quality and they can pose a hazard to us if we are complacent,” said Adam, with the 1-1 draw at the Jalan Besar Stadium on 15 April still fresh in his mind.
“We definitely can’t underestimate them and we must not be big-headed. We must go into every game like it is a final, and give our all to get the three points and return to winning ways.”
Although the former Young Lions man expressed disappointment with the Sailors’ 1-1 draw with fellow SPL title-challengers Tampines Rovers on Wednesday (7 June) night, he is champing at the bit and ready for the Young Lions game.
“We played well against Tampines and created several chances, but the result was not what we desired. I believe that we displayed persistence and a strength of will against Tampines, but unfortunately luck wasn’t on our side,” said Adam.
“But this is a good build-up to our future games, and we will be raring to get the three points from now on,” added the midfielder who will join up with the Singapore National Team for two international friendlies – against Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands – after the Young Lions fixture.
Adam, who battled back from injury to make 11 appearances for the Sailors this season, is determined to build on his recent good form and deliver influential performances at the heart of the Sailors midfield.
He said: “I’m pushing hard every day in training and games, and whenever Coach Risto (Vidaković) puts me on the pitch, I do my best to repay his faith in me.”
The Sailors are third in the SPL table with 27 points, behind second-placed Tampines who are three points ahead. Albirex Niigata (S) sit atop the nine-team standings also on 30 points, but with superior goal difference and one game in hand.
“We know what’s at stake at this crucial juncture in the league, we just have to do our best and be consistent from now on,” said a defiant Adam.
“The race for the title is still wide open.”
It was a week of reflection and rectification, this after Risto Vidaković witnessed his Lion City Sailors contrive to concede four goals in a single Singapore Premier League (SPL) match, but somehow still managed to escape with three points.
The Sailors are united behind their Head Coach – there will be no repeat of individual or the collective performance that saw the Sailors beat Balestier Khalsa 5-4 last Thursday (1 June) at the Bishan Stadium – especially not against league leaders Tampines Rovers, in what is the proverbial six-pointer in the chase for the SPL title.
“Our performance against Balestier wasn’t up to standard, even though we got the three points. And the key aspect of our game we’ve been working on in defence – we know we must improve on that and we have been hard at work this week trying to do exactly that,” said captain Hariss Harun.
“We know we got lucky then, and we must make sure we don’t leave things to chance again when we face Tampines this Wednesday (7 June).”
The Sailors are third in the nine-team SPL standings, on 26 points, three behind Gavin Lee’s Stags. Albirex Niigata (S) are second on 27 points, albeit having played a game less than their two closest rivals.
“We played Tampines in the first round, so we know what to expect from them – they are one of the strongest contenders for the title,” said Hariss. “They play a good brand of football and have strong individual players. One of their key strengths is their chemistry – they have terrific chemistry.”
It is this chemistry that has played a key role in the Stags’ rise to the summit of the league, on the back of four wins and a solitary loss in their last five SPL games.
The assignment is clear to all in the Sailors’ camp – win, and go level on points with Tampines. Despite the fact that Albirex can still steal a path to the top of the SPL with a win over Geylang International 24 hours before the game, victory will ensure that the Sailors are well in the hunt.
“Every game is important, especially those against Tampines and Albirex. But from now on, every single game is important to us – that is the approach we must take – and we must be very focused if we want to stay in the hunt for the title,” said Hariss, of the reality of the path that lies ahead of the Sailors.
Abdul Rasaq Akeem remains confident that his team has what it takes to rise to the challenge that lies immediately ahead.
“If we are able to follow Coach Risto’s plans and deliver to the levels that we know we are capable of, I’m certain that we can not only contain Tampines, but score the goals that will get us the three points,” said the rising forward.
Rasaq has already scored more goals this season – his tally of six league goals with the Sailors is already more than the five he amassed between 2019 to 2022. However, the 21-year-old is not looking at personal numbers, but instead at doing all he can for the team.
“Personally, I just want to give my best in every game, especially for this game against Tampines. Be it creating chances, scoring goals, or defending, I will do my best in every aspect of the game for the team to win,” said a confident Rasaq.
“Three points here will go a long way in repaying the faith of our fans who always make playing at Bishan something special.”
Our worst performance of the season: Risto
There were five high-quality goals scored, moments of scintillating attacking football, and three Singapore Premier League (SPL) points in the bag.
But despite the 5-4 victory over Bishan Stadium neighbours Balestier Khalsa on Thursday (1 June), Lion City Sailors Head Coach Risto Vidaković was bristling.
“It was a terrible game for us, and we definitely have things to think about and improve on. There are several lessons to take from this game, and we were lucky to maintain the lead and win the game,” said the 54-year-old.
The night did not get off to the smoothest of starts for the Sailors as Nur Adam Abdullah and Adam Swandi picked up yellow cards in the first 10 minutes.
But in the 19th minute, a sensational Shawal Anuar 40-yard lob that shot high into the Bishan sky before dipping sharply down, over the flailing Hairul Syirhan and into the Balestier net seemed to set Sailors properly back on track.
Despite a Fabian Kwok header levelling the scores just two minutes later, the Sailors looked to have taken the game by the scruff of the neck, with Maxime Lestienne (37th minute), Diego Lopes (39th) and Shawal (55th) giving the Sailors a 4-1 lead.
The Tigers pulled one back in the 66th minute, courtesy of Ryoya Taniguchi. But the dynamic threat of the Sailors’ frontline was just too much for the Tigers as Maxime comfortably slotted home his second in the 76th minute to make it 5-2.
With just 14 minutes and injury time to play, it should have been game, set, and match for the title-chasing Sailors.
It was anything but.
The dogged Balestier side upped the tempo, shook the Sailors and launched what would have seemed an impossible comeback.
The Tigers scored through Shuhei Hoshino in the 82nd minute, then earned a penalty just three minutes later, following an on-field VAR review. Taniguchi stepped up to score his second of the night with tensions running high in the immediate aftermath.
Despite the Sailors hanging on for a precious three points, it was clear to all that such a performance is unacceptable for a team with title aspirations.
“We made several errors during the game, and this caused us to concede four goals,” said Shawal after the game. “We need to be wary of our opponents’ counterattacks, and we must definitely have an improved performance next week.”
An irked Risto was much harsher with his post-match comments.
“Today was not a good day for us – in fact, this is our worst game this season,” bristled the Serbian. “Against Albirex Niigata (S) (a 3-2 win), we showed so much more passion and energy, and we need to replicate that for other games.”
The Serb found little consolation, even when asked about the continually improving relationship between the Sailors’ talismanic duo of Maxime and Diego. He said: “The two of them played well, but I think we failed today as a team. We have to play more like a team, and cannot just depend on a few players.”
The Sailors are third in the nine-team SPL standings on 26 points, three adrift of league leaders Tampines Rovers – a team they host next Wednesday (7 June). Albirex are second on 27 points, but with a game in hand on both Tampines and the Sailors.
A late goal. A matchwinner. A perfect parting gift.
The script could not have been written any better for Lion City Sailors Women’s team forward Paula Druschke.
Playing her final game for the Sailors last evening (21 May) before returning to Germany following the end of her school exchange programme, Paula was determined to leave the club with a bang.
And the 20-year-old duly delivered.
With the Sailors unable to find a way past a resolute Tampines Rovers side in their Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) fixture at Choa Chu Kang stadium, Paula was sent on from the bench to provide more goal threat for her side.
It proved to be a masterstroke, as she produced a moment of magic in the 87th minute – a first-time curler with her left-foot that sent the ball into the top corner of the net – to secure a 1-0 win for the reigning WPL champions.
“That goal was something every one of us wanted so badly for Paula,” Sailors Women Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan said. “Paula’s brought a lot of energy and laughter to the team. She’s always raring to go, ready to run at defenders with the ball, and gives her all in every training session and match.
“The team adores Paula, not just as a player but as a person. She’s family forever and we will miss her a lot.”
However, while the Sailors’ night ended on a good note thanks to Paula’s goal, Sheau Shyan admitted that the outcome of the game could have easily turned out differently.
“The game really could have gone either way today. We were very fortunate that Paula gave us a valuable parting gift,” Sheau Shyan mused. “Although it looked like we had good possession, we gave away the ball too often in the middle third.
“Honestly, I was very concerned with the way we played in the first half. We have seen enough games last season when the opponents took one chance to score despite us having more of the possession.”
Sheau Shyan was especially concerned with her team’s lack of penetration and cohesion in the attacking third.
“Throughout the game, we were consistently getting into the attacking third on our right flank. But our conversion rate from crosses was zero. This has to be improved,” Sheau Shyan elaborated. “As mentioned before the game, our team’s preparations were disrupted for more than a month due to national team commitments, and we’ve always struggled to adjust back to our attacking style when the players return from their international duties.
“We must work on getting our groove back, to improve the players’ movement off the ball in the attacking third. It’s also important that we turn our possession into goals.”
Nonetheless, Sheau Shyan praised her players for their persistence in getting the winner, as she added: “The players have a strong belief that we will score even when we are goalless for long periods in a match. They keep going at it, and I’m very proud of them for that. I think this shows that we’ve grown as a team in terms of composure.”
The Sailors, who remain perfect this season with three wins in three games, will next take on Tanjong Pagar United this Saturday (27 May) evening.
Sailors stopped by resolute DPMM
They had the opportunity to close the gap on Singapore Premier League (SPL) leaders Albirex Niigata (S), but the Lion City Sailors were held to a 3-3 draw by a dogged Brunei DPMM side at Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday (13 May) evening.
After the Sailors had done brilliantly to come from behind to take the lead twice, Andrei Voronkov netted a 89th-minute equaliser to seal his hat-trick and steal a share of the spoils for Adrian Pennock’s side.
The result was enough for the Sailors to leapfrog Tampines Rovers – who face Tanjong Pagar United later today – into second in the nine-team SPL standings on goal difference. But it left Risto Vidaković’s men wondering what could have been.
“I cannot fault my players, they gave everything today. The team played a good game and this is football, sometimes unpredictable,” the Sailors head coach said after the match.
“We have to look forward. We are playing good football. I can tell that the team is growing. We are improving and taking a step in the right direction.”
Just like their 2-1 win over Geylang International last week, it was a case of déjà vu when the Sailors found themselves behind early in the game with Voronkov nodding home Hakeme Yazid’s corner after just four minutes.
The opener sparked the Sailors into life and they nearly got an immediate response down the other end, but Bernie Ibini-Isei and Maxime Lestienne failed to put their chances away.
It did not take long for the visitors to equalise, however, with Diego Lopes sweeping home Maxime’s cutback on 15 minutes.
Diego would return the favour four minutes later as his laser-guided through pass picked out the run of Maxime, who proceeded to curl the ball beyond DPMM custodian Akmal Tursunbaev with trademark precision.
But DPMM levelled matters again on the half-hour mark.
The lurking Voronkov was quickest to react after Sailors custodian Zharfan Rohaizad could only parry Abdul Azizi Rahman’s effort into his path.
The Sailors would then retake the lead for a second time on the night just before the interval.
It was the combination between Diego and Maxime yet again, with the former slipping the ball through to his Belgian teammate down the right with a smartly taken quick free-kick.
Maxime still had work to do as he cut inside Angel Martinez to drill an unerring finish into Tursunbaev’s far post for his 10th goal of the season, with the goal allowed to stand following a VAR check.
Praising the duo, Risto said: “They know and understand each other’s style of play and that makes it easy to have that kind of connection. Their teammates also have a good chemistry with the pair and that can only be a good thing for us.”
The second half was a stark contrast of the five-goal first half, with clear chances few and far between.
Bernie and Shawal Anuar – a returning name to the Sailors starting line-up – both came close, but it was all the Sailors could muster after the restart.
Just as the Sailors thought they had done enough for the win, Voronkov slammed home the loose ball at the death in the area to earn a point for the 2019 SPL champions.
There was one final chance for the Sailors to steal a dramatic late victory shortly after, but Maxime could only drag his right-footed effort wide.
Risto still refused to pin any blame on his players.
“We should have closed the game with the chances we created. They (DPMM) didn’t do anything special in the second half, but got one chance and they scored,” said the Serbian.
“We now need to rest and recover well, analyse this game and see what we can improve on.”
Midfielder Adam Swandi echoed Risto’s sentiments.
“All of us came into this game looking to get the three points, so we were naturally disappointed to concede late on. There’s nothing we can do now, except to bounce back stronger in our next game,” added the 27-year-old.
With Albirex up next in a huge clash at Bishan Stadium on Sunday (21 May), Adam has his eyes firmly set on taking down his former employers.
“Albirex are comfortable at the top and we will go into this with everything we have,” he declared.
“A win against DPMM would have set the stage nicely for this game, but we are definitely gunning for the three points to show that we mean business.”
The Lion City Sailors paid the penalty for their profligacy against the Young Lions on Saturday (15 April) night, as they were held to a 1-1 draw in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) by Philippe Aw’s men at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
Despite taking an early lead through Maxime Lestienne, the Sailors just could not find the crucial second goal to put the game to bed, despite having more of the ball and fashioning the better chances.
They were eventually made to rue their failure to capitalise on their dominance late on, when Sailors centre-back Lionel Tan was adjudged to have impeded Jordan Emaviwe in the penalty box – with the latter then converting from the spot to equalise with what was the last kick of the game.
Labelling the late equaliser as “unlucky”, Sailors head coach Risto Vidaković admitted that it was a momentary loss of focus that cost them the three points on the night.
“In the end, we were unlucky in the last minute with the penalty, which I think came at a very bad moment for us,” Risto reflected. “But in football, this can happen – you lose concentration at the last minute and commit a foul. It’s something that can happen, and we just have to improve.”
The night, however, started on a brilliant note for Risto’s side as it took only six minutes for the in-form Maxime to open the scoring, with the Belgian meeting Diego Lopes’ cutback and placing an unerring shot into the bottom corner for his sixth goal of the season.
The Sailors continued to put pressure on the home side, and very nearly doubled their lead in the 29th minute when striker Abdul Rasaq Akeem uncharacteristically put his close-range effort off-target after being found in the box by stand-in captain Hafiz Nor.
Hafiz wore the armband – in place of Hariss Harun who was sidelined by illness – in what was his 60th SPL appearance for the Sailors.
The 34-year-old is now the top SPL appearance maker for the club, superseding Gabriel Quak who played 59 times between 2020 to 2022.
While the Young Lions came out of the second half determined to put up more of a fight, the Sailors were still able to fashion several decent chances in front of goal, including substitute Shawal Anuar’s first-time volley in the 71st minute that went just wide.
Maxime found himself through on goal, 15 minutes later, but his shot from a tight angle was denied by Young Lions custodian Aizil Yazid at the near post.
Those missed opportunities came back to haunt the Sailors as the Young Lions stole a share of the spoils from the spot nine minutes into injury time.
Reflecting on the match as a whole, Risto said: “I expected a game like this. It was very competitive, they defended well, sat deep, kept compact, and gave us a physical battle. So it didn’t surprise me that the Young Lions put up a fight, especially in the second half.
“However, we tried our best, but missed a lot of chances in the first half. Now, we have to rest and forget what happened in this game. We’ll recover from this and try to play better in the next part of the season.”
Sailors defender Súper (Manuel Herrera López), who was named Man of the Match, added: “We are very disappointed with the result today because we got one point, but we were looking for all three points.
“Our promise to the fans is that we will keep working hard to improve in every department – from the defence to the midfield, to the strikers, and come back stronger.”
The result leaves the Sailors second in the SPL, five points behind league leaders Albirex Niigata (S). The Sailors will next be in action on Sunday 7 May, when they go away to face Geylang International.
Last night (10 March) the Lion City Sailors returned to Jalan Besar Stadium for the first time since the club moved out of the venue for Bishan at the end of the 2022 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season. But the Sailors looked like they never left.
With Maxime Lestienne as conductor extraordinaire on Jalan Besar’s artificial green stage, the Sailors waltzed around Hougang United, comfortably dispatching the Cheetahs 5-0.
Magnificent Max scored two goals and set up another two for his teammates on the night, but he was quick to turn attention back to the team and the title race.
“I’m very happy with what I was able to do today, but it was a team performance, especially from Diego (Lopes) and (Abdul) Rasaq (Akeem) who scored,” said the Belgian, whose goal and assist tally for 2023 stands at five and eight respectively.
“I hate to lose, and I was really upset about our loss to Tampines so I’m happy that we got the three points. We were able to show glimpses of what we are capable of and what our coach expects of us – something we failed to do last time out,” added Maxime.
“I’m happy with my performance so far this season, just try to do my best every day. I don’t really care if I score – that’s a bonus, of course – but the most important thing for me is that we win games and push to win the league title.”
The result was the perfect response that Head Coach Risto Vidaković had called for, following the 4-3 reverse to Tampines on 31 March.
Having made three changes to the starting line-up, Risto’s Sailors took just five minutes to open the scoring.
After Rasaq – who returned to the starting line-up after missing the Tampines match – was fouled on the edge of the area by Kristijan Krajček in the fifth minute, Maxime proceeded to curl a sumptuous free-kick past a Zaiful Nizam at full stretch.
The game turned in Hougang’s favour thereafter, Sailors custodian Zharfan Rohaizad being kept busy with Hougang even putting the ball in the back of his net through Krajček on 38 minutes, but it was ruled out for offside, much to the relief of the Sailors defence.
The Sailors would go two up just before half-time when the unmarked Rasaq clinically swept home Maxime’s cutback from inside the area.
Rasaq then netted his second of the evening in the 72nd minute with an unerring finish after being teed up by Hami Syahin. It was the forward’s fifth league goal of the season, surpassing the four he netted with the Young Lions in 2022.
“He’s a young player who needs time, but for now he is giving more than expected so it’s a good thing,” Risto said of the 21-year-old.
Rasaq was soon replaced by new signing Bernie Ibini-Isei for his Sailors debut, and the goals kept coming.
Diego – who took over the armband after Hariss Harun was replaced by M Anumanthan – got his name on the scoresheet two minutes from time, poking home following a stunning team move – with Maxime again the creator – for his second goal of the season.
The Belgian rounded off the scoring in stoppage time with a tidy finish into the far corner as the Sailors returned to winning ways.
Risto said after the match: “We struggled a lot in the first half where we couldn’t really keep the ball and play the way we wanted, but things got better after the third goal and we showed what we can do.
“I understand that it wasn’t easy on the players, it’s normal for the younger members of the team, especially those who may not have been in this situation of challenging for the title. Hopefully this win will give them the necessary confidence for the upcoming games.”
The Sailors will be in action in the SPL again this Saturday, 15 April, when they face the Young Lions at the same venue.
Few would have predicted before the start of the 2023 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season that the joint-top scorer for the Lion City Sailors after their first five games would be a certain Abdul Rasaq Akeem.
Perhaps the only one who would have backed Rasaq to achieve such a feat was Rasaq himself.
With three goals for the Sailors so far, Rasaq – who has scored in three out of his four league appearances this season so far – is not short of confidence, despite his relative youth.
The 21-year-old was rewarded for his fine form with a call-up to the Singapore Under-22 squad for their recent Merlion Cup campaign, where he started in both games against Hong Kong and Cambodia.
(Photo courtesy of FAS)
While results did not go Singapore’s way – the team lost 1-0 and 2-1 to Hong Kong and Cambodia respectively – Rasaq came away from the experience with a better understanding of what it takes to succeed at the top level.
“As a team, we learnt that in international football, you have to be at the top of your game for the whole 90 minutes,” Rasaq reflected. “You can play well for most of the game, but the moment you switch off, you will get punished.
“We have to improve individually and collectively if we are to do better at the SEA Games next month. We must not underestimate the importance of preparation for the tournament, or we will be going into it at a disadvantage.”
Another Sailor who made a splash on the international stage this past week was defender Lionel Tan.
(Photo courtesy of FAS)
Making his long-awaited debut for the Lions, the 25-year-old scored the only goals for Singapore as they drew 1-1 with Hong Kong and beat Macau 1-0.
While the goals gave Lionel a confidence boost, the centre-back is not resting on his laurels, and insists he is only focused on how to further improve his game.
“The goals were nice, but that’s in the past now. I’m looking forward to putting in the hard work and training with the Sailors again,” said Lionel.
“I think it was a good experience playing for the National Team, and it inspires me to want to continue playing at a higher intensity. I also picked up some tips and made slight changes in my body positioning to defend better.
“Ultimately, I’m still developing as a player. I did make mistakes, but what’s important is that I learn from them and improve game by game.”
For now, both Lionel and Rasaq’s immediate priority will be to help the Sailors seize the initiative in the SPL title race.
With forward-in-chief Kodai Tanaka out for the rest of the season due to injury, Rasaq is the only recognised senior striker in the team.
But the heavy responsibility of leading the Sailors’ frontline does not faze Rasaq.
“It is a chance for me to step up and show what I can do for the Sailors,” Rasaq declared. “My approach will be to always give my 100 percent every time I’m on the pitch. But I will also stay level-headed and take it one game at a time.
“Of course, I wish Kodai a smooth recovery, and I hope to see him on the field soon. He was one of the players I was looking forward to learning from this season. Even from the short time he was with us, I could already see why he was at the level he was at because of how hard he works, and what a good person he is.”
Rasaq also credits his good run of form in front of goal to his teammates, as he said: “They have helped me settle down at the club, and made me feel welcome. All I’ve had to focus on was on my performances, be it in training or during a game. I have many senior players guiding me all the time, and they make it a lot easier for me.”
Having started the Sailors’ last game – a 3-0 win over Balestier Khalsa – Rasaq is hoping that he will once again be trusted by Head Coach Risto Vidaković to spearhead the attack when they take on current league leaders Tampines Rovers on Friday (31 March).
And if he does get the nod to start, Rasaq knows that he and the rest of the Sailors will be in for a hard battle against the Stags.
“This will be a tough game for us. They are the league leaders and have been playing very well,” Rasaq said. “They are a ball playing team with many good attackers who are able to find the net, and we will have to be on top of our game the whole 90 minutes.
“Crucially, we have to take our chances. We must also work hard as a team defensively and offensively. We have shown before that we are capable of doing this, and If we do it again, I’m sure we can get the result we want.”
Lionel echoed Rasaq’s sentiments, adding: “We all know Tampines have quality players, but we are all focused on ourselves and on our game. What the game will come down to is hard work, commitment, good organisation, and importantly, playing with the desire to get all three points.”
The Lion City Sailors Women made it two wins on the trot in the 2023 Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) as they recorded another 3-0 victory, this time against Still Aerion Women at Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Saturday (25 March) night.
The victory came with the same scoreline Yeong Sheau Shyan’s women managed in their WPL opener against Police SA last week (19 March), and in the same vein – the start of a bit of a trend that brought a smile to the Sailors’ Head Coach.
”We look like we have a clearer picture in mind of how we want to play now,” she said. “I’m happy with the way we start matches and that we are scoring first early on in the game, which is different from last year where we only start scoring in the second-half when our opponents begin to tire out.”
The Sailors raced to a two-goal lead in what was a dominant first-half display. The Invincibles of 2022 got their noses in front through Khairunnisa Khairol Anwar’s sublime effort on 18 minutes, this after being set free on the right wing by a brilliant Madison Telmer pass.
Right-back Nur Syazwani would double the lead just three minutes later, slamming home after the Aerion defence failed to clear their lines from a corner.
Substitute Fatin Aqillah then rounded off the scoring five minutes after the interval with a powerful close-range finish to ensure the Sailors extend their unbeaten run in the WPL to 14 games, a run that stretches all the way back to the start of the 2022 season.
While she was pleased with the early establishment of domination and the spread of goalscorers, Sheau Shyan acknowledged that there was still much room for improvement.
“There might be three different scorers, but we were also guilty of wasting many opportunities tonight,” she noted, of a first half performance that could have brought six goals. “We were waiting for the perfect chance to come to us and it’s something we need to work on.
“Despite being sloppy in terms of defending in the second-half, we managed to keep a clean sheet but we need to learn how to be patient after scoring.”
Midfielder Ho Hui Xin, who slotted into the Sailors’ engine room as a second-half substitute spotted similar issues out on the pitch.
She said: “We tend to play to the speed of our opponents and it slows things down a lot when that happens. We know we are capable of commanding the pace (of the game) and that would in turn give us more goals.”
But Hui Xin still left Choa Chu Kang with a smile on her face.
“It’s always a nice feeling to get the three points, and the goals we scored were pretty good as well,” said Hui Xin. “The fact that it came from three different players goes to show the amount of depth we have in the squad.”
The Sailors Women will return to WPL action after the international break and will face the Tampines Rovers Women on Sunday, 21 May.
