Category: News
The Lion City Sailors Women’s Team return to Women’s Premier League (WPL) action on Friday (12 June) after a month-long hiatus, with the stakes hardly higher as they take on title rivals Albirex Jurong in a top-of-the-table clash at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium.
The Sailors may trail the White Swans by six points, but with a game in hand and a slightly superior goal difference, they know their title destiny remains firmly in their own hands.
Ahead of the pivotal encounter, captain Umairah Hamdan believes the team’s unwavering focus will help drive them towards a crucial victory.
“Everyone in the team has been really looking forward to the chance to play Albirex again, and we have only one objective in our minds: to win,” said the 24-year-old. “We’ve prepared well, and we’re fully focused on delivering a strong performance and securing all three points.”
The first meeting between the two sides on 13 March ended in a 2-0 victory for Albirex, a result that has only strengthened the Sailors’ resolve as they look to make amends this time around.
“That game taught us the importance of being more clinical and composed on the ball. We need to seize our opportunities, be more decisive in key moments, and aim to get our goals early to put ourselves in a stronger position,” reflected Umairah.
Aside from that defeat, the Sailors have enjoyed an outstanding campaign, winning their other 12 matches while scoring an astonishing 130 goals and conceding just twice.
Umairah believes the team has continued to evolve throughout the season.
“We’ve improved significantly in our movement, understanding, and tactical play. We now have a much clearer understanding of how we want to play, and our chemistry on the pitch has grown stronger,” she explained.
“We have also developed a better understanding of each other’s strengths, which helps us move the ball more effectively and create better attacking opportunities.”
The majority of the squad, along with Head Coach Daniel Ong, returned from international duty with the Singapore Women’s National Team earlier this week for the final stretch of the season, with three matches left to determine the destination of the WPL title.
Despite balancing club and country commitments in recent weeks, Umairah has been encouraged by the squad’s commitment and mentality.
“The team’s mentality has remained incredibly positive throughout the season. The energy and atmosphere within the squad are always high, and everyone is hungry to keep improving,” she said.
“We play every game with our hearts on our sleeves and give everything for the badge. There is no complacency, only the desire to keep pushing forward.”
While Japanese duo Ami Takeuchi and Eri Kitagawa have dominated the headlines and the scoring charts, several young local players have also impressed, including Irsalina Irwan and Remi Ogawa.
“I am immensely proud of them. They have stepped up with confidence and shown great maturity throughout the season. It is never easy to take on bigger responsibilities, but they have embraced the challenge and made it look effortless. Their growth has been fantastic to watch,” lauded Umairah.
Albirex are expected to provide another stern test, but Umairah believes a combination of concentration, belief and strong support from the Sailors faithful can help carry the team to a vital result on Friday night.
“We are truly grateful for our fans. Rain or shine, they’ll be there for us at every game. Their support, passion, and chants create an incredible atmosphere that motivates us throughout the game.
“We are honoured to have people who dedicate their time and energy to support us week in and week out. To all our fans, thank you for believing in us. We promise to give everything on the pitch, play exciting football, and make you proud,” she said.
“We just need to stay calm, confident, and trust the work we have put in during training. Strong communication, good connections on the field, and being clinical in front of goal will be key if we want to come away with the win.”
The Lion City Sailors will begin their 2026/27 ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup campaign with two blockbuster home fixtures against the champions of Vietnam and Indonesia.
The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) has officially unveiled the fixtures for the region’s premier club competition, with the Sailors set to host Vietnam’s Công An Hà Nội (CAHN) FC on 8 October before welcoming Indonesian champions Persib Bandung to Jalan Besar Stadium on 10 December in their opening two Group B matches.
The Sailors will then embark on their first away trip of the campaign, travelling to Cambodia to take on reigning champions PKR Svay Rieng FC on 17 December, before returning home to face 2025/26 Thai League 1 runners-up Port FC on 25 February 2027.
The three-time Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions will conclude the group stage with two away fixtures.
They will first face either Laos’ Ezra FC or Myanmar’s Shan United on 4 March, with the two sides set to contest a two-legged qualifying play-off for a place in the group stage, before rounding off their campaign against Malaysian giants Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on 1 April.
All three of the Sailors’ home fixtures will be played at the Jalan Besar Stadium as they seek a top-four finish in Group B to advance to the quarter-finals.
The knockout phase begins with single-leg quarter-final ties in May 2027, while the semi-finals and final will be contested over two legs, with the competition set to conclude on 30 June 2027.
The Lion City Sailors today (5 June) learnt their opponents for the upcoming 2026/27 ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup, following the conclusion of the Official Draw at Studio RCTI+ in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The reigning Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions will face 2025/26 Thai League runners-up Port FC, 12-time Malaysian Super League winners Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), V.League 1 champions Công An Hà Nội (CAHN) FC, Cambodian Premier League winners PKR Svay Rieng, Indonesia Super League champions Persib Bandung, and the winner of a two-legged playoff tie between Laos’ Ezra FC or Myanmar’s Shan United, after being placed in Group B.
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The draw means a Causeway derby with JDT is on the cards for a second straight Shopee Cup campaign, with the Sailors having lost 3-1 away to their rivals in last season’s opening group-stage fixture.
It also means the Sailors will face familiar foes Persib for a third straight season in international competition, after meeting the Indonesian side on four occasions across the 2024/25 and 2025/26 AFC Champions League Two campaigns.
There are also tantalising reunions with opponents the Sailors have faced in the past, including Port, CAHN, a potential clash with Shan, while the Sailors will meet Svay Rieng for a second successive Shopee Cup campaign.
Meanwhile, Group A consists of Malaysia’s Kuching FC, fellow SPL representatives BG Tampines Rovers, the 2025/26 Vietnamese Cup winners (to be confirmed after 14 June), Indonesia’s Borneo FC Samarinda, the winner of the playoff tie between Brunei’s Kasuka FC and Philippines’ Manila Digger, as well as two Thai clubs in defending champions Buriram United and Ratchaburi FC.
The Sailors will fly the Singapore flag once more in the third edition of Southeast Asia’s premier club competition, with the group stage kicking off in October.
With matches played in a single round-robin format, each team will play three home and three away matches, with the top four teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals.
The previous edition concluded just over a week ago, with Buriram defeating Selangor FC 3-1 on aggregate to successfully defend their crown.
For the Sailors, the objective is clear: to progress to the knockout stages after falling short in the competition’s first two editions.
“The Shopee Cup is an important competition for us to measure ourselves against the region’s best, and we felt we ought to have done better,” said captain Hariss Harun.
“It’s an interesting draw for us, especially to face JDT and Persib again and also to come up against teams we have faced in the past. We want to qualify for the quarter-finals and try to make a deep run this time round.”
The Sailors’ full fixtures list for the 2026/27 ACC Shopee Cup will be confirmed in due course.
A successful title defence has seen the Lion City Sailors emerge as contenders for some top honours at the upcoming Singapore Premier League (SPL) Awards Night 2025/26.
Bart Ramselaar is among the nominees for the coveted DONGFENG Player of the Year award after an outstanding campaign in which he contributed eight goals and 11 assists across 20 league appearances.
The Dutch playmaker will go up against BG Tampines Rovers duo Shah Shahiran and Hide Higashigawa for the league’s top individual honour.
Fellow midfielder Tsiy Ndenge is also in the running for the SELECT Goal of the Year award, with his scorching strike from distance in a 3-0 victory over Geylang International in January among the 14 nominated goals.
Excellence off the pitch has also been recognised, with the Sailors in contention for the media awards for a third consecutive season.
Kenneth Tan‘s feature, From loss to legacy: the making of Magic Max, has been nominated for the Story of the Year award. The piece spotlights Sailors legend Maxime Lestienne’s poignant football journey after losing both parents just over six weeks apart.
Kenneth won the same category in both 2023 and 2024/25.
Meanwhile, Ivan Sušak will become the first Sailors goalkeeper to receive the SPL Golden Glove award after keeping a league-high 10 clean sheets in 19 appearances during an outstanding debut season with the club.
The SPL Awards Night 2025/26 will take place this Friday, 22 May, at the Raffles City Convention Centre.
Lion City Sailors’ nominees and recipients for SPL Awards Night 2025/26
DONGFENG Player of the Year: Bart Ramselaar
SELECT Goal of the Year: Tsiy Ndenge (vs Geylang International, 18 January 2026)
Story of the Year: From loss to legacy: the making of Magic Max by Kenneth Tan
SPL Golden Glove Winner: Ivan Sušak
Seven Lion City Sailors players have been named in Gavin Lee’s 28-strong Singapore National Team squad for their upcoming friendly matches against Mongolia and China during the upcoming FIFA international window.
Lions captain Hariss Harun, along with Kyoga Nakamura, Shawal Anuar, Hami Syahin, Lionel Tan, and Nur Adam Abdullah, retained their places from the previous March window, during which Singapore defeated Bangladesh 1-0 to round off a historic Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup qualifying campaign.
Meanwhile, Song Uiyoung has earned a recall to the National Team after an impressive return to fitness over the past couple of months.
The 32-year-old started five of the Sailors’ last seven games, and capped off the campaign with a stunning long-range strike in a 3-2 defeat to BG Tampines Rovers on Sunday (17 May).
The Lions will face Mongolia on Sunday, 31 May, before taking on China the following Friday, 5 June, with both matches set to kick off at 7.30pm at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
The friendlies will serve as preparation for the upcoming ASEAN Hyundai Cup, which is scheduled to take place in July and August.
The Lion City Sailors fell to a 3-2 defeat to closest rivals BG Tampines Rovers on the final day of the season on 17 May, but the result ultimately mattered little as they were officially crowned 2025/26 Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions at the end of the night.
All five goals came in an entertaining second half at Our Tampines Hub, as the match lived up to the billing of a clash between the league’s top two sides.
Song Uiyoung rifled home a piledriver from the edge of the box in the 50th minute to put the Sailors ahead, after excellent work by Bart Ramselaar to wriggle free of a couple of challenges.
BG Tampines drew level in the 57th minute when Jacob Mahler nodded home Koya Kazama’s corner, but the Sailors restored their lead just two minutes later. Nur Adam Abdullah delivered a teasing cross from the left for Lennart Thy to power home his 15th goal of the season with a firm header.
With qualification for next season’s Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Two on the line, the hosts responded strongly and piled on the pressure in the final 20 minutes.
Their persistence paid off in the 75th minute when former Japanese international Yuki Kobayashi lashed home a stunning effort from outside the box, before compatriot Hide Higashigawa pounced at the far post three minutes later after the Sailors failed to clear a corner.
The Sailors threw the proverbial kitchen sink at their opponents late on, but were unable to find an equaliser. Substitute Shawal Anuar went close on two occasions, while Bailey Wright saw a goal-bound header tipped over by BG Tampines goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari.
The defeat brought the curtain down on yet another successful domestic season for the Sailors, who secured back-to-back SPL titles and a third league crown in six seasons since the club’s inception in 2020.
While the Sailors ultimately fell short of their ambition to complete an unbeaten league campaign, they can still take pride in recording the best points-per-game ratio in club history — 2.43 — after collecting 51 points from 21 matches.
Their previous best of 2.29 came during their maiden title-winning campaign in 2021, when they amassed 48 points from the same number of games.
Reflecting on the season, Sailors Director of Football Luka Lalić acknowledged that there were areas that could have gone better, but was pleased to see the club retain its place at the summit of Singapore football while securing another shot at competing against Asia’s best in the ACL Two next season.
“Of course, having a coach who won the most trophies for the club leaving midway was never easy and we’re very grateful for everything Aleks (Aleksandar Ranković) has done for us, but the situation called for a change,” he elaborated.
“The team had to go through a bit of a transition, so the most important thing thereafter was to secure the title, and we did that. I also have to say good things about the other teams in the league — Tampines had a great season and Albirex Niigata (S) also improved a lot. A competitive league can only be good for everyone.”
Jesús Casas took over from Ranko in late February and oversaw the club’s latest success, but the Spaniard was absent from the touchline last night and missed the festivities as he had to fly home for Achilles surgery.
“It was a pity that Jesús couldn’t be here with us, but I know he’s very happy for the whole team, from the players to the staff to the fans,” said Assistant Coach Salva Romero, who led the team alongside fellow assistant Alejandro Varela.
“We changed a few things after we came here a few months ago, and we’re very happy because this team has been very receptive. We have many top-class professionals here, and it says a lot about their mentality that they managed to secure back-to-back championships.
“They started pre-season in July and now we’re in the middle of May. There has been a lot of effort, hard work and difficult moments along the way, so full credit to them. They deserve this title.”
Sailors players and staff then changed into specially designed Champions Tees for the trophy presentation — now a club tradition — before lifting the 15kg, 67.5cm SPL trophy high into the night sky at OTH.
The celebrations extended beyond the squad, with families and friends joining the players and staff on the pitch for photographs to commemorate the occasion.
And even as the floodlights at OTH slowly dimmed at the end of the night, the Sailors’ ambitions continue to burn brightly, with the club already laying the foundations for an even stronger 2026/27 campaign.
“As a club, we know we’re capable of much more and this is football. Not every season is perfect, but it gave us valuable lessons that will help us grow as a club,” said Luka.
“The target for next season is clear: we want to do much better, especially in the international competitions, and we want to represent Singapore with pride on the continental stage.”
The Lion City Sailors Women’s Team kept up their relentless pursuit of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) title on Friday (15 May) night with an emphatic 8-0 victory over Geylang International at Choa Chu Kang Stadium to record their 12th win in 13 matches this season.
A hat-trick from the irrepressible Ami Takeuchi (pictured below), coupled with braces from Eri Kitagawa and Farah Nurzahirah, as well as Priscille Le Helloco’s first goal of the season, sealed a handsome victory over an Eagles side that had won seven of their previous 10 matches.
The result also saw the Sailors hit the 130-goal mark for the season, a testament to both their attacking firepower and the hard work being put in on the training ground.
Most crucially, the Sailors preserved their superior goal difference in the title race, boasting a +128 differential ahead of Albirex Jurong’s clash against BG Tampines Rovers on Saturday (16 May), with the latter currently on +115.
“We train really hard before every game to sharpen our attacking moves, so definitely how hard we train is reflected in the performance tonight,” reflected Priscille. “As for myself, I’m definitely happy to see some improvements in my game and my ability to help the team.
“But I know I still have a lot to improve on, especially my touches in the final third, and I’m going to keep working on that to contribute even more.”
With several past and present Singapore internationals such as Hamizah Talib, Farhanah Ruhaizat and former Sailor Sarah Zu’riqsha in their ranks, Geylang were always expected to pose a stern challenge. That proved true in a tightly-contested opening half-hour, with the Eagles restricting the Sailors to just a single goal.
The breakthrough arrived in the ninth minute, when Priscille popped up in the six-yard box to turn home Ami’s well-weighted pass after some excellent work down the left by Nur Ain Salleh.
In doing so, the French teenager became the Sailors’ 15th different scorer of the season.
Daniel Ong’s charges then struck twice in quick succession in the 30th and 31st minutes to finally break Geylang’s resistance, with Priscille heavily involved in both goals.
First, she applied a crucial touch after Eri’s inswinging corner caused chaos in the box, allowing Farah to flick home. Moments later, she showed great determination to chase down a loose clearance from Geylang goalkeeper Nurul Illyanis before cutting the ball back from the byline for Eri to finish.
The Sailors headed into the break 5-0 up, with Venetia Lim teeing up Farah for a tight-angled finish in the 38th minute before Ami converted from the spot four minutes later after Nurul fouled Ain in the box.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Geylang continuing to make life difficult for the Sailors despite the scoreline. Alongside captain Umairah Hamdan in central defence, 15-year-old Remi Ogawa once again impressed with an assured display.
“This was definitely not an easy game. Geylang has really strong players, especially Sarah Z. I’ve only trained with her before and never played against her, so I didn’t know what to expect,” shared Remi.
“Playing at centre-back is an important role and comes with pressure, so I’m very happy to have Coach Dan’s trust. Mai has also helped me so much with her ability to read the game.”
The Sailors grabbed their sixth goal in the 60th minute when Ami dusted herself off after being fouled by Nadia Nuraffendi in the area to convert her second penalty of the night. Farah then came close to completing her hat-trick a minute later, only to see her effort crash against the bar.
It was not until the 72nd minute that the Sailors added to their tally again, with Ami slipping Eri through on goal before the latter slalomed past her marker and fired home a low finish for her 26th goal of the season.
Ami then completed her hat-trick two minutes later, latching onto Nurhidayu Naszri’s ball over the top before thumping home her 47th goal of a sensational debut WPL campaign.
Geylang had a chance to pull one back in the 79th minute after Eri was adjudged to have handled the ball while attempting to block Naureen Qadriyah’s shot. Former Sailor Sarah had the chance to score against her old club, but her penalty struck the woodwork and bounced away to safety.
There was also a special moment late on for Alicia Geste (pictured below), who made her WPL debut at the age of 14 to become the 21st Girls Academy graduate to feature for the club in the top flight, further underlining the Sailors’ commitment to developing young talent.
“It’s wonderful to see us continually giving young players opportunities because they can learn so much from playing with class players like Eri and Ami,” said Priscille. “Personally, playing with them has helped me see a whole new level of football and think faster on the ball.
“We’re lucky to have them in the team, and their presence will continue to inspire more young players.”
The Sailors will now take a short break before resuming their WPL campaign in June, beginning with a potentially decisive clash against Albirex Jurong on 12 June.
For Remi, it is the squad’s relentless mentality that could prove decisive in the title race.
“No matter how many goals we score, Coach Dan always tells us to keep a positive mindset, keep pushing and get the best result possible for the team, even in the last few minutes,” she said.
“That mindset is what sets this team apart, and I’m confident we can carry it through until the end of the season.”
The curtain will come down on the 2025/26 season this weekend, as the Lion City Sailors play their final Singapore Premier League (SPL) match of the campaign.
It has been a season of highs and lows for the Sailors. While they clinched back-to-back league titles for the first time in club history, they also fell short of progressing beyond the group stage in both the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Two and ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup.
Midfielder Hami Syahin reflected on the campaign in what was his fourth season with the club.
“There are aspects of the campaign we could have done better, especially in terms of the international competitions, and we’ll look to improve next season,” said the 27-year-old, who made 28 appearances in all competitions this term.
“But to finish the season by retaining our domestic league title is still an important achievement for us, and we want to build on this foundation.”
The Sailors have not looked back since beginning the season on 25 August 2025 with a 2-1 win over Hougang United, chalking up 16 wins and three draws to seal the title with two games to spare earlier this month.
It is no surprise they lead the league in statistics at both ends of the pitch: most goals scored (68) and the fewest goals conceded (11) going into the final weekend of the season.
The strong collective effort has been backed up by a number of standout individual performances across the squad.
Strike duo Lennart Thy and Anderson Lopes have combined for 25 SPL goals this season, while Bart Ramselaar has once again been a creative force in midfield with his tally of 10 assists.
Hami himself has also been a consistent performer and has grown into one of the leaders of the team. With 123 appearances to his name, only three players in the current squad have featured more times for the Sailors.
“I’m satisfied with how the season has gone for me personally, and it’s always an honour to represent this club. The presence of so many quality players in the team definitely pushes you to improve as a player,” said Hami, who has contributed assists across three different competitions in 2025/26.
“It’s a daily challenge because everyone wants to give their best in training. Every session is intense at this club.”
It was a disappointing outing last time out for the Sailors as their hopes of completing an unbeaten league campaign were dashed in a 2-0 defeat to Albirex Niigata (S).
That result has fuelled the team’s determination to regroup and end the season on a positive note as they take on rivals BG Tampines Rovers away at Our Tampines Hub on Sunday (17 May).
The Stags are seeking to seal second place and qualification for the ACL Two, but Hami insists the Sailors are focused solely on ending their season on a high in front of their supporters.
“It was disappointing to lose to Albirex because remaining unbeaten became one of our goals midway through the season. But that’s football — sometimes you win, and sometimes you learn,” acknowledged Hami.
“In football, it’s important we move forward quickly. Tampines have enjoyed a very good season and we have a lot of respect for them, but our focus is on bringing out our style of football and making an enjoyable final game of the season for our fans.”
The Sailors are set to be presented with the SPL trophy following the conclusion of the clash against the Stags, officially marking back-to-back league triumphs for the first time — another milestone that underlines the club’s rapid rise in recent years.
Once the final whistle blows at OTH, the players will then have the chance to celebrate the fruits of their labour with their loved ones and the supporters.
“It’s always an occasion to look forward to — to be able to celebrate a season’s worth of hard work along with the team, our fans, and most importantly our families,” said Hami, a father of two.
“These people are the reason why we push so hard throughout the season, so let’s celebrate this special moment together as one team.”
12 games, 122 goals.
Goals have come thick and fast for the Lion City Sailors Women this season, with the side hitting double figures in seven of their 12 Women’s Premier League (WPL) matches so far.
While Ami Takeuchi leads the league scoring charts with a staggering 44 goals and Eri Kitagawa has added 24 of her own, Farah Nurzahirah has quietly emerged as the WPL’s top local scorer, having netted 14 goals thus far in 2026.
And the 22-year-old, who will look to continue that form when the Sailors take on Geylang on Friday (15 May) night at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium, credits her consistency in front of goal to the hard work being put in on the training ground throughout the season.
“For me, the key has been remaining consistent in training and following the coaches’ plans. We do a lot of passing and shooting drills, which have really helped us in games where we need to stay calm inside the box and create chances,” she explained.
Her tally this season has also been a source of personal pride, although Farah remains determined to keep improving in the weeks ahead.
“It feels amazing to be the local top scorer at the moment because I feel like I’ve put in a lot of effort throughout the season,” said the striker.
“I’m grateful to be contributing to the team, but it doesn’t stop here. There are still more games ahead, and I want to keep getting on the scoresheet.”
Farah’s development this year has also been shaped by playing alongside two of the league’s most prolific attackers in Ami and Eri, whose influence has been central to the Sailors’ dominant campaign.
In fact, Farah’s latest goal — scored in last weekend’s 13-0 victory over BG Tampines Rovers — came from an incisive through ball by Eri.
“Eri has been such a solid player. She contributes so much with her goals and assists, which really help the team,” gushed Farah.
“We need someone like her who can see passes through channels that not many others can. I love playing with her because she’s super tactical and understands the game so well. I’ve learned a lot from her on and off the pitch.”
Farah also revealed how closely she studies both Eri and Ami in a bid to sharpen her own attacking instincts.
“I’ve learned so much from Eri and Ami just by watching them play, especially their movement, how they ask for the ball, and how composed they are in front of goal,” she shared.
“I’ve been trying to improve myself by learning from them because they are both very smart players.”
Friday’s encounter will carry extra significance for Farah as she prepares to face her former club, a side she still holds in high regard after their strong performances this season, which have lifted them to third in the standings with seven wins from 10 matches.
The clash will also see the Sailors face off against a trio of ex-players in Nor Adriana Lim, Nadia Nuraffendi, and recent Geylang signing Sarah Zu’risqha — last season’s WPL Young Player of the Year.
“I’m really happy to see Geylang doing well this season. They’ve always had strong team spirit, and it’s nice to see them growing together as a team,” said Farah.
“But a game is a game, and our focus is to perform well as a team and try to score as many goals as we can.”
Farah is also expecting a stern challenge from a Geylang side she believes has grown significantly over the course of the campaign.
“We’re definitely aware of their work rate. The Geylang players are very hardworking and never stop until the final whistle,” she noted.
“They’re confident on the ball and strong defensively, so we know it won’t be easy.”
Despite the emotions of facing familiar faces, Farah remains fully focused on helping the Sailors maintain their momentum with another commanding display.
“I just want to keep doing the things I’ve been doing and help the team in any way I can,” she said.
“It’ll definitely be a bagful of emotions playing against my former teammates, but I’ll focus on doing my best for the team and concentrating on our performance.”
Sailors’ unbeaten run ends in Albirex defeat
The Lion City Sailors’ hopes of an invincible Singapore Premier League (SPL) season came to an end as they fell to a 2-0 defeat against Albirex Niigata (S) in their penultimate game of the campaign at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Sunday (10 May).
Goals from Shingo Nakano and a Toni Datković own goal meant the recently crowned champions fell short of becoming only the second side in league history to complete a season unbeaten. The Sailors had won 16 and drew three in 19 league matches prior to last night.
Reflecting on the setback, Head Coach Jesús Casas pointed to a lack of clinical edge in front of goal as the decisive factor.
“When you make a lot of changes to the lineup, it is normal for mistakes to happen. We played well in the first half, but they scored two goals from two moments in the second half and won the match,” said the Spaniard.
“We had a lot of opportunities in the second half, but they were the ones who scored more goals than us. All of the players in my squad deserve to play. We’ve already won the title, so it’s a good opportunity to experiment and test some aspects of the team.”
Jesús’s faith in his squad was evident in a local-heavy starting XI, with seven Singaporean players, including Lionel Tan, Akram Azman and Hafiz Nor, being handed starts.
In a classy gesture, the Albirex players formed a guard of honour for the champions as the Sailors walked out with their children.
However, a much-changed Sailors side took time to find their rhythm, with chances at a premium in the opening half. The best opportunity fell to Bart Ramselaar in the 26th minute, but his effort sailed over the bar.
Albirex threatened through Nakano in the 33rd minute after he carved out space in the box, but Ivan Sušak reacted sharply to tip the shot away from goal. Four minutes later, Ryang Hyon-ju had the ball in the net, only for it to be ruled out for offside.
The breakthrough eventually arrived five minutes into the second half, when Ryang delivered a precise cross for Nakano, who guided his header beyond Ivan.
Albirex then doubled their lead just two minutes later. After Ivan saved Ryang’s initial effort at the near post, Sailors loanee Zulqarnaen Suzliman reacted quickest, with the rebound deflecting off Toni and into the net.
Seeking a response, Jesús turned to his bench, introducing Lennart Thy, Kyoga Nakamura and Luka Adžić.
The changes immediately injected urgency into the Sailors’ play, with Luka making an immediate impact, as he surged down the flank in the 57th minute before picking out Lucas Agueiro, whose header was brilliantly repelled by Hassan Sunny.
Luka was involved again moments later, when he latched onto an inch-perfect pass from Kyoga but his effort from a tight angle was kept out by Hassan.
Lennart came closest to pulling one back for the Sailors, striking the post from close range in the 62nd minute before sending a header narrowly over shortly after.
At the other end, Nakano nearly extended Albirex’s lead in the 69th minute, but Ivan produced another fine save to keep the deficit at two.
The Sailors’ hopes of a late comeback were effectively ended when Toni was sent off late on for pulling back Nakano, reducing the hosts to 10 men.
Despite the setback, the result does not overshadow what has been a solid campaign for the champions, who will lift the league trophy after their final match against BG Tampines Rovers at Our Tampines Hub this coming Sunday (17 May).
“As always, we will try to win every match,” said Jesús. “Our last game will be special because we want to say goodbye to the season and the fans with a win. The focus will be on training hard during the week so we can get all three points next week.”
