Category: News
It was not to be for the Lion City Sailors in their final match of the 2023 season as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to Kitchee SC in their Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Group F clash at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Wednesday (13 December).
Fresh off clinching the Singapore Cup four days earlier, Aleksandar Ranković’s team could not find a way past their Hong Kong opponents and were ultimately unsuccessful in their bid to set a new record for the maximum number of points a Singaporean team has attained in the ACL group stage.
The Sailors finished in third place with six points, one short of the record they set in their maiden ACL voyage in 2022, while Kitchee finished bottom with four.
Both teams were already out of contention for qualification for the Round of 16, but it was Kitchee who came out of the blocks with more intent and created numerous chances early on.
“We should never be finding reasons why we lost a game, that will take credit away from the opponents. We were nervous at the start and that affected us,” he said.
“We controlled the match at the start of the second half but when that second goal went in, we knew it would be tough.”
After two shots on target from Fernando and Tan Chun Lok in the opening minutes, Kitchee opened the scoring in the 11th minute with Sailors full-back Christopher van Huizen unfortunately putting through his own net while trying to clear a cross.
The Sailors took time to grow into the game, eventually finding their feet in an otherwise uneventful first half.
They started the stronger of both sides after the break, with Shawal Anuar drawing a save from Wang Zhenpeng in the 52th minute after being found by Kodai Tanaka, who made his first start since his successful recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury he sustained in March.
The 39-year-old Wang made another crucial stop seven minutes later, tipping over Shawal’s header that was destined for the top corner.
However it was Kitchee who doubled their lead in the 74th minute, with Fernando gliding into the box to slot the ball into the bottom corner.
There was also time for Sailors old boy Kim Shin-wook to come on for Kitchee, with the striker returning to the pitch he scored several goals on and subsequently getting a standing ovation from the home fans.
The 35-year-old scored 24 goals in 35 appearances for the Sailors in 2022, before leaving to join Kitchee earlier this year.
After a grueling season, Ranko expressed the need for a reset as the team heads into the off-season.
“We’ve played so many games especially in the last month, we’ll go on vacation first then see the group of players I have and prepare for next season,” he said.
Sailors eyeing ACL legacy
The Lion City Sailors may be out of the running to qualify for the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) 2023/24 knockout stages, but Wednesday’s clash against Kitchee SC at the Jalan Besar Stadium still holds much meaning.
Aleksandar Ranković’s team have their eyes set on writing their names into the Singapore football history books – by setting a new record for the maximum number of points a Singaporean team has attained in the ACL group stage.
The Sailors are third in Group F with six points, and a win in what is their last competitive game of the season will ensure they break their own record of seven from last year’s campaign.
Although Kitchee are also not in contention to make the next round, sitting bottom of Group F with one point, the match is still set to be a tightly contested affair.
“We deserved a better result against Bangkok, but we’re totally prepared and motivated for this match. We want to finish strong, especially after the Singapore Cup final, and we want maximum points from tomorrow’s match,” said Ranko, adamant that his charges are not still swooning over the weekend’s Cup Final victory, and instead are determined to bounce back from the loss against Group F leaders Bangkok United on 29 November.
“With the format change in the ACL (the Sailors will be in the ACL2 next season), this will be our last chance in this competition and we want to leave our own legacy.”
Defender Lionel Tan added that national pride also serves as encouragement for the team.
“We’re out there to get every possible point and do our best not just for the club, but for the whole of Singapore. We’re very motivated to do our best and thank the fans for their overwhelming support during the Cup final,” the 26-year-old said.
Although the Sailors picked up a 2-1 win in October at the Hong Kong Stadium, they are not taking anything for granted, and instead are wary of the threats Kitchee pose.
The away side are enjoying a strong start to their domestic season, sitting second in the Hong Kong Premier League after eight matches and qualifying for the Hong Kong Senior Shield final.
Interim coach Kim Dong-jin was adamant that they have only one goal on their minds on Wednesday – win.
“We didn’t win the last five games (in this competition), so I want a win tomorrow although we lost against them previously. The Sailors are in good form having won the Cup with a good atmosphere and have strong foreign attacking players, so we need to be good defensively,” said the former South Korean international.
They will be missing key players though, with Brazilian goalkeeper Paulo César, compatriots Mikael and Juninho, as well as Turkmenistan winger Ruslan Mingazov ruled out through suspensions and injuries, while new acquisition Sherzod Temirov is not in the matchday squad.
However, Kitchee have an in-form man in Austrian Jakob Jantscher, who has scored in his last four ACL appearances, including against the Sailors.
They are also boosted by Sailors old boy Kim Shin-wook’s return from injury, with coach Kim hinting at a possible start for the 35-year-old striker.
“I brought him here because we need him and he has experience playing in this country and on this pitch. I know he scored 21 league goals here (in 2022), so I’m sure he can score tomorrow,” he said.
The Sailors are well familiar with Shin-wook’s quality – he racked up a total of 24 goals in 35 appearances in a Lion City Sailors shirt in 2022, including a stunning acrobatic volley on his Sailors debut in a 2-1 win over Albirex Niigata (S) in last year’s AIA Community Shield, inspiring the Sailors to its first Community Shield win in its history.
“We have to be aware of what he can do, he’s strong and big, he has a lot of experience and is a quality player. Many of our players have played with him and they are aware of that,” Ranko said.
“Our motivation tomorrow is still to make sure we set the record number of ACL points, and represent Singapore football well.”
Singapore Cup champions!
The huge smile on the face of Lion City Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković when the final whistle blew at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday (9 December) night said it all.
This was, after all, the perfect way for his team to end what had been a long and gruelling season – with a win, a trophy, and a new entry in the Sailors’ history book as the 2023 Singapore Cup winners.
Up against defending champions Hougang United in the final, Ranko’s men produced a professional and clinical display to secure a 3-1 win to clinch their first-ever Singapore Cup.
And for Ranko, this was the perfect way for the Sailors to bring their domestic season to a close.
“I’m proud of these boys and what they did this year. I know it’s not been easy for them, especially with the change of coach in the middle of the season, and having to play in three competitions,” Ranko said.
“But credit to them, they’ve worked hard and I’m very proud of what they’ve achieved today. This Singapore Cup is the cherry on top of our season, and it’s a great way to finish the year.”
Reflecting on the cup win, Sailors captain Hariss Harun said: “It’s fantastic for us, for the club, and I think we deserve to lift this cup. Throughout the tournament, we’ve showed great consistency…we were always determined to get the right results, and that’s what matters most.”
There was more than one record that was broken on the night, as Nathan Mao became the youngest-ever player, at 15 years and 258 days old, to feature in a Singapore Cup final.
Despite his youth, and the magnitude of the occasion, Ranko chose to keep faith in him as the Serb named an unchanged side from the one that beat Tampines 3-0 in the second-leg of the Cup semis on Wednesday (6 Dec).
And it seemed to pay off, as the Sailors started the brighter against an Hougang side that were content to sit deep and keep things tight at the back.
It took 17 minutes for the Sailors to fashion their first goalscoring opportunity as Maxime Lestienne beat his defender in the box and fired a fierce shot with his weaker right foot that forced Hougang goalkeeper Zaiful Nizam into a smart save.
But the Sailors did not have to wait long for the breakthrough. Four minutes later, they were awarded a penalty after Hougang defender Naoki Kuriyama was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.
Despite a lengthy VAR review which took approximately five minutes, Richairo Živković kept his concentration and confidently dispatched the spot-kick into the bottom corner.
The goal seemed to spur Hougang, and they began pushing forward in search of the equaliser.
While the Sailors no longer enjoyed as much of the possession, they looked threatening whenever they went forward, and in the 41st minute, they got the all-important second goal, albeit in slightly fortuitous circumstances.
Receiving the ball on the right in the box, Maxime – the newly-crowned AIA Player of the Year – cut inside onto his favoured left foot before firing a shot that took a huge deflection off Kuriyama and ended in the back of the net.
Lionel Tan almost made it three for the Sailors against his former side right before half-time when he jumped highest to meet Chris van Huizen’s cross, but his looping header went just over the bar.
With a comfortable two-goal lead, control was the name of the game for the Sailors after the break, and they executed that perfectly, keeping Hougang comfortably at bay for the majority of the second-half.
Barring a few half-chances, Marko Kraljević’s side did not trouble Izwan Mahbud in the Sailors goal.
All hopes of an Hougang comeback were put to rest in the 80th minute when Maxime threaded a superb through ball for substitute Shawal Anuar, who rounded Zaiful before finishing with aplomb.
That was the 32-year-old’s sixth goal in the Singapore Cup this campaign and incredibly all six were scored off the bench, as he finished as the tournament’s joint-top scorer along with Richi.
Hougang did manage to get on the scoresheet in the 91st minute through a Kazuma Takayama header, but it proved to be no more than a consolation as the Sailors held on to secure the victory.
“If you look at the whole match, I think we deserved the win,” Ranko mused. “We started a little bit nervous, which is normal because it’s a huge game. We also used a lot of energy in the semis, and that might have been a factor, but I think throughout the whole game we didn’t give Hougang many chances.
“This win is for everybody at the club, the staff, our owners, and our fans. Everyone has contributed, and they deserve this trophy.”
More importantly, Ranko believes that winning the Singapore Cup will be the launchpad for the Sailors to achieve greater things next season.
He said: “Winning the Singapore Premier League (SPL) is our main goal next season. Apart from winning this cup, we finished second in the SPL, and I think we represented Singapore well in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL).
“So, this is a good foundation that we can build on for next season, and we have a good group of players. Everybody will want to prove themselves against us next year, and that’s a challenge we have to deal with.”
Max hell-bent on ending trophy drought
Trudging off the Bishan Stadium pitch on Wednesday (6 December) night, Maxime Lestienne cut a disappointed figure as he was substituted by Adam Swandi with less than 10 minutes to go in the Lion City Sailors’ 3-0 second-leg victory over Tampines Rovers in the 2023 Singapore Cup semi-finals.
The result meant the Sailors romped into the final with a convincing 6-3 aggregate victory, but the Belgian – the reigning Singapore Premier League (SPL) Player of the Year (POTY) who raised the bar with league-high tallies of goals and assists – was unhappy with the level of his individual performance.
“The team played a very good game on Wednesday; everyone played with a lot of determination and focus. Defensively we were top, offensively we created a lot of opportunities and could have scored more. But for myself, I think I should have contributed more,” he said.
“I missed five to six chances to score and I’m disappointed with myself. But I believe I’m a big player and maybe the goals will come in the final.”
A hungry and determined Maxime is eager to make his mark in the club’s first-ever Singapore Cup final appearance when they take on holders Hougang United at Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday (6 December) night.
The former PSV Eindhoven attacker has done much since joining the Sailors in February 2022, lighting up the league with goals and assists, landing a number of Player of the Month trophies in addition to the 2023 POTY award.
What has eluded him thus far is team silverware.
“We haven’t been able to win something important for the last couple of years and that’s something that is often on my mind. Our supporters have been behind us through the ups and downs, so we want to win the Cup to give them something,” he declared.
“Hougang is not an easy opponent, but I’m sure if we play like we did against Tampines and give everything on the pitch, we’ll win this game. Every single one of us must show up and show how much this means to us.”
Captain Hariss Harun sang from the same hymn book as he urged his troops to follow up on the accomplished display against the Stags to create history for the club.
“This is huge for us as we need to win something this year,” admitted the 33-year-old. “This season, we set out to win everything ahead of us – the league (SPL) was a little bit disappointing for us, we pushed as far as we could but weren’t able to win it. For our ACL (Asian Football Confederation Champions League) campaign, it wasn’t too bad but we were ultimately unable to qualify for the Round of 16.
“This is our last chance to cap the year off with something tangible, so we need to bring our A-game, just like how we controlled the tempo against Tampines. If we can do that in the final, then I’m sure we’ll get the job done.”
‘Perfect’ Sailors book place in SG Cup final
The Lion City Sailors are now just one game away from closing out the 2023 season with silverware, after they secured their spot in the Singapore Cup final with a 6-3 aggregate semi-final win over Tampines Rovers.
Both teams had played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first-leg of the semis at Our Tampines Hub on Sunday (3 Dec) evening, which meant it was all to play for when they met again in the second-leg at Bishan Stadium on Wednesday (6 Dec) night.
But while the first-leg was evenly-matched, the second-leg ended up being a straightforward 3-0 victory for a dominant Sailors side who barely gave Gavin Lee’s side a sniff throughout the 90 minutes.
Indeed, Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković hailed his side’s display against Tampines as “perfect”, as he said: “I’m delighted with the performance today. We played a perfect match, from the beginning to the end, and everyone did well.
“We dominated Tampines all over the pitch, and the only thing that I can maybe be critical of is that we should have scored more goals.”
The Sailors set the tone for the rest of the game as early as the second minute, when M. Anumanthan won the ball in midfield with a strong tackle, before laying it off to Diego Lopes. The Brazilian carried the ball forward before setting Richairo Živković free down the right, and the 27-year-old made no mistake with his finish to give the Sailors the lead.
The bright start seemed to destabilise the visitors, and they were fortunate not to go further behind soon after, as both Richi and Nathan Mao missed two good goalscoring opportunities in the first 10 minutes of the game.
In the 14th minute, Richi broke free of the Tampines defence once more after being set up by Anu, but he could only send his effort straight at goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari from a tight angle.
Syazwan was called into action again five minutes later, as he dove low to save Maxime Lestienne’s effort from range that seemed destined for the bottom corner.
As much as the Tampines defence seemed to be at sixes-and-sevens, the Sailors themselves were playing some beautiful football – this was best encapsulated by a superb one-touch passing move between Richi, Maxime, and Diego in the 39th minute that led to the Brazilian firing a shot that deflected just wide of the goal.
Despite their dominance, however, the Sailors were unable to add to their one-goal lead by half-time.
But any fears that Tampines would come out of the break recharged were put to bed within 10 minutes of the second half, as the Sailors continued to find space in behind the Stags, and could have easily added to their tally but for some errant finishing from Maxime and good goalkeeping by Syazwan.
But the Sailors’ all-important second goal finally came in the 59th minute, when Richi cut past his marker on the left before curling the ball into the bottom corner.
That was the 27-year-old’s 14th goal in 17 appearances in all competitions since joining the Sailors in July during the mid-season transfer window.
Seven minutes later, the Sailors all but wrapped up the win with a third goal, as Diego latched onto Maxime’s through pass before lashing the ball past a rooted Syazwan.
Tampines’ dismal night was made worse in the 89th minute when Shah Shahiran received his marching orders for a second bookable offence, after he hauled back Sailors substitute Shawal Anuar from racing through on goal.
At the end of game, the Sailors had racked up 25 shots to Tampines’ five – a statistic that starkly highlighted their dominance on the night.
“After the first-leg of the semi-final, everyone was unhappy because we knew we didn’t play our game,” reflected Man-of-the-Match Richi. “It was very difficult against Tampines (in the first leg), so we spoke with each other, changed some things, and I think today everyone played well.
“We started today with four defenders, compared to the five in the first-leg. Hariss (Harun) played very well in midfield, and we were good in between the lines. We created a lot of chances and capitalised on their mistakes.”
The Sailors will now take on defending champions Hougang United – who beat Brunei DPMM 3-0 on aggregate in the other semis – in the final at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday (9 Dec) night.
Looking ahead to that match, Ranko said: “I think playing in a cup final is a great way to finish the season. We haven’t had much time to think about our opponents in the final yet, as we were focused on beating Tampines.
“But now, we’re going to work hard to prepare for Hougang, who, as defending champions, will certainly give us a stern test.”
Banking on Bishan and a battling approach
Conceding a late equaliser at Our Tampines Hub on Sunday (3 December) was undoubtedly a disappointment for the Lion City Sailors as a helter-skelter first leg of the 2023 Singapore Cup semi-final ended 3-3.
But a draw is hardly the worst result to bring back to Bishan Stadium as the Sailors play hosts to Tampines Rovers for the second leg on Wednesday (6 December) night.
In 13 home games across the Singapore Premier League and Singapore Cup competitions in 2023, the Sailors have won 11 and lost just one.
Midfield playmaker Adam Swandi firmly believes that the Bishan fortress will help his Sailors put a gritty Stags side to the sword.
“We’re always confident enough going out for every match but playing at Bishan gives us a sense of home and that something extra – and teams know we’re not easily defeated in this stadium. So, we have to use that to our advantage,” said the 27-year-old.
“We have an incredible set of fans in The Crew and they’re always behind us. With them behind us and pushing us from the stands, we’ll definitely go out with everything we’ve got and get the win for them.”
Full-back Harith Kanadi has only been with the Sailors for four months since joining in August but has already embraced the Sailors’ philosophy of demanding excellence and success.
“The fact that we’re all disappointed with the draw shows the hunger and desire in this team. Everyone here has set high goals for themselves and the team. So it’s no secret that all of us want to go to the final and win a trophy for this club and for our fans.”
To do so, the Sailors will need to be on top of their game against a quality Tampines side and require big performances from all – including Adam and Harith.
In his first start since September 16, Adam put up a purposeful shift in the fierce midfield battle against the Stags’ Kyoga Nakamura and Shah Shahiran, and he is prepared to do it all again to ensure the Sailors progress into the final.
“Everyone in the league knows Tampines is a good passing team which likes to play the ball around and capitalise down the middle. I thought I did okay to help the team defend and stop some attacks, but I definitely want to do better in the second leg,” said the Singapore international.
“As a team, we gave them a bit too much space to create chances in the first half although we did much better and rectified that issue in the second half. We have to be 100 percent focused and make sure they don’t find as much joy in attack.”
Harith acquitted himself well against Faris Ramli in his first-ever Sailors start, and he is hungry for more in the second leg on Wednesday.
“It was definitely a sweet moment for me because I’ve waited patiently for this opportunity for some time and it came in a huge game – a Cup semi-final. Honestly I was struggling a bit for match fitness, but playing with the likes of Bailey (Wright), Hariss (Harun) and Diego (Lopes) helped me to boost my confidence. They were very encouraging and helped me a lot throughout the game,” said the 23-year-old, whose last start came in late July when he was still with Young Lions.
“Of course there are areas in which I could have done better, but I’m satisfied with the runout that I had and the feedback I’ve got from the coaches has also been great. Now my job is to get fully prepared for this second leg and help the team get into the final on Saturday.
Twice, the Lion City Sailors took the lead against Tampines Rovers in the first-leg of their 2023 Singapore Cup semi-final on Sunday (3 Dec) evening.
Twice, however, the Sailors found themselves pegged back by a resilient Stags side, as both teams played out an entertaining 3-3 draw at Our Tampines Hub (OTH).
It was a result that Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković was far from pleased with, although he admitted his players were not at their physical best, owing to fatigue from having played a gruelling midweek Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) tie away against Bangkok United.
“It was not a good result. I expected more, especially after we took the lead twice,” reflected the Serb. “We had to control the game and try to go for another goal. We were not as aggressive, but maybe it’s due to fatigue.
“The positive from this game is how some of the guys performed, like Shawal Anuar and our captain (Hariss Harun). They played really well, so that’s the example I think all the players should follow.”
Indeed, it was Tampines who flew out of the blocks and opened the scoring after just three minutes through Joel Chew, who rifled the ball into the back of the net from just inside the box after the Sailors failed to clear their lines from a short corner routine.
But the home side’s lead lasted all of three minutes, as Shah Shahiran was robbed in his own penalty box by Sailors midfielder M. Anumanthan, who then calmly slotted the ball past Tampines goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari to level the score.
Ranko’s charges then took the lead in the 13th minute when centre-back Bailey Wright, making his first start for the Sailors after returning from injury, jumped highest at the back post to head home from Maxime Lestienne’s corner.
Given the pulsating, back-and-forth nature of the game, it did not take long for another twist in the tale to occur – this time, it was former Sailors man Faris Ramli who bundled the ball into the net after a scramble in the box following a corner.
Faris’ joy, however, was short-lived, as the referee ruled out the goal following a VAR check which showed that Tampines striker Boris Kopitović had handled the ball in the build-up.
But Faris did eventually get his goal just 12 minutes later. A long shot from Joel was palmed away by Sailors custodian Izwan Mahbud, and Faris reacted quickest to get to the rebound before curling the ball into the bottom corner from a tight angle.
Now with momentum on their side, Tampines almost took the lead in first-half stoppage time via a clinical counter-attack that ended with Saifullah Akbar firing Faris’ cut-back just wide of Izwan’s goal.
Saifullah came close again barely three minutes later, as his shot from the edge of the box took a series of deflections that almost creeped into the bottom corner, but Izwan managed to react in the nick of time to palm it away onto the post, before Bailey recovered to clear it out for a corner.
With Tampines in the ascendancy at the end of the half, Ranko rang the changes at the break to try and regain control of the game, as both Harith Kanadi and Lionel Tan came off for Shawal Anuar and Chris van Huizen.
And the changes paid dividends just three minutes into the second half, with Shawal deftly taking down Maxime’s lobbed through pass and coolly taking the ball past Syazwan, before tapping it into an empty net.
That was the third straight Singapore Cup game in which the Singapore international had scored after coming on as a second-half substitute.
Though Tampines boasted much of the possession thereafter, Shawal’s pace and direct style continued to be a thorn in their side. And the 32-year-old very nearly doubled his goal tally in the 62nd minute, as he latched onto an Adam Swandi through pass and rounded Syazwan, but before he could pull the trigger, Tampines defender Shuya Yamashita slid in to poke the ball away for a corner.
The Sailors, however, noticeably faded as the half wore on, and this ultimately proved costly in the 82nd minute as Boris ghosted into the box to divert Faris’ low cross into the net.
Tampines continued to put pressure on the Sailors backline in search of a winner, and they came close to finding it in the second minute of stoppage time, but Boris’ free-kick from just outside the box was well saved by Izwan.
The game eventually ended 3-3, leaving things finely-poised ahead of the second leg of the semi-final at the Bishan Stadium on Wednesday (6 Dec) night.
Appreciating the significance of that match – the Singapore Cup is the last opportunity for the Sailors to win silverware this season – Ranko declared that his side would do all they can to come out top in the second leg.
He said: “We’re going to rest, recover, and we’ll start again tomorrow. Our objective is clear – we want to go through to the final, that’s the main goal, and we’ll do everything we can to ensure that happens.”
Bailey’s back and buzzing
A 1-0 away defeat to Bangkok United the last time out in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) was not a pleasant one for everyone associated to the Lion City Sailors, but for Bailey Wright – it represents a fresh opportunity to hit the reset button and put himself in the reckoning for selection for what is still an exciting end to the season.
Marking his return from injury by coming on as a late substitute, the Socceroos centre-back played out the final 11 minutes of the match (including injury time) and looked sprightly.
There will be four matches between now and 13 December, possibly including the club’s first-ever Singapore Cup final appearance on the cards.
Bailey missed a large chunk of the ACL 2023/24 campaign due to a spate of injuries, but he is now raring to go to make up for lost time – starting from the first leg of the Singapore Cup semi-final tie away against Tampines Rovers at Our Tampines Hub on Sunday (3 December).
“When you come into any club, the way to establish yourself is on the football pitch and taking on the responsibility to produce great performances for the team. Injuries stopped me from doing that and there’s this sense of guilt that I couldn’t deliver more for the fans,” said the 31-year-old, who has scored two goals in six Sailors appearances so far.
“I must thank everybody who has helped me get back to fitness. I’m now feeling really good and hopefully the injuries are now behind me. I’m looking forward to helping the team as much as I can in this final stretch and play every minute possible if I can.”
After seeing their hopes of qualification for the ACL’s Round of 16 extinguished on Wednesday (29 November) night, the Sailors now turn their attention to a tough two-legged tie against Tampines – the second-highest ranked local side behind the Sailors in the 2023 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season.
Bailey urged his teammates to batten down the hatches for what is the Sailors’ last chance for silverware in 2023.
“It’s disappointing that we couldn’t progress further in the ACL but we have to keep our heads up. There are still important games ahead of us, a lot of pride at stake, a lot more that can be achieved and a trophy to play for, so that’s massive motivation for me and the team,” said the Australian, who played in the last encounter with the Stags at OTH in August with the Sailors coming away with a handsome 5-2 victory in the SPL.
“Tampines are a good footballing side and they are in the semi-finals for a reason, but we’re growing as a team and we’re high in confidence right now. First and foremost, we have to work hard and fight for the badge so that we can get into the final.”
Defender Christopher van Huizen sang from the same hymn book and has vowed to do everything to ensure the Sailors will play the final on the 9th.
“I couldn’t really sleep after the Bangkok game. I felt we really stuck to our game plan and did everything we could, but sometimes football is decided by such fine margins. Whatever it is, it’s in the past and we have to recover quickly for the Singapore Cup,” said the 31-year-old.
“I joined the club this season to win trophies and that target has not changed. If everyone stays physically and mentally concentrated, and continues to give 100 percent, we can win the Cup. From now on, every game is a final and we don’t want to let any other team get their hands on the cup so we have to shine.”
Backed by an ever-supportive Crew who brought the proper Sailors ruckus from local stadiums to arenas miles away in Hong Kong, Korea and Thailand over the past couple of months, the Sailors know they to repay the fans for their fervent and unwavering support across 2023.
“I’ve been amazed by the support and I didn’t expect that many people to come. Even in the second half when I was playing far away from the away end, I could hear their cheers and chants. I was feeling so down after the match, but they were all there cheering and encouraging us when we walked up to our bus,” said Chris of the match against Bangkok United.
“We’re really blessed that we have such tremendous fans, who are there for us win, lose or draw, and we definitely owe them something.”
Bailey agreed, saying, “That’s what you play football for, to feel the love from your supporters and we certainly felt their affection. You can see how much the team means to them and we want to show how massively appreciative we are of them as well – and that means delivering the Cup for them.”
Sailors’ ACL dream comes to a cruel end
One crucial save. One vital goal. All within the span of three decisive minutes.
And just like that, the Lion City Sailors’ 2023/24 Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) campaign came to a crashing halt.
Following Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors’ 2-1 win over Kitchee FC earlier in the day (29 November), both Bangkok United and the Sailors knew exactly what they needed to achieve when they faced each other in front of the 2,093-strong crowd at the Thammasat Stadium.
For the former, a draw would be enough to book them a place in the next round, while a win would ensure they top Group F. The Sailors, on the other hand, had to avoid defeat to keep their hopes in the competition alive.
Nonetheless, Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković insisted he was proud of his players for the effort they put in on the night.
“It’s a difficult result of course, but I see the way my team played and I’m very proud of them,” said Ranko. “They give their all, and at the end of the game some of them were so tired they couldn’t walk anymore.
“I think our game plan worked perfectly. We made it very difficult for the home team, we didn’t allow them any clear-cut chances, and it hurts that they scored from a free-kick.”
Though the Thai outfit needed only a point to advance from the group stage, it was clear from the first whistle that they were intent on getting all three points, as they pinned the Sailors in their own half in the early stages of the game.
The hosts earned five corners in the first 15 minutes alone, although they failed to capitalise on any of them.
This was in large part due to the Sailors’ disciplined defensive shape, with the likes of Pedro Henrique, Hariss Harun, and Lionel Tan – in for the suspended Manuel Herrera López (Súper) – superbly keeping Totchtawan Sripan’s side at bay.
The first real chance of the game came in the 21st minute, when a superb counter-attack by Bangkok United led to Willen Mota firing a snapshot that was well blocked by Lionel. The loose ball eventually fell to Amadou Soukouna, who tried his luck from range, but this time, it was Rui Pires who came to the rescue as he bravely put his body on the line to deflect the ball out for a corner.
Barring a few other half-chances, that was about as good as it got for the hosts in a cagey first-half that would have left the raucous travelling fans – all 80-odd of them – happier than their Thai counterparts.
However, Bangkok came out in the second half determined to change that, and within two minutes, came close to opening the scoring when Pokkaw A-Nan sent a shot from outside the box just wide of goal.
In the 57th minute, the Sailors created their first significant goal-scoring opportunity through a cleverly executed quick free-kick routine that caught the Bangkok defence off guard and resulted in Maxime Lestienne curling his shot just wide of the post.
Three minutes later, the Bangkok Angels thought they finally had the lead when Thossawat Limwanasathian ghosted in behind the Sailors defence to send a looping header over Zharfan Rohaizad and into the back of the net.
However, the home team’s celebrations were cut short when a VAR review showed that the midfielder was marginally offside, and the goal was rightfully chalked off.
As the clock ticked down, Bangkok began to commit more men forward to try and get the opening goal, and they very nearly succeeded in the 79th minute through Rungrath Poomchantuek, whose shot from just inside the box was cleared off the line by Pedro.
Then came the three-minute period of the game that ultimately decided the fate of both teams.
The first incident of note occurred in the 83rd minute, when a superb ball from Rui set Shawal Anuar through and bearing down on the Bangkok goal, but goalkeeper Patiwat Khammai spread himself to save the close-range shot and prevent the Sailors from going in front.
Shawal did not know it then, but that save would go on to prove extremely costly for the Sailors.
Just three minutes later, Bangkok were awarded a free-kick just outside the box. Rungrath stepped up confidently, and curled the ball over the Sailors wall and past a rooted Zharfan to give the Thai side the lead.
It was a lead that Bangkok never relinquished, and despite playing eight minutes of additional time, the Sailors simply could not find the crucial equaliser that would have saved their campaign.
The defeat leaves the Sailors – who take on Kitchee in their final ACL group game on 13 December – third in the table on six points, three behind Jeonbuk, and a further four behind Bangkok United.
With Jeonbuk boasting a superior head-to-head record, it means that the Sailors will not be able to overtake the Korean side, and as such, can no longer progress to the next stage of the competition.
“We had our chances…and the one that Shawal had was crucial,” said Ranko. “But I cannot fault him (for not scoring) because he tried his best.”
The Sailors will now turn their attention to Tampines Rovers, who they face this Sunday (3 Dec) evening at Our Tampines Hub in the first-leg of the 2023 Singapore Cup semi-finals.
And Sailors captain Hariss Harun urged his teammates to put this defeat behind them and work towards ending the season on the high by winning the Singapore Cup.
“Losing tonight is a bit harsh on the team as everyone worked hard, but we now have to look forward to the next game,” Hariss declared.
“I think overall the team has done relatively well this season. We are still in the Singapore Cup, so we hope to finish the season on a high in the next two weeks.”
With two matches left to go in the group stages of the 2023/24 Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) campaign, the Lion City Sailors remain well in the hunt to qualify for the last 16 of Asia’s premier club competition.
Bangkok United lead Group F with 10 points, while the Sailors are on six points, level with K League giants Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. Hong Kong’s Kitchee SC are in fourth spot.
The five group winners and three best runners-up from each region progress to the next stage.
The Sailors’ next task in the ACL will not come any easier, lining up against high-flying Bangkok United away at the Thammasat Stadium tonight (29 November).
The Bangkok Angels are unbeaten in 15 matches across four competitions this season, currently leading the way in Thai League 1 with seven wins and two draws.
The Sailors know they will have to mix it up with the best to prove their credentials in this competition, and Hariss Harun and his Sailors have already shown they can, even managing wins against some of the best on the continent.
Buoyant Sailors
Earlier in November they stunned the region by defeating two-time ACL winners Jeonbuk 2-0 at the Jalan Besar Stadium, courtesy of a Richairo Živković’s brace.
The win reignited the Sailors’ ambitious bid to become the first Singapore club to qualify for the ACL Round of 16 and that possibility puts a spring in Zharfan Rohaizad’s step.
“The target is always to create history for not just the club, but also Singapore football,” said the goalkeeper.
“We’ve given ourselves a great chance with that victory over Jeonbuk, and we need to keep fighting. We’re treating this Bangkok United game like a final: it’s a do-or-die match for us. All the boys are raring to go and we’re here to give them a good fight.”
Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković is equally bullish about his side’s chances despite an enforced change at the heart of the Sailors’ defence: Manuel Herrera López (Súper) is ruled out through suspension.
“We know what kind of opponent we’re coming up against – Bangkok is not currently top of Group F by chance and that says a lot. We have a lot of respect for them.
“But we’ve also shown throughout this campaign that we’ve been competitive – except for the 3-0 away loss against Jeonbuk – and we have a good group of players, we’ll have somebody to come in to do the job of Súper.
“We’ve prepared very well as a team and I’m confident of our chances.”
A clean sheet against Jeonbuk meant Zharfan became only the third Singaporean goalkeeper to record a shutout in the ACL – after Shahril Jantan (SAFFC, 2010) and Hassan Sunny (Sailors Class of 2022) – and he is hungry for more, although it will be a hard task against an on-song Bangkok United.
Totchtawan Sripan’s side have failed to score in only one match this season, and those 14 scoring matches included a brilliant 3-2 scalp of Jeonbuk in early October.
Bangkok’s goal threat is spread across the entire team. Former Vasco da Gama forward Willen Mota and Swedish-born Palestinian winger Mahmoud Eid are the obvious dangermen, but Thai winger Rungrath Poomchantuek is also a tricky customer who already has two ACL goals this season.
Centre-back and captain Everton Gonçalves is also a danger in front of goal. He has scored four in all competitions – most off set-piece situations – with one goal coming in the 2-1 win over the Sailors on Matchday One.
“That wasn’t nice, to lose on the opening matchday in front of our home fans – so revenge is definitely on our minds,” said Zharfan.
“The clean sheet against Jeonbuk was one of my biggest achievements in football, no doubt. But my focus is on the bigger picture to help us get the three points, especially in these crucial games.
“We’ve been training very well in every aspect of the game and Coach Ranko has been drilling us hard to cope with their goal-scoring threats. I know that each and everyone of us is ready to go out there to give our best.”
Slight stutter in Bangkok’s stride
Bangkok has had an impressive season thus far, but have found the going tough in their last couple of matches, dropping points in two 1-1 draws – at home against Kitchee SC in the ACL and Nakhon Pathom United in the Thai League 1 – both times after taking the lead.
Perhaps compounding matters for the Thai side, influential midfielder Thitiphan Puangchan who netted a scorching winner at Jalan Besar, is ruled out for the foreseeable future after sustaining a serious knee injury against Kitchee in late October.
The importance that Bangkok has vested in this clash is perhaps clearly illustrated in the decision of Head Coach Totchtawan resting key duo Nitipong Selanon and Suphan Thongsong in last Friday’s (24 Nov) Thai League 1 clash against Nakhon Pathom.
Nonetheless, the former Thai international is determined to get the win over the Sailors that will ensure they top Group F and secure their first-ever appearance in the ACL Round of 16.
“We rested the national team players and had some injured players coming back, but we’re all ready to get the win to guarantee our place in the knockout stages. We dropped points in our last two matches, yes, but that’s normal in football. It’s not affecting our team’s confidence and the path that we want to take,” said Totchtawan.
“Lion City Sailors have momentum on their side and are high in confidence, so we’re not taking them for granted. We’ve analysed their strengths and weaknesses, so we’re ready to take the three points.”
Right-back Nitipong Selanon, a Thai international who played against several Sailors in Thailand’s 3-1 win over Singapore at Kallang just a week ago along with Thongsong, is well aware of the threat the Sailors pose.
“With the national team, we’ve actually analysed the Lion City Sailors as an opponent so I know they have very good players – two that I can name are the Singapore captain Hariss Harun and no. 7 Shawal Anuar. But I know there are many other good players in this team.”
Frenetic end to 2023
Having secured their passage into the Singapore Cup semi-finals following the 1-1 draw with Hougang over the weekend, the Sailors are set for a frenetic end to the season.
Ranko’s charges will have to contend with five matches in a space of 15 days between 29 Nov and 13 Dec, with possibly a first-ever Singapore Cup Final appearance on the cards.
The Serb wants his charges to be motivated by the prospect of glory, instead of worrying about fatigue.
“It’s an exciting time for everyone associated with the club and we’ll have to plan carefully on the players’ physical load. But for the players, I think they would rather play a game every three days instead of only having training sessions. I’m sure they’re all up for this.”
With the Sailors’ Bangkok Special Operations Team already settled in Pathum Thani and a number of other members of the Crew also flying up, the Sailors will be backed by a decent away end in Thammasat Stadium tomorrow and Zharfan is ready to repay the fans’ strong show of support.
“For the fans who’ve come here, we couldn’t be more grateful for your support and it means a lot to us,” said the Singapore international.
“Your presence will give us the fire and desire to do something on the pitch tomorrow, and we promise to put on a good show and make your time here worthwhile.”
