Author: Lion City Sailors
The Lion City Sailors are stepping into gear in the Singapore Premier League (SPL), following up on their 7-1 victory over Balestier Khalsa on Nov 7, with another high-scoring 6-1 win over Tanjong Pagar United on Friday (Nov 13).
The Sailors looked like they were scoring for fun at the Bishan Stadium, racing to a 4-0 half-time lead with a brace from Stipe Plazibat and a goal each from Kaishu Yamazaki and Song Ui-Young.
In a tighter second half, Tanjong Pagar’s Suhairi Sabri scored with a well-taken shot in the 52nd minute, but any hope of a comeback was quashed by substitute Adam Swandi, who found the back of the net twice in the final seven minutes of the match.
Aurelio Vidmar’s charges are now third in the eight-team standings on 14 points, just three adrift of both Albirex Niigata and Tampines Rovers.
The Sailors are playing flowing football and scoring with exhilarating regularity, and while both performances and results have brought a smile to his face, Aurelio is taking nothing for granted.
“The team is progressing well – there’s a vast difference from where we first started to where we are now, and everyone’s understanding one another better. I was really pleased with the first half performance: we played some great football, and scored some really nice goals,” said the former Australia captain, who also noted his team’s ability to switch gears.
He said: “We had to be a bit more patient and accelerate our tempo when we got closer to the front third of the pitch. But at 4-0 up at half-time, sometimes you take your foot off the pedal and that’s probably what we did. In saying that, we reacted much better in the second part of the second half.
“But I think we still have a lot of improvement to make, and in time we’ll get there.”
Sailors’ skipper Izzdin Shafiq was pleased with how well the team has progressed over the course of this season – something that he puts down to work on the training ground.
“We always try to improve after every game, and the team looks more positive now than we were at the restart of the league,” said the midfielder. “There really isn’t any secret behind all that. If there is a secret, it’s the hard work, discipline and commitment from every single Sailor.”
Izzdin is under no illusions as to the size of the task ahead of his team, if they are to push for the SPL title, but he is confident in the ability of his team to step up to the plate.
“There will be tough matches ahead of us, but if we want to win the title, we must put in similar performances and show the same fighting spirit,” said Izzdin.
The Sailors’ ruthless efficiency in front of goal and patience in the face of a resolute Tanjong Pagar defence augurs well for their next fixture – against Hougang United on Tuesday (17 Nov) at the Hougang Stadium.
The last time these two teams locked horns, the Sailors struggled to break down a compact Cheetahs’ side in a 1-1 draw at the Bishan Stadium in early November.
“We know what a tough nut they were to break down, and this match will potentially be very similar to that (1-1 draw) – it’s going to be a challenge for us,” said Aurelio, who was acutely aware that Hougang are not the only obstacle his team needs to overcome.
“We’ve got a game every three and a half days, so there’s not a lot of training we can do. We must focus on recovery and getting the players fresh for upcoming games,” said Aurelio.
“It’s freshness, freshness, freshness.”
Footballing women, we want you!
The return of the Singapore Premier League has generated much excitement in the football fraternity here, and while we’re enjoying the quality football that coach Aurelio Vidmar and his charges are putting on show, the club is not resting on its laurels.
In preparation for the much-anticipated return of football beyond the SPL, the club is implementing a plan for our Women’s team, and we’d like you to come on board!
The club is moving to implement a broad plan to boost the level of our Women’s team, including revamping our game model and putting in place the Sailors’ style of football that we are already starting to be familiar with.
Open Trials
The Women’s team is opening our doors to women players across the country as we look to expand our playing roster to form two competitive squads of up to 25 players each.
Open trials for all interested female players born before January 2004 (aged 16 and above), including Permanent Residents and foreigners, will be held on 22nd November between 3pm – 4.45pm, at 8 Mattar Road.
Fitness levels, individual technical ability and tactical knowledge are some key aspects that coaches will look for in trialists.
Safety Measures at trials
Safety measures in accordance with the Football of Singapore (FAS) policies and Sport Singapore (SportSG) directives will be implemented at these trials, including strict adherence to separated grids on the pitch, keeping to groups of five, and no intermingling between groups.
These measures will also be implemented in the closed trials that the club will conduct for existing players as we look to put in place squads with an ideal player composition within the squads in the club.
Closed Selection for all current LCS women’s team players will be held on 15th November from 3pm – 4.30pm, at 8 Mattar Road.
To facilitate the strict organisation of what is an unusual trial modality, we request that all interested trialists fill up this form (https://forms.gle/r1aoqpTkACSPArYo9) to secure trial time slots as we seek to implement the required measures to keep Singapore safe.
Come and join the Sailors!
Trial details
- Open trials
- 22nd November, 3pm – 4.45pm
- 8 Mattar Road
- For women players born before January 2004 (aged 16 and above), including PRs and foreigners
- Closed selection
- 15th November, 3pm – 4.30pm
- 8 Mattar Road
Rubbing off beads of sweat while trudging off the pitch following the Lion City Sailors’ resounding 7-1 win over Balestier Khalsa on Saturday, Gabriel Quak had reason to smile as he reflected on a productive evening where he was involved in three out of the Sailors’ seven goals.
In between his perfectly-weighted passes to set up Stipe Plazibat and Adam Swandi for their goals, he also notched an intelligent pre-assist ball over the top for Plazibat, who teed up Saifullah Akbar for the latter’s maiden Sailors goal.
Despite his impressive performance in the Sailors’ commanding win, however, the 29-year-old remains unsatisfied. Instead, Gabriel was more interested in reflecting on where he and the Sailors can improve for their upcoming Singapore Premier League (SPL) matches.
“The manner in which we scored some of the goals was exactly how Coach Aurelio (Vidmar) wanted us to play our football…I was really pleased with how we moved the ball as compared to our previous games, but it’s still not a complete team performance if you ask me,” said Gabriel. “There were still some errors from us here and there, so that’s where we need to improve on.
“For myself, I could have scored a hat-trick in the second half, but fatigue let me down in my finishing. This is what happens when games are played every three to four days. But I’m not too worried (about not scoring) because I’m getting into the key positions that I need to be in.”
Gabriel has recorded four assists so far this season, making him the joint-top assist maker in the league alongside teammate Plazibat and Tampines’ Jordan Webb.
And the Singapore international, who also has two goals to his name, is pleased with how his Sailors career has panned out so far. This is especially after a knee injury forced him to make cameos off the bench in the first two matches following the SPL restart, before finally returning to the starting eleven for the next three.
“I thought I won’t feature at all in the first game back (against Geylang International) as Coach felt it was better not to risk me with games coming thick and fast,” said Gabriel, who joined the Sailors after an excellent 2019, where he scored 11 goals in all competitions and captained the Warriors to the Singapore Cup final.
“But he still decided to give me some minutes to slowly ease me back – which was a great gesture from him. He brought me on in a crucial moment where Geylang was starting to come back strongly at 2-0 down, and that helped as I played a part in the final two goals that effectively killed the game off. From there, things just got better for me and I believe the best is yet to come.”
While widely known as a fleet-footed winger, Gabriel has these days morphed into an all-rounded attacker – one who is capable of playing through the middle or drifting infield to create chances.
While crediting his coaches at Warriors for the initial transformation, Gabriel revealed that he is now receiving crucial inputs from former Aurelio to bring his game to another level in this newfound role.
It is of no coincidence that the Sailors tactician was a legendary attacking midfielder who scored 17 times in 41 appearances for the Socceroos from 1991 to 2001.
“Coach actually sat me down for coffee before the season started to share his plans for me. He liked me in the middle because of my ability to create and what I can offer in tight spaces,” shared Gabriel. “With his experience as an attacking midfielder from his playing days, he knows exactly what he wants from a player in that position so that makes it much easier for me.
“Also, after playing on the flanks all these years, I think my runs are smarter and more effective now. So I told him I’ll play anywhere in the attacking third, and we even spoke about using me as a false nine before Stipe arrived.
“Not all players can play more than one position, so I’m really glad that I can add this new dimension to my game at this stage of my career. It’s a good option for Coach too, as he can work out his game plan without being so rigid.”
It has taken a while, but it seems like the team is now getting to grips with Aurelio’s coaching philosophy. The Sailors have looked fluent in attack in recent matches, and have scored 19 goals in five matches since the restart, making them the league’s current top scorers.
Gabriel puts that success down to ‘everyone having a common goal’.
“It’s a breeze (for the attackers) to work with each other because we don’t just want to win; we also want to bring the best out of each other,” he emphasised. “We know deep down Stipe is gunning for the Golden Boot so we’re all helping him.
“It’s also down to Coach’s excellent man management that we all know our roles. For example, Adam (Swandi) isn’t sulking because he’s not starting. He knows he will come in at some stage during the game and indeed he has done well in all his appearances off the bench. This happiness in the team is important for us to be successful. The moment selfishness kicks in, that’s a recipe for failure.”
Next up for the Sailors is a rematch against second-from-bottom Tanjong Pagar United at Bishan Stadium on Friday night (Nov 13). Gabriel believes the boys are out to prove a point after they could only eke out a 1-1 draw against the gritty Jaguars in their first match of the season.
“I’m personally looking forward to this match ever since the final whistle sounded in that first game,” said the veteran. “Tanjong Pagar have yet to win probably due to their thin squad, but they always put up a good fight in every game. So we have to be physically ready for the challenge and I believe everyone is eager to make amends for that result.”
Currently five points adrift of pacesetters Tampines Rovers with seven games to go, Gabriel is setting the bar high for the Sailors.
“Why not?” he replied, when asked about whether it is realistic to target an unbeaten run for the second half of this season. “When our team was assembled, our aim was to try and win every game.
“It takes time for a newly-assembled team to get going, but excuses will run out as time passes. We need to improve on our consistency. The 4-0 win against Geylang counted for nothing because we lost to Albirex (Niigata (S) in the following match; likewise for the 5-0 win against Young Lions, because we then drew with Hougang (United).
“We need to cultivate a winning mentality and make winning a habit if we want to seriously challenge for the title and be a successful side for years to come.”
The Sailors produced a real statement of intent on Saturday evening (Nov 7) as they beat a high-flying Balestier Khalsa side 7-1 to reduce the gap between them and Singapore Premier League (SPL) leaders Tampines Rovers to five points.
Aurelio Vidmar’s charges flew out of the blocks and found themselves 5-0 up by the 35th minute courtesy of Stipe Plazibat’s well-taken hat-trick, as well as one apiece from Song Ui-Young and Saifullah Akbar.
The Sailors then put the icing on the cake with further strikes from Tajeli Salamat and super-sub Adam Swandi sandwiching a consolation goal by Balestier’s Kristijan Krajček.
Here, we look back on three talking points from an excellent outing for the Sailors.
Stipe’s not just a goalscorer
How can we start this piece without mentioning the contributions of our main man upfront?
It is clear that the club acquired Stipe in the mid-season transfer window mainly for his goalscoring ability – as seen over the years in the SPL, and even in his short time with the Sailors so far. It is clear, Stipe is a player who hits the back of the net on a regular basis.
However, his incredible goalscoring prowess has perhaps overshadowed other qualities that he brings to the team. Stipe’s not just an old-fashioned number 9 who stays in the box to finish off the chances that come to him. He’s a modern centre forward who brings his fellow attackers into play with his intelligence and spatial awareness.
We’ve already seen glimpses of that in previous games against Albirex Niigata (S) and the Young Lions where he laid on goals for Song, Adam and Gabriel Quak. And he was at it again against Balestier, with two more clever assists to set up Song and Saifullah.
For Song’s goal in the 19th minute, the Croat expertly controlled Naqiuddin Eunos’ low cross before taking Balestier centre-backs Jufri Taha and Fadlis Kamis completely out of the game with a deftly lofted ball for Song, who slammed it home from a tight angle.
He repeated the trick 15 minutes later by unselfishly squaring across goal for Saifullah to sweep home when it seemed like the most obvious option was to pull the trigger. Finally, in the 65th minute, Stipe cleverly sold a dummy that completely bamboozled the Balestier defence, giving Adam the time and space to place his effort into the bottom corner of the net.
Being involved in six of the Sailors’ seven goals, it was a good evening’s worth of work for Stipe. For fans of the Sailors, it is a tantalising prospect to see this well-rounded striker firing on all cylinders as we head into the business end of the season.
Sailors finally get off to a fast start
It has been clear that the Sailors have not started games particularly well since the SPL restarted in mid-October. In our prior games against Albirex, Young Lions and Hougang United, we found the going tough in the first 45 minutes, and only hit the right notes in the second half.
That was a pain point Coach Aurelio and the team had to fix quickly and boy, did they do that against Balestier. There was clear urgency from the get-go, with the support cast of Saifullah and Song linking up well with the front three of Stipe, Gabriel Quak and Haiqal Pashia on several occasions in the first half.
The first goal came off the Sailors’ first real chance, a confidence-booster that set the tone for the rest of the game. Thereafter, the team kept creating chances and could have found themselves commanding an even larger lead at half time, if not for the intervention of Balestier keeper Zaiful Nizam and the woodwork.
A five-goal advantage at the break meant the Sailors could afford to take the foot off the gas a little in the second half and play with less intensity to conserve their energy for the upcoming games – another advantage of starting games well. Of course, it is unrealistic to expect the boys to rack up an unassailable lead by half-time in every game, but given the quality of the Sailors’ attackers, it is well within the boys’ ability to be leading by a goal or two within the first 45 minutes.
Wreaking havoc on set-pieces
As Stipe nodded in Shahdan’s superbly-delivered free-kick in a carbon copy of his first goal to complete his hat-trick, it would have been easy to believe that the Sailors are a serious threat from set-pieces. But it was surprising to learn that we had only scored once through a non-penalty set-piece (Stipe’s debut goal for the Sailors against Geylang) this season prior to this game.
Throughout the first half, we looked dangerous whenever there was a set-piece situation, and could have scored another if Kaishu Yamazaki’s header off Shahdan’s outswinging corner did not come off the post. Is this a sign of things to come?
Set-piece plays are a key weapon in every team’s arsenal. In tight games where the opposition is tough to break down in open play, a well-executed set-piece could be the difference between one point or three.
With Shahdan’s uncanny ability to whip in a good ball to pick out his teammates, coupled with the the aerial prowess of Stipe as well as defenders Kaishu, Tajeli and Abdil Qaiyyim, the Sailors ought to be taking full advantage to score more via set-pieces. And who knows, that may eventually prove decisive in our pursuit of the SPL title.
Many had expected the Lion City Sailors’ Singapore Premier League (SPL) clash against an in-form Balestier Khalsa side, who were unbeaten in their last five matches, to be a closely fought encounter.
The Sailors had other ideas, as they turned on the style at the Bishan Stadium yesterday evening (Nov 7) and romped to a convincing 7-1 victory over the Tigers.
Indeed, such was the Sailors’ dominance yesterday that the match was effectively over by half-time, with Aurelio Vidmar’s men holding a 5-0 lead at the break courtesy of a Stipe Plazibat hat-trick as well as goals from Song Ui-Young and Saifullah Akbar.
Defender Tajeli Salamat and substitute Adam Swandi completed the rout for the Sailors in the second half, with Balestier scoring their consolation goal through Croatian striker Kristijan Krajcek.
The result represents the biggest win in the SPL this season, and caps off a tiring but encouraging week for the Sailors who bagged seven points out of the nine points on offer.
While pleased with the victory and the performance that went along with it, Sailors midfielder and captain for the night, Shahdan Sulaiman, insists the team will not read too much into the scoreline as they keep their sights simply on winning the next game.
“This result definitely gives the team a huge confidence boost, but at the same time, we know we need to take it one game at a time,” said Shahdan, who ended the match with two assists.
“Due to the early goal we had today, the match opened up, played to our advantage, and we were clinical enough to turn our chances into goals. We are also getting more familiar with how coach (Aurelio) wants us to play, and hopefully we will keep improving from here on out.”
Coach Aurelio also agreed that it was important for the Sailors to take it “one match at a time”.
He explained: “I just focus on the process, and the process is of trying to play a particular brand of football. We’re trying to get everyone up to speed to do that, and I know that when that’s done well, then the results will come.
“I’m not too fussed with what’s happening right now. We’ve won, but generally I don’t look forward too much…we’ve only got a couple of rounds (this season), so we need to focus on one match at a time, and that’s what we’ve done over these (last) seven days.”
Ominously for the rest of the teams in the league, coach Aurelio believes that this is still not the best the Sailors are capable of playing.
“We’re getting better. As I said last week, we need to keep doing the things that we’re doing, and continue to do that better and for longer periods,” Aurelio explained. “And I think we saw that as well tonight, there was some great football played in the first-half, some great goals, and it’s just the start because I think we’ve still got so much upside.
“I think there’s still a lot of improvement to go, not just on the type of football that we play, but in terms of our physical conditioning, as well as tactically and technically. Whether we’re going to get that this year, I’m not sure, but we’re taking it step by step.”
One of the things that has set the Sailors apart this season is their strength in depth, and Aurelio praised his players for rising to the challenge whenever they were called upon.
“What’s been more pleasing is that when we’re missing players – like Song on Wednesday (Nov 4) – players come in and do a great job for us. Tonight, we lost Hassan (to a finger injury), but Rudy came in and did a magnificent job,”he said.
“That’s a sign of a good team – a team that’s confident, a team that understands what’s happening, and with everyone believing in each other.”
With current league leaders Tampines Rovers dropping points following their 1-1 draw with Geylang International in Saturday’s (Nov 7) Eastern derby, the Sailors are now just five points behind the Stags at the halfway mark of the season.
While acknowledging that this was good news for the Sailors in their chase for the SPL title, Shahdan claims that the team are firmly focused on their own results.
“Of course, the leaders dropping points is good, not only for us but the rest of the league,” said the 32-year-old. “But we need to take a match at a time – first be consistent with our own results and not look too far ahead.”
Hafiz Nor enjoyed his most productive season in 2019, recording nine goals and two assists in all competitions with Home United. That form earned him a recall into the Singapore national team, and he went on to score a memorable winning goal in the Lions’ surprise 2-1 away win against Yemen last November.
Starting the new campaign with the Lion City Sailors, Hafiz was looking to carry on where he left off, but saw his momentum disrupted as the Singapore Premier League (SPL) was halted for nearly seven months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nonetheless, the nippy winger has toiled hard in all six of the Sailors’ SPL games this season, and has impressed with his work rate and tireless running down the flanks.
The only thing missing from his game at the moment? Goals.
But the lack of output in the final third has done little to dampen Hafiz’s confidence, and he is determined to rediscover his best form sooner rather than later.
“I know I’ve not been very consistent in the past few games and there’s definitely room for improvement,” said Hafiz, who has made five starts and one substitute appearance for the Sailors this year.
“I have to work it out with the midfielders and be more successful in my penetrative runs to contribute more to the team. But I’m not panicking because that’ll only affect my performances even more. I’m taking it one game at a time; I’ve faith that I will get momentum if I keep trying to make things happen.”
At 32 years of age, Hafiz is one of the most experienced Sailors in the squad alongside the likes of Shahril Ishak, Hassan Sunny and Shahdan Sulaiman. And he is relishing the role of playing mentor to the team’s young wingers in Haiqal Pashia and Arshad Shamim – because he believes they will both go on to carve out great footballing careers.
“They are players with great potential and it’s a pleasure for me to see them progressing well with each training session,” he said. “Haiqal is great with both feet and Arshad’s a bit similar to me with his speed.
“They just need more exposure at this level and I’m happy to share some bits of advice based on my experience for them to improve in certain areas. I’m sure in years to come, we’ll see them called up to the national team.”
So far, it has been a mixed bag of results for the Sailors since the league restarted three weeks ago, with two wins, one draw and one defeat under their belt. Aurelio Vidmar’s charges are now seven points adrift of pacesetters Tampines Rovers, but Hafiz is adamant that the title is still within their grasp.
“There’s still more than half of the season to go, and several points up for grabs,” said the veteran who is now into his 10th professional season after making his league bow with Tanjong Pagar United in 2011.
“Of course, it’s not easy because every team that plays against us treats it like a final. They really want to beat us because we’re one of the top teams in Singapore. But we just have to give our 100 percent, follow Coach Aurelio’s game plan, and I’m sure we’ll string together a good run of results to challenge for the title.”
Up next for the Sailors is a tricky game against a high-flying Balestier Khalsa side on Saturday evening (Nov 7), which sets up an interesting duel between Hafiz and his cousin Zaiful Nizam, Balestier’s goalkeeper and captain. Marko Kraljevic’s side are currently third in the table after achieving two straight wins since the restart.
Previously as Home United, the team won just one of their last seven encounters against Balestier in all competitions. That came in a 4-2 comeback win last May, in which Hafiz played an integral role with two goals and an assist.
“That was a really memorable game for us and for me personally,” he recalled. “If we play with that kind of never-say-die attitude, we will surely be able to beat them on Saturday.
“Balestier is a team which tends to be more on the aggressive side and that is perhaps why they’re pretty tough to beat. But Coach Aurelio has a game plan – we just have to go out there to execute it and get the three points to climb up the table.”
It was a mixed bag of results for the Sailors over the past week as they followed up a 5-0 thrashing of Young Lions with a 1-1 draw against rivals Hougang United.
Here, we round up the three major talking points from the two matches, as Aurelio Vidmar’s charges continue to hunt down the early pacesetters in the Singapore Premier League (SPL).
Stronger in the second half
It is becoming a trend now – the Sailors tend to put up a show in the second half. We saw that when they came from two goals down at half time to draw level, before losing to an injury-time goal against Albirex Niigata (S) some two weeks ago.
Against the Young Lions, it was a similar story: the team struggled to find rhythm in the first half, as they were kept at bay by a highly-motivated side fresh off their first win of the season. After the break, the Sailors ramped up the intensity and reaped the full dividends.
Gabriel Quak started the ball rolling by forcing an own goal from Jacob Mahler through some direct play, before substitute Adam Swandi doubled the lead with a fine header. Stipe Plazibat then grabbed himself a brace and proceeded to tee up Gabriel to apply the coup de grace.
Against Hougang, the Sailors struggled to break down a defensive side which deployed a five-man defence and was content to soak-and-strike. Trailing 1-0 at half time, the team once again found their groove immediately after the restart. There was intent and more urgency in their play, and Shahdan Sulaiman soon drew the Sailors level with a crisp long-range drive. Aurelio’s charges kept going in the dying stages and could have won the game, but for the intervention of Anders Aplin, with the Hougang defender managing to clear Faizal Roslan’s shot off the line.
While it is impressive that the Sailors seem to get stronger in the latter stages, it is imperative that they start games equally well to accumulate more points in this truncated season.
The growing influence of Gabriel and Shahdan
It has taken a while, but it is now clear why the Sailors have swooped to recruit the likes of Gabriel and Shahdan for their ambitious project. They bring a touch of class to the team with their years of experience and know-how – especially after coming back from their respective overseas stints in the Thai League and Malaysia Super League.
Included in the starting eleven for the first time since the SPL restart, Gabriel put up a scintillating all-round display against the Young Lions to repay Coach Aurelio’s faith. Apart from his goal involvements, the winger was also one of the most hardworking players on the pitch – constantly making darting runs in from the right and occasionally drifting to the opposite flank to carve out opportunities for his teammates.
Meanwhile Shahdan returned to the line-up against Hougang after recovering from injury and immediately showed why he is likely to be one of the first names on the teamsheet. The creative playmaker kept things ticking in the middle of the park and was always on the lookout for the killer pass. Known for his dead-ball prowess, he showed that he can be similarly lethal with his magical right foot from open play. With no one closing him down, the 32-year-old unleashed a rasping 30-yard drive that left Hougang goalkeeper Ridhuan Barudin grasping at thin air for the equaliser. He almost replicated that feat from a similar range later in the game, but it was turned around the post. Shahdan ended the night with six shots, the most by any player on the night – showing the massive influence he had on the game.
Adam’s looking fine and pushing for a start
After a horrific knee ligament injury, it was always the plan for Adam Swandi to ease his way back into the team. But with each passing game, the case for the skilful attacker to be a starter gets even stronger.
Coming on as a substitute for all four Sailors matches since the restart, the 24-year-old is gradually rediscovering his confidence. The smile is definitely back on his face.
The Young Lions game was undoubtedly a big breakthrough for Adam as he became the first player to notch a goal and an assist off the bench this season. His incisive runs down the left and the swagger in beating opponents with his trickery were a real treat– bringing back fond memories when he broke out as a 15/16-year-old in the 2011 and 2012 Lion City Cups. What perhaps went under the radar was that he came up directly against his nemesis Irfan Najeeb – whose knee-high challenge resulted in his long layoff – and Adam was unfazed by it.
While his contributions against Hougang were not as significant, he still brought good energy and width to cause a few concerns in the Cheetahs’ backline. With performances like these, Adam is surely giving coach Aurelio a welcome selection headache.
The Singapore Premier League’s (SPL) statistics told the whole story – 22 shots, six on target, but just a solitary goal to show for it.
And, at the end of the day, the Lion City Sailors were only able to claim one point against Hougang United on Wednesday evening (Nov 4), as the two teams battled to a 1-1 draw at the Bishan Stadium.
The Cheetahs, who sat deep and looked to hit the Sailors on the break, took the lead in the 34th minute through striker Shawal Anuar.
Despite dominating the visitors in almost every area of the pitch, the Sailors struggled to break down a resolute Hougang defence, and it took a spectacular Shahdan Sulaiman strike from nearly 30 metres out on the hour mark to draw the home side level.
While the Sailors threw everything at the Hougang goal in the last 30 minutes in search of a winner, they were unable to find a way past Cheetahs goalkeeper Ridhuan Barudin. Faizal Roslan came the closest in the dying minutes of the game with an effort that was cleared off the line by Anders Aplin.
The result, coupled with league leaders Tampines Rovers’ 1-0 victory over the Young Lions, means the Sailors are now seven points behind the Stags with just eight more games to play in this truncated season.
Nonetheless, Sailors head coach Aurelio Vidmar still believes his team can win the SPL, and is determined to push Tampines all the way in the race for the title.
“It’s not over, if you’re talking about the title challenge,” Aurelio declared. “Yes, seven points seems like a lot, but we still have a lot of games coming. This is a very unusual league season, with only a couple of rounds, and we’ll be playing 10 games in about 34 or 35 days. It’s not an easy task, but so far I think we’re handling it quite well.”
Aurelio, however, acknowledged that it was a shame the Sailors were unable to capitalise on their dominance to secure all three points against Hougang, who had previously beaten Tampines 2-1 with a similarly defensive display.
“We controlled the game and had a ridiculous amount of time in the back third of the pitch,” Aurelio reflected. “But it’s just very hard to penetrate when you’re facing a wall of players, with 10 players behind the ball. We had quite a few good moments and opportunities, but we either didn’t take our chances or the ball didn’t fall our way.
“We probably could have taken a little bit more responsibility in terms of having a lot more shots at goals from outside the box, but they (Hougang) made it difficult for us overall. Sometimes you need that little bit of luck…we were the dominant team, but unfortunately didn’t get the full points today.”
Result aside, Aurelio insists he was pleased with how his team played in general, especially in the absence of Song Ui-Young, who was rested as a precautionary measure over a tight hamstring.
“In terms of positives, we played the type of game we wanted to play today,” said Aurelio. “We kept pushing and pressing and trying to unlock the door. The fact that the majority of our goals are coming in the second half is also a fantastic sign that we’re very fit, so when other teams are slowing down, we’re continually pushing even in the 90th minute.
“Of course, Song’s a loss, but we’ve got enough quality in the players sitting there waiting for an opportunity to perform. Shahdan came back in, Gabriel played a little bit differently tonight in his role (of attacking centre midfielder) and Saifullah was doing a good job for us as one of the young boys in the squad. So, we might be one player out, but we have enough quality players capable of coming in and doing just as good a job.”
The Sailors will next take on Balestier Khalsa at the Bishan Stadium this Saturday (Nov 7) at 5.30pm.
Back in August, Croatian striker Stipe Plazibat was still a Hougang United player.
However, the fast-changing and unpredictable nature of football is such that barely two months later, the 31-year-old now finds himself a mainstay in the Lion City Sailors first-team, and is set to play against Hougang – instead of for them – this Wednesday evening (Nov 4).
But as far as Stipe is concerned, the Hougang chapter of his football career is firmly behind him, as he gears up for the Sailors’ crunch match against the Cheetahs.
“For sure, playing your former team is always a bit emotional. But as a professional player, I put those feelings aside because it’s now my job to give my best for my new team – just like how I gave my all when I was playing for Hougang,” said Stipe, who crossed the Hougang-Bishan divide for the second time back in September.
“I had a great time with Hougang, and they’ll always have a special place in my heart because they’re my first club in Singapore. Of course, it’ll be nice to see them (the former teammates and coaches) again. But now, my focus is to help the Sailors do well and achieve the ambitions that are set out for the club.”
This is not the first time that Stipe will be facing the Cheetahs. Back in 2017, when he was with Home United, he played five times against Hougang, and even scored in each of the first four matches.
The Croatian hotshot, however, believes his decent goalscoring record against Hougang is down to more than just having internal knowledge of his former teammates.
“Knowledge might be a factor, but I don’t really think that’s everything. I tend to play well in most matches, not just against Hougang, because I make sure I prepare properly for the game,” he shared.
“Apart from the video analysis done by the club, I will also personally watch videos of the defenders I’m coming up against. From there, I do a lot of mental preparations by visualising some situations that I might find myself in.”
Stipe had previously experienced a mixed reception from his former supporters in the Hougang HOOLS (Hougang’s unofficial supporters’ club) when he came up against the Cheetahs, but he believes it will be a different scenario this time round – not least because no fans are allowed in the stadium.
In addition, Stipe took the initiative to inform the HOOLS about his impending move to the Sailors before it was officially announced.
“I remember the reception for the first few matches was good, but that wasn’t really the case for the last couple of matches. But this time round, I believe there will only be positives because they understand a bit better about my move,” he said.
Stipe had a pleasant experience playing against a former club when he was playing in Japan’s J2 League in 2014. Just 19 days after leaving FC Gifu in the mid-season transfer window, Stipe went on to play them in the colours of V-Varen Nagasaki. While Stipe ended up on the losing side that day, the positive reception he received from the Gifu fans remains etched in his mind.
“The reception from the Gifu fans was fantastic. They really respected me and they showed their appreciation towards me for one more time during that game,” he recalled.
So far, it has been a solid start to Stipe’s Sailors career, with his brace in last week’s 5-0 win over Young Lions making it four goals in three matches. However, as someone who demands high standards from himself, the Spilt native is determined to do even better in the coming weeks.
“I’m happy with my contributions so far, but I’m very rarely satisfied with current numbers. I’m always looking to improve further and that’s just my nature,” he emphasised.
“To be honest, I’m still not at my best yet and I believe I can do even more in the upcoming matches.”
Going up against a Hougang side which has shored up their defence, and who understands perfectly well how Stipe plays, will not be easy. That is why Stipe believes the Sailors will have to ‘do everything’ in order to get the crucial three points as they seek to chase down league pacesetters Tampines Rovers in the title race.
“From what I saw from their last two matches (a 2-1 win over Tampines Rovers and a 0-0 draw against Tanjong Pagar United), they’ve been playing very defensively. So, we need to be very patient and disciplined in order to get the win,” he said.
“Hopefully we can improve from our last game, and it’s important that we score from our first real chance.”
The Sailors are up and running in the Singapore Premier League (SPL), having defeated Geylang International 4-0 on Sunday evening for their first ever win.
New signing Stipe Plazibat opened the scoring early on, before Song Ui-Young netted from the spot on the stroke of half time to double the advantage.
With Geylang playing the entire second half with a man less following goalkeeper Zainol Gulam’s dismissal for the foul leading to the penalty, the Sailors would go on to score a further two late into the game, with Stipe netting his second and substitute Shahril Ishak rounding off the victory near the end of the game.
Here, we look back on four talking points from an excellent evening for the Sailors…
- Stipe makes an instant impact… at both ends
All eyes were on Stipe making his much-anticipated debut for the Sailors and he duly delivered. Our Croatian hotshot converted two out of his three shot attempts, which showcased his ruthlessness in front of goal.
His predatory instincts were perfectly encapsulated in his maiden Sailors strike after just eight minutes, as he got ahead of marker Yuki Ichikawa to divert home a Tajeli Salamat knock-on from Shahdan Sulaiman’s outswinging corner. The second goal was much more straightforward, as he swept home from unmissable range after being teed up by substitute Gabriel Quak. He could have ended the night with a hat-trick, but a snapshot earlier in the first half was turned round the post by Zainol.
The goals aside, his all-round play upfront was promising, with Stipe constantly providing an outlet to link up with his team-mates. To cap it off, he also made significant contributions at the other end by often tracking back to help out the team in defending set-piece situations. All in all, it was a superb debut performance which will surely leave Sailors fans salivating for more. The danger for the rest of the league is that Stipe is just getting started.
- Song, now the wily old head
A lot of attention before the season started was focused on how the Sailors’ new recruits like Hassan Sunny, Shahdan Sulaiman and Gabriel Quak would impact the team, so much so that those who were already plying their trade at Bishan Stadium were perhaps overlooked. One such player is South Korean midfielder Song Ui-Young, who is now into his ninth season in Singapore (having spent 2012 to 2019 with Home United, our previous entity).
While he has been deployed in a few positions across midfield over the years, Song currently plays as a no. 8 in a three-man Sailors midfield – a role which allows him to utilise his incredible stamina to roam from box to box. The Incheon native showed why he is such a valuable member of the Sailors by putting up an impressive display against Geylang.
His clever movement and top-notch passing ability helped to link the lines between defence and attack seamlessly – which meant we often managed to get balls in behind the Geylang backline. A video that has been making its rounds on social media summed up Song’s key attribute in a nutshell – having evaded his marker with a strong run, he proceeded to produce a delicious 60-yard ball in between two Geylang defenders that teed up Hafiz Nor for a one-on-one which he did not manage to finish off.
This ball by Song though…. Shades of UCL 2005 final Kaka to Crespo…deserved a similar finish. Can we just give Song an honorary assist? #LCSGEY #SPL pic.twitter.com/mjJnD7vk9t
— Rhysh Roshan Rai (@RhyshRai) October 18, 2020
Also, his penalty? Coolness personified.
Despite turning just 27 in November, Song is already regarded as the wise old head in the Sailors squad, as he leads by example from the middle of the pitch.
- Young talents rise to the fore
The presence of experienced figures like Stipe and Song seems to be rubbing off on the younger players in the team, with Arshad Shamim and Saifullah Akbar showing their potential with good shifts on Sunday night.
Winger Arshad constantly provided an outlet down the right flank with excellent, probing runs – with one of those resulting in the 20-year-old being brought down by a crude challenge from Zainol that drew a straight red for the latter. Meanwhile, 21-year-old attacking midfielder Saifullah did not look out of place on his Sailors debut, with his tidiness in possession and incisive passes.
Nurturing young talents and seeing them progress to bigger and better things is a key facet of the Sailors’ philosophy, so it is important for Arshad and Saifullah to build on their encouraging performances against Geylang. Likewise, the youngsters’ good performances will also drive the senior players to take their game to a higher level – as evident in the impact that Gabriel and Shahril both made when they came off the bench.
- A handy first shutout to build on
It is an obvious fact in football that clean sheets breed confidence, thus the Sailors should be happy with their night’s work. Geylang did have some good moments in the first half, but goalkeeper Hassan Sunny was generally untroubled throughout, although he still had to make an excellent late save to deny Khairul Nizam’s downward header in the second half.
Tajeli, in just his second start for the Sailors, put up an accomplished performance at the heart of defence alongside the experienced Abdil Qaiyyim. Tajeli’s impeccable positioning and reading of the game allowed him to hack off the line from Darren Teh’s goal-bound header, and he was also influential in the Sailors’ opening goal with an excellent leap in the air to knock Shahdan’s corner into the path for Stipe to do the rest.
Meanwhile, full-backs Aqhari Abdullah and Naqiuddin Eunos gradually grew into the game and got forward well, with the latter teeing up Shahril for the late goal.
All in all, the win and the performance that accompanied it is a huge confidence booster for the Sailors, as we gear up for the big clash against the free-scoring Albirex Niigata (S) next week.
