Category: Feature
He sat there in silence, ice-pack pressed onto his head, eyes lost in the ripple of a blank gaze that bounced back upon itself.
Kodai Tanaka had already ripped off his armour and rinsed off the sweat of battle, but there in the bowels of Pathum Thani’s Thammasat Stadium, wounds were still raw. That dull throbbing in his head – a result of a coming together of two opponents in the heat of competition – was not the source of the 23-year-old’s pain, at least not the cause of the sting at the core of his being.
The Lion City Sailors fell to a 1-0 away loss to Bangkok United on Wednesday (29 November) in Group F of the 2023/24 Asian Football Federation Champions League (ACL) campaign. It was a defeat that snuffed out their dreams of becoming the first Singapore side to qualify for the last 16 of Asia’s top tier club competition.
The difference between the teams was measured in small margins, and defeat was bitter – and stinging.
The long dark road
But just six months ago, Kodai would have given anything to look defeat in the eye – and take that dastardly devil’s best punch square in the mouth.
At the time, Kodai was trudging along the long road to recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that threatened to deny the 2022 Singapore Premier League Player of the Year any chance of competing on Singapore football pitches in the year he reigned as their best player.
“When I was injured, I really felt like my mind was a complete blank – I couldn’t think about anything.
And of course, I cried a lot – night after night,” said Kodai. “There were many times when I felt like breaking down, and many times when I wanted to quit.”
“I have now achieved my goal of playing in the Champions League, and I have so many people to thank for helping me get here, like the trainers around me, and of course my family and friends.”
Light – and tears – at the end of the tunnel
Kodai made his ACL debut in the Sailors’ famous 2-0 win over two-time ACL winners, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at the Jalan Besar Stadium, and he remembers every second of the experience, even the thoughts running through his head as he stood on the sidelines waiting to come on for Maxime Lestienne.
“It’s true, I was crying at the time. I felt like I was finally able to stand here, after all that I had to go through to work my way back from the injury,” he said.
“I could picture all kinds of people’s faces, and when I remembered them, it was very emotional.”
Tears would flow again – more freely so – after the final whistle.
Said a wistful Kodai: “I was trying not to cry, and I knew that if I shook Niels’ hand, I would definitely cry. So I wanted to just briefly shake his hand and quickly move along, but he caught me.”
Physiologist Niels van Sundert was an ever-present on Kodai’s recovery journey, and the Japanese forward was effusive with his praise for the Dutchman – and not only for his professionalism on the rehabilitation front.
“He was always there for me when I was good and bad, even when things were difficult and I was feeling down, he would very firmly tell me that I had to do this,” said Kodai. “Sometimes we even fought, and he would be angry with me.
“But he was always there for me, helping me in any way he could, sometimes that meant just being with me.”
And all those memories came flooding back when Kodai embraced Niels at the touchlines of Jalan Besar.
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“It wasn’t exactly what he said to me at the time. There were times in the past when he comforted me by hugging me when I was going through a really hard time, and I had flashbacks of that – I naturally started to cry,” recalled Kodai, his voice quivering.
“I’m really grateful for all that he’s done for me.”
The path ahead
The thought of lining up alongside his teammates to face Asia’s best in the ACL fuelled Kodai’s drive to get off the treatment table and back onto the pitch.
The Sailors still have one match to play in Group F, against Kitchee SC at Jalan Besar on 13 December despite already out of contention to qualify for the Round of 16.
And while Kodai is still raring to go, looking for his first ACL goal, he has already derived so much from his long hard road to recovery.
“When I returned to the pitch, I heard many fans and supporters calling my name “Kodai”, and I felt really happy,” he said, again recalling that Jeonbuk Jalan Besar night as a beaming smile flashed across his face.
“It felt fantastic to be back on the pitch as a professional footballer, and it made me want to work even harder in my career.
“I feel that I need to work harder to show my gratitude to the people who have helped me on my journey to recovery, and by showing that kind of attitude, I can give courage to people who have suffered the same injury or have been out of action for a long time.”
For now, Kodai has turned his focus to finishing the season strongly.
“I believe in my teammates, and of course the head coach and staff as well, and I know how hard everyone works, and I know how hard everyone works for the team, and that’s why we’ve won as a team,” said Kodai.
“I have unshakable confidence in the team, and that we will have a strong finish to 2023.”
In Battlegrounds Asia, we look into the history and lore of the stadiums that will host the Lion City Sailors’ second foray into the AFC Champions League (ACL), Asia’s top-tier club competition.
In the third part of this series, we dive headfirst into the Thammasat Stadium where the Sailors will battle Bangkok United.
Located in the city of Rangsit, Pathum Thani, some 40 kilometres north of the busy Thai capital of Bangkok, is the rustic-looking Thammasat Stadium.
Located within a school
Roughly half the size of the Rajamangala Stadium – the biggest football stadium in Thailand – the Thammasat Stadium has a capacity of 25,000 spectators.
Opened in 1998, the stadium first opened its doors to that year’s Asian Games, hosting four group-stage matches of its women’s football tournament.
Interestingly located within the Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus, the stadium comes under the purview of the school and as such it regularly hosts sporting and other events of the university.
Since the turn of the millennium, four Thai League clubs have called the stadium home, most recently Bangkok United – who feature in Group F of the 2023/24 Asian Football Confederation Champions League alongside the Lion City Sailors, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Hong Kong’s Kitchee SC – who have been hosting their matches at the venue since 2016.
In terms of appearance, the Thammasat Stadium resembles a scaled-down version of the Rajamangala, except that it has a roof covering its two side tribunes.
And perhaps what sets the Thammasat aside from other Thai stadiums are the remarkable floodlights – with the architects opting for steel material instead of the typical concrete pylons. And as such, the base of each pylon seems to grip the exterior of the stadium when viewed from outside and they lean over the tribunes that properly illuminates the pitch area.
The Thammasat Stadium is also known as the True Stadium for commercial purposes, as they are owned by True Corporation who runs TrueMove H – one of Thailand’s biggest mobile providers.
The venue for regional tournaments
With the great lighting and decent facilities, it has been a venue that has proven favourable to organisers of international fixtures.
In January 2020 before Covid-19 wreaked havoc on the world, the Thammasat Stadium was one of four venues chosen to host the 2020 AFC Under-23 Championship that were held in Thailand.
A total of 12 matches ranging from group-stage affairs all the way to the semi-finals was played there – including South Korea’s 2-1 quarter-final win over Jordan that witnessed current Korean star forward Cho Gue-sung netting the opening goal on the night.
The best-attended match of that tournament was the quarter-final affair between Thailand and Saudi Arabia. The hosts were chasing a historic place in the last four but succumbed to a 78th-minute penalty to bow out in front of 14,958 fans.
The stadium was then used again for four matches of 2022 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Championship that involved the Thailand national team – most notably the second leg of the final that welcomed dignitaries like FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Thailand defeated Vietnam 1-0 to prevail 3-2 on aggregate to claim a record-breaking seventh AFF triumph.
The attendance of 19,306 that night is the Thammasat Stadium’s all-time attendance record.
In June this year, it was also used for nine matches of the 2023 AFC Under-17 Asian Cup.
Entertainment
The stadium is also occasionally used for entertainment events. Earlier this March, it hosted Thai Channel 3’s 53rd Anniversary Beloved Festival that saw fans indulging in a night of fun and entertainment with a celebrity football match and performances from Thai superstars like Mario Maurer, Bella Ranee and Yaya Urassaya.
Next January, K-Pop group NCT 127 is scheduled to host a two-day concert at the venue as part of their world tour.
But football remains the heart and soul of the Thammasat Stadium and on Wednesday, it will for the first time play host to a Singaporean club in the ACL.
It was supposed to host PEA FC’s ACL qualifying play-off against the now-defunct Singapore Armed Forces FC in 2009, but the pitch was deemed unplayable and the match was switched to Rajamangala.
Fans of the Sailors will relish screaming and creating a ruckus from the stadium’s South Stand as the club looks to take one step further to fulfilling our aspirations of becoming the first Singaporean club to qualify for the ACL’s Round of 16.
A stunning 3-0 win over Daegu FC in April 2022 for a Singaporean club’s first-ever win over a K League 1 side, a plucky 2-1 victory over Hong Kong champions Kitchee SC a month ago and now a brilliant 2-0 upset over two-time Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
There is clearly something about the ACL that brings out the best in the Lion City Sailors.
Adam Swandi, one of the key members of the Sailors squad, believes it boils to the desire of wanting to push the Sailors and Singapore to the forefront of Asia in the continent’s flagship club competition.
“It’s a huge honour for us to play at the highest level in Asia, on the same stage players like Ronaldo are also playing. We’re so motivated coming into the Champions League because it’s really important to show what we – a Singaporean team – can do,” said the 27-year-old.
“The level’s really high of course – we’re not just coming up against teams from Korea and Japan, but the champions in these countries. It’s tough, but I’ve always believed that the bigger the pressure, the better the rewards are.
“Getting results in this competition brings happiness not just to our fans, but to the entire Singapore football fraternity. It helps to elevate the sport here as a whole, so we want to keep doing well.”
And motivation to excel is very easily found.
“Whenever we’re going up against big teams, there’ll be many people saying ‘sure lose’, ‘sure bantai’ (Malay word for massacre) – it’s like we’re going there to get shot. But in football, the ball is round. You can always get surprising results if you work hard as a team.
“We’ve shown these two years that we can get good results against teams that people least expect us to deliver against, and that’s a great feeling that we want to keep replicating,” said Adam.
After achieving seven points – the best-ever points tally by a Singaporean club in the ACL group stages – in an impressive debut voyage last year, the Sailors were always going to be under pressure to do even better in their second year participating in the competition.
Adam acknowledges that expectations levels have rocketed but the Sailors are embracing the pressure, and indeed, cherishing jostling with the continent’s best players.
“We’re a decently good team who can do well in this competition. While we understand these expectations, we’re also setting our own targets high because that’s the only way to go forward,” he said.
“As much as there’s pressure, it’s definitely an experience that us Singaporean players have to cherish. There was a time we wouldn’t even imagine being at this stage. I did talk to Hami (Syahin) recently, saying that ‘a few years down the road, we’ll realise what a big stage this was for us’.
“Footballers sometimes feel like we’re going through motions, trying to get through a run of games. But if we sit down and look back for a moment, we’d realise that it’s something really significant and one that we all should be proud of.”
To Adam, nothing tops the feeling of winning ACL matches and he has already been involved in a few significant ones since 2022.
“Honestly, that feeling of joy once the final whistle is blown is indescribable. It just feels like everyone’s hard work as a team – from the players to the backroom staff, and even the kit man – have come off together.
“And it’s a kind of feeling that we want to feel week in week out and we’re definitely now fueled to go for more,” he said.
While the Sailors are bidding to become the first Singaporean club to qualify for the ACL knockout stages, the club is already looking further into the future and the work that lies ahead.
“Obviously as a club, we have ambitions of being a big club in Asia and there’ve been investments to ensure we’re on the way to achieving that. But it’s a difficult process – football looks simple, but it’s actually very complicated and takes a lot of work outside the pitch to succeed. Even the smallest of details will matter in a game,” said Adam.
“Everyone hopes the road to success can be instant or cut short somehow, but it definitely takes some time. A good example is our neighbours JDT (Johor Darul Ta’zim) – it took them quite some time to get used to the ACL and they’re now competing at a very good level, so we’re definitely looking to emulate them.
“The key is to be exposed to this level of competition every year, where we have to play our A game and raise our levels physically and mentally. First, we need to make sure we do well in the league to gain a spot in the ACL every year.”
An incredible upset of Jeonbuk on Matchday Four has sparked life into the Sailors’ ACL campaign reigniting their chance of qualifying for the Round of 16, and Adam continues to believe in that dream.
“It won’t be easy because we also have our eyes set on the domestic (Singapore) Cup while the ACL is going on. We want to win the Cup, but at the same time we want to help the team create history. I think this team is on a good way to achieve all our aspirations, if we continue to play like this and work as a team.”
He was called up to the Belgium national team at the age of 21, scored in the Italian Serie A as Genoa famously beat Inter Milan 3-2 and even played a starring role in PSV Eindhoven’s upset of English powerhouse Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League (UCL).
There is little doubt, Maxime Lestienne has stood under the bright lights of big-time European football – and shone.
Speaking under the orange glow of lights at our makeshift studio – a repurposed briefing room – at the Lion City Sailors Training Centre on Mattar Road, it was clear that the fire in his belly that helped him hit those heady heights still burns strong.
Maxime is now 31 and well into his second Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) campaign with the Sailors but there is a real drive to push boundaries, and this time, pull the Sailors along his football adventure.
“It’s very important not just for me, but also the supporters. In football, we always need to have a big objective and that’s the one we have as a team,” said Maxime, of helping the Sailors become the first Singapore side to qualify for the ACL Round of 16.
“I believe we can still do it – and it’ll be a big moment for us.”
Maxime inspired PSV to victory over Louis van Gaal’s Man United Class of 2015, and also scored a brace in the Dutch side’s 3-2 defeat to CSKA Moscow in that UCL season. The opportunity to now make his mark in the ACL, Asia’s equivalent elite club competition, remains a big motivation.
“The ambition of the club is why I decided to come and there are no regrets, I’m very happy here. Last year, not a lot of people know of the Lion City Sailors and we made something in the ACL although we didn’t qualify,” he said of his debut campaign last year.
The Sailors beat Korean side Daegu FC 3-0 en route to a seven-point finish.
The Belgian has not looked back and is relishing the challenge of guiding the Sailors into the Asian football spotlight.
“This year, we’re not a surprise package anymore, so we have to work and show why we deserve to be here. We’re not here just for Sailors’ fans, we also want to make Singapore proud,” he added.
Having experienced last year’s pandemic-enforced centralised tournament format ACL, Maxime is loving this season’s home-and-away format that brings out the best elements – and colourful fan culture – of Asian football.
He said: “Last year, we stayed almost a month together in Thailand and couldn’t see our families. Now it’s better, we can play in front of our fans: I have to say the atmosphere was amazing when we played Bangkok United at Jalan Besar.
“And it’s also nice for us as a team to experience playing against an away crowd when we played against Kitchee SC. We were also touched to see the support from our fans who travelled to Hong Kong. When you’re on the pitch, you do want to give a bit more for them and those watching on TV.”
To Maxime, the 2023/24 ACL campaign is bringing the best out of the Sailors as he lauds the raised levels that come with competitions like these.
“I can feel and even see that we’re more focused and motivated before games, because we know the importance of this competition to the club. We must give more than what we give normally; we have to be very organised on the pitch and be compact as a team,” noted Maxime.
“For myself, I have to defend more even if I don’t like it. Obviously the intensity in the European competition is a bit faster, but there are good teams and good players in Asia – Urawa Red Diamonds is an example,” said Maxime of the defending ACL champions the Sailors faced in the 2022 campaign.
“And it’s nice to see how we’re all stepping up as a team for the higher levels we face in the ACL.”
Maxime may be stealing the headlines with sensational performances in his second year as a Sailor, chalking up the most goals (25) and assists (21) in the Singapore Premier League (SPL), but he is adamant that it is the spirit of the Class of 2023 that is most important facet of the Sailors.
“I’m not the leader of the team,” he insisted. “This team works in a way where everybody can speak; you can say something and everyone will listen to you. We’ve got some fantastic young players here, and they are not afraid to step up and take responsibility to lead the team.
“We even have players as young as 15, 16 joining our squad this season and making their debuts – they’ve worked really hard to get to be here. I remember being in the first team in Belgium (with Mouscron) at 16 and it’s the same – I worked very hard to achieve my dream and every young player should be doing this.”
Under the tutelage of Aleksandar Ranković and his blend of promising youngsters and experienced campaigners, the Sailors squad has been in pretty good form the last couple of months, from the SPL then into the Singapore Cup, and also getting a gritty away win against Kitchee in the ACL earlier in October.
It is a fact that delights Maxime.
“It’s so fun to be in this team, with the foreign players offering not only different qualities but a different experience from where we used to play at. All of us try to give something to the team and have blended very well with the locals – now I feel that I’m already a local!” he joked.
“Coach Ranko’s technically a very good coach; he tries to apply what he learnt in Europe to give to us – how to build up, how to be tactical. Maybe in the first two weeks (when he first took over), it was a bit difficult to understand. But now everyone understands what he wants from us and we’re enjoying every single day in training.”
At the halfway mark of the Sailors’ Group F campaign with three points and a battling chance of still making it into the knockout stages, Maxime insists there is no inferior complexity when the Sailors compete in the ACL and is determined to push all the way.
“We have no reason to fear anyone and second place is still up for grabs. We have to play with confidence – not scared, not stressed about losing – we must enjoy the game and work hard as a team. It’s important that after the game, when we reflect, we know we gave everything.
“We know we have enough quality to beat teams in front of us, we just have to go out there to play,” said Maxime.
“If we can consistently play like we did in the first half against Kitchee, I think we can qualify.”
In Battlegrounds Asia, we look into the history and lore of the stadiums that will host the Lion City Sailors’ second foray into the AFC Champions League (ACL), Asia’s top-tier club competition.
In the second part of this series, we dive headfirst into the Jeonju World Cup Stadium where the Sailors will line up against two-time ACL champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
In the picturesque South Korean city of Jeonju – a four-hour bus journey from Seoul – sits a physical manifestation of the city’s rich sporting heritage and its love for football – the Jeonju World Cup Stadium, one of the 10 stadiums constructed for the 2002 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by South Korea and Japan.
Real local flavour
The Stadium – which cost 133.1 billion Korean won (approximately SGD$135.3 million) to construct – was built with tradition in mind: the design of its roof and stands were inspired by the Hapjukseon, the traditional Korean fan.
The pillars of the Stadium’s fan-shaped roof are a metaphor for Sotdae, in Korean tradition, a pole erected as a talisman for well-being, protection, and a good harvest; while its 12 tensile cables embody the 12 strings of Korean musical instrument, the Gayageum.
The stadium can host some 43,000 spectators.
And this is perhaps where the city’s love for sports and its physical manifestation of that spirit come together in a simple, but beautiful intersection: from the stadium’s rooftop park, visitors can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of Jeonju city and its surroundings.
World Cup and ACL heritage
Officially opened on 8th November 2001, the Stadium hosted three FIFA World Cup matches – two group-stage games that saw Spain defeat Paraguay 3-1 and Portugal beat Poland 4-0, before a Round-of-16 match welcoming 36,380 fans who watched the United States defeat Mexico 2-0.
The Jeonju World Cup Stadium has been home to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors since its official opening, witnessing several football moments over the years.
But strangely – despite winning the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) twice – Jeonbuk have never lifted the continental trophy in front of their own fans. In 2006 and 2016, they beat Syria’s Al-Karamah and UAE’s Al-Ain in the first leg of the respective finals at home before sealing the triumph in the away legs.
In 2011, when the final was held as a one-off affair to be hosted by one of the finalists, decided by draw, Jeonbuk were heavy favourites to win in front of a passionate 41,805-strong home crowd. But opponents, Qatar’s Al-Sadd, stunned the hosts by winning on penalties after an enthralling 2-2 extra-time draw.
International focus
The Jeonju World Cup Stadium has been the scene of football dreams of young upstarts as well.
In 2017, the venue hosted 2017 FIFA Under-20 World Cup matches – including a memorable match that saw the Taegeuk Warriors claim a 2-1 group-stage win over an Argentina side that featured Juan Foyth and Gonzalo Montiel who went on to win the 2022 World Cup alongside Lionel Messi.
The football world’s attention again turned to Jeonju in May 2020 when the K League 1 became the first major competition to resume following the global Covid-19 shutdown, with the legendary Lee Dong-gook scored a late winner against Suwon Samsung Bluewings.
A year later, the Stadium hosted the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the 2021 ACL.
The knockout stages of the tourney were hosted in a single location, with Pohang Steelers beating Nagoya Grampus 3-0 while Ulsan Hyundai got the better of Jeonbuk 3-2 to advance to the ACL semi-finals. Pohang then emerged victorious over Ulsan at the venue to reach the final.
The Jeonju World Cup Stadium has also served as a venue for Korean cultural events, concerts, and festivals. And it hosted the opening ceremony of the Asia-Pacific Masters Games earlier this year in May, a unique sports-for-all festival aimed at driving sports participation across abilities and ages.
The Stadium was scheduled to host a K-pop concert in August as part of the World Scout Jamboree cultural programme, but concerns over Typhoon Khanun saw the event going elsewhere.
But football remains at the heart of the Jeonju World Cup Stadium, perhaps fuelled by the Mad Green Boys of the Jeonbuk Motors Supporters’ Club who are known to generate an electric atmosphere at the North Stand of the Stadium that feature safe-standing areas.
In Jeonju on Wednesday, Hariss Harun and the Sailors Class of 2023 will, for the first time, play at a venue that has hosted a historic FIFA World Cup match, with The Crew’s Special Operations Team screaming from the Stadium’s South stand as our Sailors look to write history of our own.
He was a battle-hardened defender before he hung up his boots, equally comfortable embracing the tough tasks and dirty work that come with being his team’s designated “destroyer”.
It is easy – even understandable – to believe that the imaginably grizzled face of a man that fits this profile has perpetually furrowed brows over narrowed eyes and pursed lips.
The fact that a smile sneaks onto Aleksandar Ranković’s face every so often when he speaks of the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) is perhaps one big reason there is much positivity around the Lion City Sailors’ ongoing campaign.
From the palpable excitement around Sailors fans to the increased intensity from his charges and back slaps from people associated with the club, Ranko is embracing his first dance on Asia’s biggest stage.
“It means a lot to me that we can represent Singapore football on the Asian stage, and that’s maybe the most important thing for me and the team – and also maybe why we’ve had a different energy around Mattar Road,” said the 45-year-old.
“Everyone here is very aware that we are representing our community and the country, not just the club – and they want to perform as best as they can.”
And Ranko has been absolutely delighted with the work put in, and the accompanying attitude – from all corners.
“I loved the atmosphere at the Jalan Besar Stadium, I think it was the most people I’ve seen at our game since I’ve come to Singapore. They give us a lot of energy, and that’s what you want,” he said, of the 3,000-strong crowd in the stands – including Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam – as the Sailors fell 2-1 to Bangkok United in their opening Group F fixture on 20 September.
Fans also made their presence at the Hong Kong Stadium on Wednesday (4 October) keenly felt, feeding the Sailors with electricity from the stands. It worked a charm, with Hariss Harun and company beating Hong Kong champions Kitchee SC 2-1 and returning with all three points.
“I hope that we continue to give our fans nice things to see – our team being very competitive and trying to play really nice football and scoring a lot of goals – so they have no reason not to come and support us,” he said, a beaming smile sneaking onto his face.
And it is precisely this, turning in competitive performances and securing results at Asia’s top table, and a burning desire from all associated with the team, that gives Ranko much satisfaction.
“You want to compete against the best, that’s the main goal for us in this competition. Then you can see where you are, not only as a team, but also as an individual and as a club,” said the Serb.
“Being with this team every day for these past two months or so, I really cannot ask for more from them. There are still several things we want to improve, but I’m very happy with how we train and how we perform – and this is on the pitch and off it as well.”
As another smile popped across his face, Ranko revealed an added bonus to these positive vibes at the Sailors Mattar Road Training Centre. In his eyes – and the upturned lips – it was clear this was a massive bonus.
He said: “This approach is not just from the guys who start the games, it is also from the guys on the bench and everyone – they bring a lot of energy to the team – and there is a lot of healthy competition in the team.
“And that helps me a lot as a coach.”
With these key pieces in place, in Ranko’s eyes, there’s only one thing left to do.
“We want to measure ourselves against the best teams in Asia, and we want to compete. What we need to do is to take the intensity that we know we are capable of and have brought to the table against Bangkok and Kitchee, and make sure we can hit those levels throughout every match we play,” said Ranko.
“And from what I’ve seen, I believe we can do this.”
In Battlegrounds Asia, we look into the history and lore of the stadiums that will host the Lion City Sailors’ second foray into the AFC Champions League, Asia’s top-tier club competition.
First up in this series, we look at the iconic Hong Kong Stadium, where the Sailors will face Kitchee SC in their first away fixture of Group F.
Located in the heart of Causeway Bay, one of Hong Kong’s most energetic neighbourhoods lined with luxury malls, boutiques, and numerous dining options, lies the aptly-named Hong Kong Stadium. It is where the Lion City Sailors will battle Kitchee SC in matchday 2 in Group F of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL).
The Stadium – known as Hong Kong’s main sports venue – was redeveloped from the Old Government Stadium and took on its new identity when it officially reopened in early 1994.
The 40,000-seater Stadium was meant to be a multi-purpose entertainment venue, with Hong Kong music icon Alan Tam the first local artist to hold a concert there in April 1994 before fellow Canto-pop legend Sam Hui Koon-kit followed suit in December 2007. However, its open-air nature led to noise complaints from nearby residents and it has rarely been allowed to host entertainment events ever since.
Hong Kong’s Rugby DNA
Instead, the Stadium is now internationally renowned for hosting the annual Hong Kong Rugby Sevens in spring every year, hosting rugby greats the likes of Jonah Lomu and David Campes while inspiring a thriving sevens world series and the sport’s inclusion in the Olympics.
The most recent edition was held between 30 March to 2 April this year, with New Zealand beating Fiji 24-19 to win the competition. The Stadium also hosted the Rugby World Cup Sevens twice, in 1997 and 2005.
With the stadium located on either end of sweeping views of a lush hillside and the city’s vertical urban landscape, it has grown into a flagship destination for overseas Rugby Sevens fans.
A dash of the English Premier League
For the same reason, it has been the go-to venue for marquee football matches in Hong Kong – especially for exhibition matches involving top English Premier League (EPL) clubs.
The pre-season Premier League Asia Trophy has been held there four times in 2007, 2011, 2013 and 2017 – with Kitchee SC and South China AA amongst the local competing teams.
One-off friendlies were also held there twice between Kitchee and EPL opposition. In May 2017, the Bluebirds fell 4-1 to Tottenham Hotspur with current Spurs captain Son Heung-min and the now-departed Harry Kane on the scoresheet. Then in July 2019, they lost 6-1 to Manchester City with Law Tsz Chun – who is still at the club – scoring the solitary goal for Kitchee.
Local football flavour
The first full-house official match there came in October 2009 when local side South China came up against Kuwait SC in the second leg of the 2009 AFC Cup but failed to progress to the final.
In December the same year, there was another full house (all tickets sold or distributed) with Hong Kong’s Under-23 side memorably beating Japan on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time to win their first-ever international title in the East Asian Games.
The venue has also hosted many international matches involving the Hong Kong national team, with the most recent one being in September 2023 when they put 10 goals past Brunei in a friendly match.
While Kitchee usually play their domestic football matches at Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong Stadium is their designated home ground for ACL matches.
Kitchee fans would recall a magical moment there in March 2018 when Uruguayan legend Diego Forlan teed up Cheng Chin Lung for a stunning injury time winner in 1-0 upset of Japan’s Kashiwa Reysol – in what turned out to be a first-ever victory by a Hong Kong club in the ACL.
That was also voted as the best goal of the competition that year.
Set against a scenic backdrop and a stadium jam-packed with memorable sporting action over the years, the Sailors will be hoping to create history of our own when we take on Kitchee at the arena on Wednesday night.
Five minutes into injury time in the Lion City Sailors’ final Singapore Premier League (SPL) fixture against Geylang International, he made his presence felt.
With a trivela pass that is fast becoming his trademark, he teed up Haiqal Pashia for the game-clinching goal in the 3-1 win, and with that became what is believed to be the youngest player to pick up an assist in the SPL.
Nathan Mao is just 15 years old and 181 days old but is already one of the shining lights of the Sailors Academy – he made history earlier in March by becoming the SPL’s youngest-ever debutant at 15 years and 5 days old and now has also been included in the Sailors’ squad for the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) campaign.
Nathan believes that a key factor behind his rapid rise is the fact that he has been embedded in the Sailors setup since its 2020 inception.
“When I first joined the academy, I never thought that one day I could become the SPL’s youngest-ever debutant or go anywhere near achieving such a record. A lot of my progress is down to the good work of the coaches here. Every year, they bring in even more quality coaches to guide and help the boys here,” he said.
“Over in this Academy, there’s really a proper pathway for Academy trainees to make the step up and be integrated into the first team – making sure we’re ready for professional football and not feel too much pressure at the same time.”
The supportive platform has empowered him to propel himself towards his footballing dreams, and now put him on the cusp of playing against some of Asia’s biggest teams in the ACL.
In April 2022, he was watching the likes of Diego Lopes and Maxime Lestienne weaving their magic on the continental stage and feeling inspired by their exploits on the Sailors’ maiden voyage into the continent. Little did he know that just over a year later, he would be part of the Sailors’ first-team squad that was headed for its second ACL adventure.
“It means a lot to me to be representing the Sailors first team in an international competition at this age. I’m aware that not a lot of people of my age would have the chance or experience to play in such a reputable competition, so I’m not taking this for granted,” said Nathan.
“I’m excited at possibly playing against top-tier teams and to push myself and see where I’m at as compared to these overseas players.”
He made Head Coach Aleksandar Rankovic’s Matchday 1 squad in the 2-1 defeat to Thailand’s Bangkok United and became the youngest player to be named in an ACL matchday squad since 2012 – at 15 years and 178 days old, surpassing Suphanat Mueanta (15y 203d for Buriram v Jeju United in Feb 2018) according to Opta Sports.
That has added even more fuel to his fiery drive.
“I’m very motivated and working very hard to show Coach what I can do. Hopefully I’ll get to play some minutes in the upcoming games and I’m going to give my all whenever I get onto the pitch,” he said.
He broke into the Sailors first team this season and already has three appearances under his belt in a 2023 season that has been a breakthrough year for Nathan. But he is also under no illusions that this upward trajectory will continue indefinitely into the future.
“It’s really cool to be able to share a dressing room with great players like Diego and Max, but I’m not thinking that I’ve already made it. If you look at it in perspective, this is probably just the start of my career,” he said.
Nathan acknowledges – somewhat reluctantly – that he is now a beacon for the Sailors Academy and is aware that his exploits will inspire the next generation of trainees, and could well shape decisions that will impact their development.
“I know what’s at stake whenever I go onto the pitch and I’m relishing this responsibility to make the Academy proud. But I also know it’s not just about me – there are many other players with potential in this Academy.
“I’m sharing my little experiences with the first team to help them. At the same time, they’re also hungry and inspired to make the step up and show their ability at a higher level.
“That’s a hunger that I share – I just want to keep on pushing to get better every single year.”
The photo made it look like a line had been crossed.
The wild surprise on the face of the shell-shocked victim – matched by an equal level of calm in the aggressor – spoke of a visceral moment in a heated battle that was teetering on the verge of explosion.
Looking back at that photo, taken during the Lion City Sailors’ Tiger Cup encounter against Tottenham Hotspur in July, Manuel Herrera López – the aggressor – just laughed.
“I had a couple of words with him (the victim). I told him: ‘I know you are Harry Kane, but I have to catch you at corners’ and he laughed,” said the Sailors centre-back, affectionately known as Súper.
The 31-year-old was one of the Sailors’ standout performers of that encounter. He did not give an inch to England star Kane, and the other world-class players in the Spurs ranks in a first half that saw the Sailors lead 1-0 until Kane managed to score from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time to equalise.
Súper admitted he was particularly pumped up for that match, although fans would have recognised the competitive, no-holds barred energy the Spaniard brings to the team.
“I had strong motivation because I was playing against such great players. I didn’t know what to expect from that Spurs game, but I felt pretty good about how the team and I played,” he said.
“I’ve always been a big fighter and someone who’s very demanding on the pitch. My main objectives are to help the team keep a clean sheet and win the game.”
Súper fought hard to rise through the ranks of the Real Betis youth academy and was even named on the bench for the Betis first team in a La Liga fixture against Real Madrid in 2012.
Unable to break into the first-team reckoning and keen to prove his abilities, he then played for a few clubs in the lower divisions of Spain before moving to Southeast Asia in 2017 with Philippines side Ceres-Negros.
He joined a strong side that won three straight Philippines Football League (PFL) titles between 2017 to 2019 and performed creditably on the regional stage. Ceres were crowned ASEAN zone champions in the 2017 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup and competed in three AFC Champions League qualifying playoff campaigns between 2018 to 2020.
Súper later played in Cambodia with Nagaworld FC for two years before joining the Sailors in March 2023.
And Súper already feels right at home here in the Lion City, and is yearning to help the club scale new heights.
“I’m happy with how my career went and I’m always very hungry to show myself at every club that I’m at. I’m enjoying myself a lot here and I have a very good relationship with my teammates,” he said.
“We’ve a very ambitious setup here with excellent facilities and hungry players. We spend many hours together at the Training Centre – not only field training and going to the gym, but also doing other activities like playing table tennis, and basically joking around with everyone.
“We have a great atmosphere here and we’re all working towards the same goal for the team.”
Excelling against a team like Spurs and ending the season in good form have given Súper and the team much confidence going into the club’s second foray into the ACL that kicks off on 20th September against Thailand’s Bangkok United.
And Súper is relishing the challenge.
“On a personal level, I’m so excited about this competition because I’ve tried for a few years when I was at Ceres but we were often eliminated by strong teams from China or Japan. But finally, this year, I’ll get to compete in the group stage and the team is very motivated to go out there and do a good job,” he said.
“All of us players want to show Coach Ranko (Aleksandar Ranković) that we are worthy of representing the club in the ACL.”
With anticipation hanging thick in the air ahead of the Sailors’ 2023/24 ACL opener against Bangkok, Súper hopes to see the Sailors fans fill up Jalan Besar Stadium.
He added: “I would just like to say to our fans: you have always been there for us through the ups and downs. And I sincerely hope you can do that again to give us that little push that we need in the ACL.
“Just know that we are striving to put up good performances and also get results that you can be proud of.”
The Lion City Sailors’ Elite Under-11 team left an indelible mark on the Gothia Cup earlier this year between 17 to 22 July, finishing in joint third-place in the 7-a-side tournament – in which 50 teams from 21 nations competed in.
The Gothia Cup is an annual international youth football tournament held annually in Gothenburg, Sweden, one that has grown into one of the largest and most prestigious youth football tournaments in the world since its inaugural edition in 1975. The tournament typically spans a week and includes not only football matches but also various cultural and social activities, making it a holistic learning experience for participating youth.
The young Sailors clinched five resounding victories en route to the semi-finals, including an 11-1 victory over Swedish side Kungsbacka IF 2. For Head Coach Kevin Tan, it was his charges’ adaptability and resilience that brought a smile to his face.
“The kind of matches and playing styles we encountered wasn’t something we’re used to in Singapore. Witnessing the boys rise to the occasion brought me a real sense of pride, especially the way we were able to adjust to what our opponents were doing out on the pitch,” said a satisfied Kevin.
“The adaptability – and the final results, of course – was great to see,” he added.
Kevin believes the experience has had a transformative impact on his players, perhaps most notably in the collective mental toughness.
“In some matches, the opposing players were much bigger and played with considerable physicality, but our boys rose to the occasion, embracing the challenge. They didn’t back down, and that kind of mental fortitude was fantastic,” said the 29-year-old coach, who drew from the example of the quarter-final encounter that pitted his team against Costa Rican side Futbol Consultants Edson Soto.
The young Sailors kept their heads up, found an equaliser in the closing moments of the game to make it 4-4, and went on to prevail 15-14 in a dramatic penalty shootout to earn the right to play in the semi-finals.
It was in this match that Kevin’s young charges faced their toughest test and were felled. A hard-fought battle against Chilean side Academia Sebastian Roco as they lost on penalties this time after the game ended 3-3 in regulation time.
But even in defeat, there was a bright silver lining.
“Despite playing in a semi-final – possibly the biggest match of their lives – everyone in the team stuck to our principles and philosophies. We kept doing what we have always worked on in training, we didn’t change our game plan just to get a goal even in a desperate situation,” said Kevin, who broke into a smile as he thought of the match that brought on bitter-sweet memories.
“The boys consistently kept faith in one another and our philosophy too, and were resolute in ensuring that their opponents never got an ‘easy’ game,” he added, with pride in his voice.
The Gothia Cup was more than just a football tournament for these young Sailors.
“Staying with my teammates and competing alongside them was really a happy experience for me,” said 11-year-old Sho Tay-Takayama Xiangyu, whose recollections matched the observations of his coach Kevin.
Said Kevin: “The boys watched over each other and made sure to remind each other to do essential tasks, like coordinating meals and navigation when we were out in the city – it was clear that they actively supported one another.
“What really impressed me was how the players themselves actively encouraged one another to strictly follow the lights-out schedule so that the team would be able to get ample rest and perform better in matches.”
While the Gothia Cup provided a platform for the boys to grasp important football – and life – lessons, on-field memories remained top of mind.
“Securing third place was something I didn’t think we could achieve, because I was expecting to have to fight against strong teams with very big players,” said Sho, who will step out with the team again when the PUMA Youth Champions League kicks off in September.
“The entire tournament was thrilling. I enjoyed the excitement of playing in front of larger crowds. And I’m really proud of how, as a team, we fought for each other and managed to play to our style and even achieve results.”
