The Lion City Sailors Women will need to dust themselves off quickly after Thursday’s (13 November) 5-0 loss to Melbourne City, with another formidable test awaiting in the Asian Football Confederation Women’s Champions League (AWCL).

After all, the Sailors’ second Group A fixture sees them take on host side and last season’s surprise semi-finalists, Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City Women’s Team, at the Thong Nhat Stadium on Sunday (16 November) night.

Up against ASEAN’s finest

The all-conquering HCM City recently clinched a record 14th Vietnamese Women’s National League title, as they underlined their domestic dominance for the seventh consecutive year.

In last season’s inaugural AWCL, they made waves with a remarkable comeback in the quarter-finals as they overturned a two-goal deficit in the final 15 minutes to defeat Emirati side Abu Dhabi Country Club 5-4, before eventually bowing out to eventual champions Wuhan Jiangda Women’s Team.

Their star-studded squad features several players from Vietnam’s historic 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign, including national no. 1 Tran Thi Kim Thanh and 37-year-old winger Tran Thi Thuy Trang.

The standout name, however, is captain Huynh Nhu, the country’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 116 caps. The 33-year-old forward is also the first and only Vietnamese woman to play professionally in Europe, having featured for Länk Vilaverdense in the Portuguese top flight from 2022 to 2024.

Nhu — the third-highest scorer in last season’s AWCL with three goals — has picked up where she left off, curling in a stunning free-kick on Matchday One to give HCM City a winning start against Stallion Laguna.

Photo: 2025 Asian Football Confederation (AFC)

Their foreign contingent also features United States-born Pakistan captain Maria Khan and Tunisian international defender Samia Aouni.

Sailors determined to prove a point

Despite Thursday’s (13 November) defeat to Ninja A-League powerhouse Melbourne City in their AWCL Group Stage bow, Sailors Assistant Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan insists their team spirit remains as strong as ever, and they are determined to prove a point in their next challenge.

“The atmosphere in the camp is still pretty positive and we’ve largely focused on a quick recovery for this upcoming game,” she said.

“Ho Chi Minh City are a physically quick side with a very direct style and several strong individual players. Nonetheless, we’ll look to our own strengths to match up to them and find a way through.”

Singing from the same hymn book, Sailors goalkeeper Izairida Shakira said, “First of all, we’re aware of the quality of the opponents we’re facing at this level. These are professional teams with players who have featured on the biggest stage, including the World Cup.

“We as a team are very motivated for these matches. For us, it’s all about trusting our abilities, staying compact, and leaving everything out on the pitch.”

A positive result would reignite the Sailors’ hopes of progressing, with the top two teams from each group — along with the two best third-placed sides across the three groups — advancing to the next stage.

Nonetheless, Shakira is keeping her focus on the bigger picture.

“Of course, we have aspirations of qualifying and we want to get our first points in the AWCL Group Stage,” said the 18-year-old. 

“But ultimately, it’s more than just results that will define our campaign. It’s about the fight we show, and we’re determined to give a good representation of Singapore women’s football.”