Category: News
Whether it was on the pitch as teammates or when they lifted the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2023 trophy, everywhere you looked, camaraderie oozed from the Lion City Sailors Women’s Team and it wasn’t only felt within the stadium.
The togetherness got them through their most challenging season yet, and once again – for the last time this season – it pulled them through to victory, solidifying their status as Invincibles for the second year in a row.
The Sailors breezed through with a 6-0 win against Tiong Bahru at Choa Chu Kang stadium on Saturday (25 November), finishing the season unbeaten with 17 wins and only one draw which came against Albirex Niigata (S) in June.
They scored a league-high 73 goals and conceded just two goals all season en route to a second straight WPL title.
The team made sure the pride was shared even with those outside of Singapore. Collecting their winners’ medals, the Sailors women paraded the jerseys of teammates who were either out injured or left the team midway through the season to further their studies or took up scholarships.
The likes of Madison Telmer, Paula Druschke, Ardhra Arul Ganeswaran and Chloe Koh were all not forgotten amidst a joyous night.
“It’s a very different season this year as compared to the last. We had more hardships to overcome this year so it will mean a little bit more this time,” said freshly-minted Deloitte WPL Coach of The Year, Yeong Sheau Shyan as she referred to their depleted squad.
Despite her years of experience, Sheau Shyan learned something wildly different from her players this season.
“There wasn’t much to manage on the bench due to our numbers, so it came down to how to motivate them on the pitch and how to manage their feelings. Those are things that I’ve never really needed to do, because it was always more about football,” said Sheau Shyan.
“But this year I learned how to be more human.”
Madelin Lock – who played her final game in a Lion City Sailors shirt – captivated the stands with a hat-trick, ending her football journey on a high. The 16-year-old has made a decision to focus on basketball, a dream that she hopes leads her to a professional career in the United States.
“It’s a great honour to be crowned champions – the feeling is indescribable. It’s something I will never forget,” said the Sailors Girls’ Academy graduate, who also represents Singapore basketball on the global stage.
“It feels very bittersweet. I’m going to miss my teammates so much and I’ll continue to support them whenever I can.”
It was clear the Sailors were firing on all cylinders and controlled the game in the first half. First blood was eventually drawn in the 19th minute, when Lila Tan’s cross was tapped in by a Tiong Bahru player.
Madelin got her first of the evening in the 34th minute with the help of Nur Syazwani Ruzi, whose driven pass into the box allowed for a straightforward tap in.
Nica Siy added a third just before half time when Ernie Sulastri Sontaril’s cross threatened Tiong Bahru’s custodian. Unable to hold on to the ball, it fell perfectly for Nica whose finish made it 3-0.
It took only five minutes after the game’s restart for Madelin to find the back of the net once more as the teenager’s curling shot from just outside the box found its way into the top corner.
Like clockwork, the goals began racking up. Lila – whose initial shot was bravely saved – made no mistake when given the opportunity for a rebound.
When The Sailors were awarded a penalty in the 63rd minute, they made sure the departing Madelin was given the chance to complete her hat-trick.
And take that chance she did.
“I didn’t expect the hat-trick. Shout out to my teammates, especially Ernie who let me take the penalty. I’m very grateful for that because she could have scored instead,” said Madelin, who finished an impressive season as the team’s joint third-highest scorer with seven goals.
“It was a testament to our closeness. This just shows that despite the challenges, if we have good team spirit, we can pull through anything. From everyone on the bench, to all our physiotherapists and coaches, everyone needed to believe that we can win.”
In what was a familiar scene all season, the Sailors only managed three players on the bench against Tiong Bahru, a test Sheau Shyan and her team could not escape.
“Halfway through the season, we realised we only had one or two substitutes for the remainder of the year. The biggest challenge was when we had none,” said Sheau Shyan sheepishly.
“The players had to execute the game plans, I can only come up with it. How well they followed them through, how they adapted and how they turned it around on the pitch, that was all them.”
One point. That was all the Lion City Sailors needed against Hougang United to guarantee themselves passage into the semi-finals of the Singapore Cup.
And though it proved to be tough going, the Sailors did manage to earn that all-important point with a 1-1 draw at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday evening (25 Nov) to reach the next stage of the competition – as winners of their group, no less.
Just like in the last time out in the Cup when the Sailors defeated Tanjong Pagar United, forward Shawal Anuar came off the bench to rescue the Sailors – courtesy of a 83rd-minute goal to cancel out Dorde Maksimovic’s fifth-minute opener for Hougang.
With a crucial 2023/24 Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Group F fixture against Bangkok United on the horizon, Sailors head coach Aleksandar Ranković opted to rest some of his key players, such as captain Hariss Harun, Chris van Huizen and Shawal who were all heavily involved in international duty for Singapore over the last couple of weeks.
Instead, it was a relatively unfamiliar team that took to the pitch, with the likes of midfielder Rusyaidi Salime – making his first-ever start for the Sailors – 15-year-old Nathan Mao, and Haiqal Pashia all starting for Ranko’s side.
Midfielder M Anumanthan was also deployed in a different role on the night, the 29-year-old was charged to marshal the Sailors backline alongside centre-back Lionel Tan.
These changes meant the Sailors needed some time to settle in, but it took just five minutes for Hougang to take the lead.
A through-ball from Nazrul Nazari was misjudged by Anu, and Cheetahs striker Maksimovic stole in behind the Sailors defence to calmly slot the ball in between the legs of goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud.
The dust had barely settled before the home team nearly doubled their advantage – this time, it was Maksimovic who turned provider, as his cutback found its way to Hazzuwan Halim in the box, but the midfielder’s shot lacked conviction and trickled into the hands of Izwan.
Hougang continued to threaten, and it was Hazzuwan again who came close in the 19th minute with a long-range effort that Izwan did well to tip over the bar.
The subsequent corner saw Hougang defender Naoki Kuriyama rise above the rest to head the ball towards goal. However, it struck the post before being eventually cleared by the Sailors’ defence.
It took 30 minutes before the Sailors had their first meaningful effort on goal. Finding himself with space in the box, Diego Lopes turned and fired a snap shot at goal, but it took a deflection and the ball was comfortably collected by Hougang goalkeeper Zaiful Nizam.
But Hougang, the reigning Singapore Cup champions, continued to look the more dangerous side, and they were awarded a spot-kick in the 33rd minute when Anu was adjudged to have tripped Sahil Suhaimi in the box.
After a lengthy VAR review, however, the decision was overturned, as it was found that Maksimovic had handled the ball in the build-up to the penalty decision.
It was a huge let-off for the Sailors. But it seemed to galvanise them as well, as Ranko’s men started to assert their dominance on the game.
Unsurprisingly, it was the newly-crowned AIA Player of the Year, Maxime Lestienne – Sailors’ captain on the night – who nearly drew the Sailors level on the stroke of half-time with a brilliant effort from outside the box that Zaiful had to claw away at full-stretch.
In a bid to rescue a point, Ranko rang the changes at the break, bringing on both Shawal and Adam Swandi in place of Nathan and Rusyaidi. It seemed to work, as the Sailors continued to put pressure on Marko Kraljević’s charges in the second half.
But the Hougang defence held firm, and chances for either side were far and few between.
Nonetheless, Diego thought he had earned the Sailors a penalty in the 75th minute after being hauled down by Jordan Vestering in the box. Following a VAR review, however, it was deemed that there was not enough in the challenge for a spot-kick to be awarded.
The Sailors survived yet another close call in the 81st minute, as they failed to deal with a cross that somewhat fortuitously found its way to Naoki in the box, but the Japanese snatched at his chance and sent the ball wide.
That miss proved costly for Hougang, as barely a couple of minutes later, Shawal came up with a stupendous header to knock Maxime’s pinpoint free-kick past Man-of-the-Match Zaiful to draw the Sailors level.
Neither side was able to find the winner in the closing stages of the game, but it mattered not, as the draw meant both teams would progress from the group stage – the Sailors finished top of Group B on seven points, while Hougang claimed second spot on four.
Both Balestier Khalsa and Tanjong Pagar are a point behind, in third and fourth respectively.
Though the Sailors were far from their best on the night, Ranko remained unperturbed, as he attributed their uncharacteristically disjointed display to the changes made to the team.
He said: “Honestly, I knew it would be a tough game because we had a lot of players coming back from National Team duty and were a bit fatigued, so I wanted to rest a couple of guys. Overall, I am satisfied with certain moments of the game, though there were times I felt less pleased.
“Of course, we also knew that we were virtually already through to the semis (of the Singapore Cup). And so, it can be difficult for the players to find motivation, especially when we have a very important game (against Bangkok) coming up.”
When asked how he felt about the prospect of facing either Tampines Rovers or Albirex Niigata (S) in the Singapore Cup semis, Ranko insisted that his Sailors must be fully focused on the crucial ACL game away at Bangkok next Wednesday (29 November).
“This (Singapore Cup) game is finished, so I’m not going to focus on the competition for now…when the semi-finals come along, we’ll prepare for them,” said Ranko. “At this moment, our focus is only on our next game, which is against Bangkok United in the ACL.”
Fresh off scoring for the national team and claiming a spot in the AIA Singapore Premier League (SPL) Team of the Year for the second time in his career, Lion City Sailors forward Shawal Anuar wants to end off a memorable week with a victory against defending Singapore Cup champions Hougang United on Saturday (25 November) evening at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
The 32-year-old, who netted against Thailand in the group stage of their second-round 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, expressed the team’s target of topping Group B of the Singapore Cup.
Aleksandar Ranković’s men are currently in the driver’s seat to qualify for the semi-finals, with six points from two group matches while Hougang and Tanjong Pagar lie behind with three points apiece.
“It’s been an amazing year for me, all the way from when I got my first start for the Sailors to now scoring goals for both club and country. Getting into the Team of the Year is definitely the best moment till date and I want to go for more,” Shawal said.
“We have to take one match at a time, we’re aiming to win the Singapore Cup so our mindset will be to focus fully on this match.”
He also warned his team against complacency, noting that Hougang can pose a threat to the Sailors’ qualifying hopes. After all, he was part of the team in 2022 which lifted the trophy with the Cheetahs.
“We want to keep the winning momentum in the Cup going, but we’re not going to underestimate our opponents. The ball is round and we just have to play like how we’re used to,” he said.
Teammate Lionel Tan, who was also part of Hougang’s Cup winning squad in 2022, echoed Shawal’s sentiments.
“It doesn’t matter that it’s my former team, because you want to win every single game in football,” the 26-year-old centre-back said.
“Knowing this team, I know they certainly want to qualify for the semi-finals too. We’re expecting a difficult game, but we’re ready to face them.”
With 10 players returning from international duty after defeats against South Korea and Thailand, fatigue could well be a factor. But Lionel and Shawal insist that the team will be fully prepared for Saturday’s clash.
“Physically, it’s all about recovering well for those of us who played in both games. We also need to be mentally strong and quickly switch our attention to club duties, starting with the game on Saturday,” Lionel said.
“It’s all about getting the team back together, we don’t have a lot of time to prepare for this match. This team has worked together for a long time and we know what each of us are supposed to do.”
Although the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) 2023/24 Group F match away to Bangkok United comes just four days (29 November) after the Hougang clash, Lionel is confident that his Sailors are able to adapt to playing games in quick succession.
“In the last couple of months, we’ve been playing several matches. Mentally, we must be ready for every single match and cope with the pressure that comes with it, especially with games coming up so quickly,” he said.
“We’re now one step into the semi-finals, it’s now our job to ensure we get the three points and make it through.”
Meanwhile, Shawal will be looking to continue his goal-scoring streak, having also scored thrice in the Sailors’ previous Singapore Cup 4-1 win over Tanjong Pagar United on 21 October.
“Hat-tricks are never my target, but when I have the opportunities to score I’ll take them and continue my scoring streak,” said Shawal.
“We won’t be taking it this easy this weekend, especially with the ACL match coming up. We want to bring a positive momentum to Bangkok too.”
The 2023 Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title is in the bag, and with the Lion City Sailors’ coronation just days away, Ernie Sulastri Sontaril looked back on what has been a character-defining season for every Sailor involved with the Women’s Team.
Ahead of the season’s final game this Saturday (25 November) against Tiong Bahru at Choa Chu Kang Stadium, the Sailors skipper’s proudest moment this season is not exactly a single moment, but a resilience – across the entire team – that has peppered what has been a challenging year.
“The team showed bravery throughout the season to win the league for a second consecutive year, especially with some of our key players missing due to injury or overseas scholarships,” said Ernie.
“No matter what the obstacles were, we went through thick and thin together. We needed to adapt and build chemistry with the new players. It was great to see our young Sailors building more confidence, even scoring in matches. They will keep the Sailors’ legacy going.”
Several times across the season, the Sailors bench could only pull together just two or three players due to the slew of injuries suffered. For the veteran, resilience and trust is what encapsulated the team’s spirit this season, and – should the Sailors avoid defeat on Saturday – key factors behind what could be a second consecutive Invincible season.
“What kept us going was the belief we had in each other on the pitch. We always encouraged each other. Whenever someone made a mistake, we simply covered them and fought as a team,” said the 35-year-old.
“The idea is to just stick to our game plan and enjoy this last match. I’m looking forward to finishing with a positive result and no injuries.
“This season’s trophy lift will be emotional as we won’t have many players present in person but I believe their heart and soul will be. We have something special planned to honour them on Saturday too.”
Often standing alongside Ernie in the Sailors’ defence, Munirah Mohamad shares Ernie’s bittersweet memory of depleted matchday squads.
“It is definitely going to be an incredible feeling lifting the trophy on Saturday. When we think about all the injuries, not having players on the bench and even being forced to try out new positions, the hard work and dedication from the team has really paid off,” said Munirah.
“We always found ways to overcome obstacles that were thrown our way and kept a positive mindset throughout the season.
“The seniors and juniors learned a lot from each other while training together. The youngsters are better than us in certain aspects and the seniors were able to share our experience with them,” added the 26-year-old.
The job is not yet done however, as Tiong Bahru lies in wait.
“We are not going to be complacent. Even though we are already champions, we are going to continue to play with the same mentality that we have throughout what has been a challenging season, and finish the year with the same spirit.”
The Lion City Sailors were well represented at the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) Awards Night 2023 – held at Orchard Hotel on Thursday (24 November) night, with a slew of Sailors recognised for an excellent 2023.
All eyes were on Maxime Lestienne, who was the favourite to win the AIA Player of the Year after a stellar season which saw him delivering 25 goals and 21 assists – both league-topping tallies. And there was little surprise when he beat Balestier Khalsa’s Ryoya Taniguchi and Albirex Niigata (S)’s Seia Kunori to the most prestigious prize of the night.
On top of receiving the Top Scorer award, the brilliant Belgian was also named in the SPL Team of the Year along with two other Sailors – Diego Lopes and Shawal Anuar, who was second in the league’s assist charts with 13, and the joint-top local scorer alongside teammate Abdul Rasaq Akeem with 10 goals.
Going home with three individual trophies in the bag, Maxime was pleased but turned his focus back to the football pitch.
“I’m very happy and proud to win this trophy. I enjoy this individual honour, but all year me and my teammates have worked hard together – so this victory is about them too. Without them, I cannot win this,” said Maxime.
“But now my focus is very much on the next two to three weeks – we’re aiming to win the Singapore Cup and we want to qualify for the last 16 of the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Champions League as well. These are big goals for me and the team to go for.”
In leading the Sailors Women’s Team to a second successive Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title, Yeong Sheau Shyan staved off competition from Hougang United’s Sivaraj Geevananthan and Tanjong Pagar United’s Samawira Basri to retain the WPL Coach of the Year gong she won in 2022.
In a season that saw the Women’s Team have to cope with several absences due to mid-season player departures and youngsters leaving for overseas scholarships or studies, the 45-year-old was able to improvise and inspire her charges to an outstanding season, winning 16 matches and drawing one with one remaining match left to go.
FAS Awards Night 2023: Photos courtesy of FAS
There were no individual awards for the women players, with Izzati Rosni and Syazwani Ruzi both losing out in the Deloitte WPL Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards respectively.
“I was quite sad for Wani because I thought she deserved a chance; she has improved so much, she truly stepped up this season and has become a leader on the pitch for us despite her young age,” said Sheau Shyan. “But besides that disappointment, I have to say it was really a huge team effort this year.
“Last year was different – we had 20 over players to call upon, there were quality players to come off the bench if anyone from the first 11 was tiring. This year, we had to work with a skeleton squad of 12 to 13 players on an average on matchday and that was really difficult to plan. But the players were resolute and carried out whatever game plan I had for them, so I have to dedicate my win to them.”
Sailors Women’s Team goalkeeper Noor Kusumawati Rosman picked up a FAS Special Award for sporting excellence in Singapore football, rounding off an eventful decade-long career with 51 caps with the Lionesses – the second-highest capped women’s player in Singapore behind Ernie Sulastri Sontaril.
Rounding up the club’s list of award winners, there was also double joy for the Sailors media team that swept all available media awards for the very first time.
Kenneth Tan’s story titled: Yes, we work like women – and it’s been wildly effective, that turned the spotlight on the contributions of two females in the Sailors ranks, was named the Story of the Year, while Ashok Kumar’s photo of Maxime in full flight at the Bishan Stadium, with the caption: Beguiling mix of Belgian muscle and magic, took the Photo of the Year award.
Sailors’ Winners for FAS Awards Night 2023
AIA Player of the Year: Maxime Lestienne
SPL Top Scorer: Maxime Lestienne (Winner)
SPL Team of the Year: Maxime Lestienne, Diego Lopes, Shawal Anuar
WPL Coach of the Year: Yeong Sheau Shyan
FAS Special Award, Sporting Excellence in Singapore Football (51 National Team Caps): Noor Kusumawati Rosman
Story of the Year: Yes, we work like women – and it’s been wildly effective by Kenneth Tan
Photo of the Year: Beguiling mix of Belgian muscle and magic by Ashok Kumar
Mattar Road to host WomanGoal Global Draft
This December, the Lion City Sailors Training Centre at Mattar Road will play host to WomanGoal, the Spanish platform that looks to contribute to the global professionalisation of women’s football through the WomanGoal Global Draft.
Singapore is the sixth of 17 stops of the Global Draft that will traverse five continents, with the Lion City its first foray into Asia. The Draft will go to Japan in 2024.
In addition to unearthing talent, the Draft aims to support the 360-degree development of women footballers in preparation for the challenges around professional football, including the creation of a personal brand.
At the Singapore Draft, five players will be pre-selected alongside an additional one or two who will all have the opportunity to represent Singapore in the final Draft that will take place in the Spanish capital of Madrid where leading Spanish clubs will have direct interaction with the players in question.
Between the WomanGoal Singapore Draft and the Final Draft in Madrid, the finalist players from the 17 countries will have the opportunity to tap on WomanGoal’s expertise across the various facets of the football business.
“This is a great opportunity for female players in Singapore to show what they can do, and perhaps earn a professional contract in Europe,” said Sailors’ Women’s Team Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan.
“We are delighted to be able to support WomanGoal’s efforts in Singapore and do our part to further the women’s game here and across the globe.
“I know we have talent in Singapore, and I hope female players here come out to show WomanGoal selectors what they’ve got and grab this great opportunity.”
Trials are free of charge and are open to players aged 17 and above. Interested trialists will need to fill up this form to register their interest.
For more information go to: https://womangoal.com/en/
Singapore Draft details:
Date: 8 and 9 December 2023
Time: 6pm – 9pm on each day
Location: Lion City Sailors Training Centre, 8 Mattar Road, Singapore 387727
The Lion City Sailors Women’s Team needed to dig deep and turn in a gritty, spirited performance to eke out a 1-0 win against Hougang United at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Sunday (19 November).
The Sailors had already secured their second Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) crown after beating Geylang International 11-0 on 5 November, but were tasked with the additional mission of getting through their last two league matches to secure a second unbeaten season in domestic football.
And they responded with a steely grit worthy of back to back WPL champions.
Nur Syazwani Ruzi — WPL Young Player of the Year nominee for 23 November’s Football Association of Singapore (FAS) Awards Night 2023 — converted a penalty late in the second half to claim the only goal on a night that saw more stout defending than goal scoring opportunities for both sides.
With compact defending by the Sailors and the Cheetahs in the first half, there were few good opportunities in front of goal. While the Sailors had more possession of the ball, Hougang’s relentless pressing made it difficult for Sailors’ Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan and her charges to find a breakthrough in the final third of the pitch.
“Credit to Hougang, they made it hard for us the entire match. It was impossible to get any rhythm or flow in the game as the ball was booted away as soon as it landed,” said Sheau Shyan.
But the Sailors did carve out a couple of half chances in the first half. A speedy run down the left flank and then a smart cut-back by Cara Chang found Miray Altun, but the latter’s shot was blocked. Skipper Ernie Sulastri Sontaril also tried her luck from long range twice, but to no avail.
“We prepared to play in a tight space and compact block for this match but what we could not replicate in practice was how aggressive they put their bodies on the line and legs into every challenge,” Sheau Shyan added. “I would say that we did prepare the team to stick with our style regardless of the frustration felt.”
Instrumental in helping to keep a clean sheet against the Hougang United team was centre-back Sara Hayduchok, who assertively shut down several Cheetahs’ attacks. Working alongside fellow defenders Syazwani, Munirah Mohamad and Ernie as well as goalkeeper Beatrice Tan — who all put in gutsy performances — Sara made her presence felt on the pitch.
“The first few minutes scared me actually because Hougang came out really strong, pressing us with a lot of intensity,” Sara admitted. However, after getting her first few touches on the ball, Sara soon settled into the game.
“Years of training help me to be strong in tackles physically,” Sara said. “However, when it comes to mentality, I always go into tackles with confidence and strategically put my body in a position that protects myself from potential injury.”
Pointing out that the Sailors had to learn to work in crowded spaces due to Hougang’s deep defensive block, Sara shared that the team has been focused on maintaining possession in these tight areas. “We also prepared defensively for a lot of long balls as we know Hougang is a fit team that can send the ball a considerable distance,” Sara added.
Fullback Tia Foong came on as a substitute in the second half and proved to be a lively force going forward, slipping in a well-timed pass to find Josephine Ang in the final third, with the latter’s shot zipping just wide of the goal.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 82nd minute with Syazwani calmly converting a penalty after Sara was brought down in the box.
Syazwani has found a knack for scoring game-winning goals from the penalty spot, after previously snatching the Sailors’ only goal in a similar fashion during a tightly-contested match against Tanjong Pagar.
The Sailors will close out their season on Saturday (25 Nov) against Tiong Bahru at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium.
“I would like to end the season with another win but most importantly, I hope we can play the last match in the style we want,” said Sheau Shyan.
The Lion City Sailors are well represented among those gunning for the honour of being named Singapore football’s best performers of 2023, with eight nominations on the Football Association of Singapore’s (FAS) list of nominees for the FAS Awards Night 2023.
Maxime Lestienne followed up an outstanding 2022 season with yet another sensational year in Singapore football. His 25 goals and 21 assists saw him top the Singapore Premier League’s goal-scoring and assist charts this season, with the beguiling Belgian also instrumental in the Sailors’ Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) campaign that has already seen the team beat two-time ACL winners, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
For the second time in successive years, the magical Maxime was named as one of three players nominated for the AIA Player of the Year (POTY) award. The 31-year-old – who has forced his name into local pundits’ arguments for best foreign player to grace Singapore football – will be up against Balestier Khalsa’s Ryoya Taniguchi and Seia Kunori from Albirex Niigata (S).
Kunori has also been nominated for the AIA Young Player of the Year (YPOTY) gong, alongside Sailors’ own 22-year-old forward Abdul Rasaq and Brunei DPMM’s Hakeme Yazid.
Rasaq is the top local goalscorer in the SPL, his 10-goal haul including a sensational volley that sealed the Sailors 3-2 win over Albirex in May.
The Sailors women – back to back champions of the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) – have representatives in all the top three awards in women’s football.
Izzati Rosni is nominated for the Deloitte Player of the Year award for the second successive year. While she did not win the 2022 award that went to Tanjong Pagar’s Manami Fukuzawa, Izzati was the top scorer and won the Goal of the Year gong last year.
Syazwani Ruzi has been nominated for the Young Player of the Year award, following a season that saw the 21-year-old defender stand up to be counted in a season that saw the Sailors women lose several players to long-term injuries as well as overseas work and education opportunities.
Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan, the 2022 WPL Coach of the Year, is up for the award again this year. She is up against Hougang United’s Sivaraj Geevananthan and Tanjong Pagar United coach, Samawira Basri.
The Sailors’ media team is, for the first time, among the contenders on the FAS Awards Night.
A story from the Sailors’ International Women’s Day special, the Yes, I play like a girl series titled: Yes, we work like women – and it’s been wildly effective is one of two features stories – along with a story delving into Izwan Mahbud return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury titled: I feel like a kid again: Izwan Mahbud back and ready to rediscover old groove – up for the Story of the Year award.
An Ashok Kumar photo of Maxime in full flight at the Bishan Stadium with the caption: Beguiling mix of Belgian muscle and magic is up for the Photo of the Year award.
The FAS Awards Night will be held on 23 November at the Orchard Hotel, with the theme: Unity.
Sailors’ nominees for FAS Awards Night 2023
AIA Player of the Year: Maxime Lestienne
AIA Young Player of the Year: Abdul Rasaq
SPL Top Scorer: Maxime Lestienne (Winner)
Deloitte WPL Player of the Year: Izzati Rosni
WPL Young Player of the Year: Syazwani Ruzi
WPL Coach of the Year: Yeong Sheau Shyan
Story of the Year: Yes, we work like women – and it’s been wildly effective and I feel like a kid again: Izwan Mahbud back and ready to rediscover old groove both by Kenneth Tan
Photo of the Year: Beguiling mix of Belgian muscle and magic by Ashok Kumar
Miray Altun netted a brace in last Sunday’s (5 November) Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) 11-0 win over Geylang International that sealed the title for the Lion City Sailors, with those goals taking her season tally to eight, the Sailors’ second highest goal tally behind Izzati Rosni’s 12.
And while the 18-year-old is hoping to keep up with her goal scoring form when the women take on Hougang United on Sunday (19 Nov) at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium, it is clear that the forward’s drive for team success trumps any ranking or goal scoring feats.
“I hope to contribute more to the team in the last two games by assisting and scoring in any given opportunity, and I am happy that I was able to contribute more than I did last year,” said Miray.
“But I believe it is a team effort, because at the end of the day, what matters is our total goals and the points we can gain per match.
“I’m not really keen on comparing myself to my teammates because we’re all skilful players in our own right. I am a competitive person but it’s really competing against myself.”
While Miray credits Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan’s training for her success in front of goal, Miray has added her own personal touch to a training system she believes has been effective.
“The training helps me in terms of learning how to get into open spaces and go into shooting positions more smoothly,” said the forward.
“What I’ve been doing differently from last year is having visualisation training where I picture myself scoring. I do that more actively now than ever and I think it is working.”
Looking ahead to facing an in-form Hougang side, Miray and the team have their eyes on three points and a clean sheet.
“Our team is different from the last time we played against Hougang in July because we have lost some players through injury and other commitments. The team dynamic has changed but Coach Sheau Shyan has given us new adaptations to make,” said Miray.
“We know that Hougang has a solid defence, but I am quite excited to see how we can break through them. We need to keep the same intensity we had this whole season and minimise mistakes so we don’t concede goals.”
Fellow forward Nica Siy was part of last weekend’s skeleton squad – the women only managed 11 players on the day, and not all of them were fully fit – when she returned to action after missing several games due to work commitments. Available for selection against Hougang, the mid-season signing called for her teammates to complete the job in a season that has witnessed consistently excellent performances.
“We’ve been unbeaten throughout the season and we would like to maintain that. We’re determined to finish the season with the same level of excellence that got us the title,” said Nica who signed with the Sailors women earlier this year, in August.
The Philippines-born forward got her first goal for the club last Sunday, making her the 19th Sailor to score this season.
“It was a remarkable experience and marked a significant moment in my journey with the team. The goal made me feel like I’m back in the groove,” she gushed.
“Playing in Singapore has been an incredible journey. I’ve enjoyed every moment of evolving alongside my teammates and embracing the unique spirit of this country. With just two games remaining, my focus is to continue improving, maintain a high performance and contribute to our team’s success.”
After referee Mooud Bonyadifard blew the full-time whistle at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Wednesday (8 November), a deafening roar reverberated around the entire ground as fans applauded the players off the pitch and reveled in the winning atmosphere.
The Lion City Sailors beat South Korean giants Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2-0 in a crucial Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) 2023/24 Group F clash, and the impact of that result was not lost on anyone present at Jalan Besar.
Richairo Živković’s brace means Aleksandar Ranković’s Sailors sit third in the group with six points after four matches, behind Jeonbuk only on goal difference.
The win revives the Sailors’ hopes of progressing into the next round, with leaders Bangkok United (10 points) and bottom placed Kitchee SC (1 point) playing out a 1-1 draw in the group’s other match on Wednesday.
The winners of each group and three best runners-up from each region advance to the Round of 16.
Against the nine-time K League 1 winners and two-time ACL champions, the Sailors put in a solid all-rounded display in front of a boisterous crowd of 3,562 fans.
The figure included some 100 Team Nila volunteers, as well as German legend and South Korea’s national team coach Jürgen Klinsmann, who was here on a scouting mission ahead of the Taegeuk Warriors’ World Cup qualifying game against Singapore on 16 November.
It was a much improved result from two weeks ago when Jeonbuk defeated the Sailors 3-0 at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.
Ranko was satisfied with how his charges bounced back from the loss.
“We gave the perfect response which was really necessary. I want the players to realise the significance of what they’ve done,” the 45-year-old Serb said at the post-match press conference.
Man-of-the-match Richi added: “We played very well from our goalkeeper all the way to the forwards. We executed our game plan well.”
Sailors fans, who will be feeling a sense of déjà vu after defeating fellow South Korean outfit Daegu FC 3-0 in the ACL group stage last year, will have much to cheer about this time round.
This comes after they were unable to witness that victory up close due to Covid-19 restrictions causing matches to be played at a neutral venue in 2022.
Ranko reserved special praise for the fans decked in blue and white, who turned out in droves and never failed to cheer throughout the 90 minutes.
“The supporters were tremendous, they helped us a lot and they’re a part of our club, in the way they support us, even in away games,” he noted.
“I hope we gave them something they could be proud of, and I hope to see at every game we play that we have crowds like this, not only in the ACL but in the league and Singapore Cup as well.”
The Sailors opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. Maxime Lestienne’s cross-field pass found Shawal Anuar, who leaped above his defender and nodded the ball into Richi’s path. The 27-year-old Curaçaon international finished with aplomb, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
The lead was doubled 10 minutes into the second half after Richi played a one-two with Shawal and curled the ball into the corner beyond Jeonbuk goalkeeper Jeong Min Ki’s reach.
Jeonbuk were given a lifeline in the dying stages of the game when Sailors centre-back Manuel Herrera López (Súper) was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area, but Gustavo Henrique Sousa’s penalty was high and wide of Zharfan Rohaizad’s goal.
There was still time for a heartwarming moment at Jalan Besar as striker Kodai Tanaka made his first appearance since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in March as a substitute two minutes into stoppage time.
The Sailors’ organised shape while defending was enough for them to pull off the win in the end, a fact Jeonbuk Head Coach Dan Petrescu credited the home side for.
“The Sailors have good foreign players and also locals who are part of the national team. They defended well for 90 minutes and we couldn’t find space to attack,” said the former Chelsea man.
For the Sailors, the two remaining games in the continental competition will be crucial – they will next take on group leaders Bangkok away on 29 November before hosting Hong Kong champions Kitchee SC on 13 December.
“The main thing we spoke about last week was to at least take something away from this game, so I’m very happy we’re still in the running to progress to the knockout phase,” said Ranko.
But next up for the Sailors is a Singapore Cup Group B clash against Hougang United at Jalan Besar on 21 November. They will be looking to reach the maximum nine points as they aim to top the group.
“First I need to refresh my guys, then we’ll focus on the Cup game before turning our attention to the away game against Bangkok,” said Ranko.
