Category: News
10 Lion City Sailors players have been named in Takayuki Nishigaya’s 28-strong Singapore National Team’s squad which will take on Tajikistan and Chinese Taipei in the September FIFA international window.
Lions captain Hariss Harun along with seven others – Lionel Tan, M. Anumanthan, Hafiz Nor, Hami Syahin, Adam Swandi, Shawal Anuar, as well as custodian Zharfan Rohaizad – kept their places in the squad after being called up for June’s friendlies against Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.
Meanwhile there are also deserved recalls for defenders Christopher van Huizen and Zulqarnaen Suzliman after recent strong displays for the Sailors.
Chris was one of Singapore’s best performers in the 2022 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Mitsubishi Electric Cup, but failed to get the nod for the March and June international windows while losing his first-team spot after an enterprising start to his Sailors career.
But the 30-year-old buckled down and produced an accomplished performance against Tottenham Hotspur in the Tiger Cup to impress Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković. He has since started the last three Singapore Premier League matches, with sparkling displays and scored his first goal in Sailors colours in the 8-2 drubbing of Hougang United.
Now back into the national fold, Chris wants to add to his tally of 13 caps and cement his spot in the setup.
“It was disappointing not to get called up in June because every call-up counts. Playing for the country is something that means the world to me and I want to keep this as a consistent thing in my career,” said the full-back.
“I was feeling really down back then, but that didn’t stop me from working hard and pushing even harder in training. I was so pleased when Coach Ranko gave me the chance to start against Spurs and I didn’t look back from there. Being in the starting 11 for the last few games is obviously a great feeling and I’m just so stoked to get back into the national team.
“My focus now is to do well for the Lions and also for the club in the upcoming AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Champions League.”
After missing much of the 2022 campaign through injury, Zulqarnaen has enjoyed a strong 2023 season, making a total of 17 appearances, earning him his first call-up since being named in the pandemic-delayed edition of the 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup that was played in 2021.
“I’m so happy and proud to be back and putting on national colours. I’m getting more confident with more playing time, although I came off the bench quite a few times. There’s a saying that I truly believe in – ‘keep going no matter how short the minutes you get, because every second counts’,” said the 25-year-old, whose last and 21st cap came in the Lions’ 4-2 defeat to Indonesia in December 2021.
“Given our squad depth at the Sailors, you have to fight for your spot and I’ve been trying my best to do so. I hope to play as many minutes as I can in these two upcoming international friendlies and I’m going to do what I do best – making runs down my flank and putting in crucial tackles to help the team.”
The Lions will take on Tajikistan on Friday, 8 Sep before entertaining Chinese Taipei four days later on Tuesday, 12 Sep.
Both matches will be played at Bishan Stadium.
The Lion City Sailors will face opposition from South Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong in their second foray into the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL).
This was revealed earlier this afternoon (24 August) following the Group Stage draw for the 2023/24 season of Asia’s flagship club competition which took place in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
The Sailors, who qualified courtesy of finishing as the top-ranked local side in the 2022 Singapore Premier League season, are placed in Group F (East Zone) along with two-time ACL champions and 2022 K League runners-up Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, 2022-23 Thai League 1 runners-up Bangkok United, and 2022-23 Hong Kong champions Kitchee SC.
The 21st edition of the ACL marks the first time that the competition will be played in an Autumn-Spring calendar, between September 2023 to May 2024 and reverts to the popular home-and-away format for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
It continues in the expanded field of 40 teams first introduced in 2021, with the East and West regions featuring five groups of four teams. The five group winners and the best three runner-ups from each region will advance into the Round of 16.
Group-stage matches will be played between 19 September to 13 December – and will for the first time in the history of the competition, utilise the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology.
Matches from the Round of 16 till the semi-finals take place next February to April, with the two-legged final scheduled for 11 and 18 May 2024.
Placed in a challenging group, the Sailors will look to build on an encouraging maiden voyage in the ACL last season – where they acquitted themselves well with some assured performances and achieved the best-ever points tally – seven – by a Singapore club in the competition’s group stage.
They can also count on a squad brimming with European pedigree. Aleksandar Ranković’s side brought in the likes of former Portugal youth captain Rui Pires, ex-Ajax Amsterdam forward Richairo Živković and current Socceroos defender Bailey Wright in mid-season, bolstering a side that already boasts former PSV Eindhoven winger Maxime Lestienne and a host of experienced Singapore internationals.
Sailors vice-captain Hafiz Nor is excited at the prospect of going up against the continent’s elite once again and is confident the team has what it takes to mix it up with the very best.
“Our performances in the ACL last season have given us the confidence and platform to build on. While we have quite a different team this season, I’ve every confidence in us to do well again and even do better than the previous time,” said the 35-year-old, who is one of the most experienced players in the ranks alongside Hariss Harun.
“We’ve a good blend of hungry young players eager to prove themselves and experienced seniors who have played at the highest level. The team has been progressing and peaking well to finish the SPL season very strongly.
“Everyone’s just working so hard to prepare for our second ACL campaign and the target is obvious: to qualify for the Round of 16 for the first time.”
The Lion City Sailors are targeting an improved showing in their second Singapore Cup campaign which kicks off next month, after the conclusion of the 2023 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season on 16 September.
Aleksandar Ranković’s side will face holders Hougang United, Balestier Khalsa and Tanjong Pagar United in Group B, following a virtual draw ceremony held at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday (24 August) afternoon.
Meanwhile Group A see reigning SPL champions Albirex Niigata (S) face Geylang International, Young Lions, Brunei DPMM and Tampines Rovers.
Group stage matches will be played between 24 September to 26 November, with exact fixtures to be announced at a later date.
The top two of each group will progress to the two-legged semi-finals, scheduled on 3 and 6 December. The grand final will be played on 9 Dec at Jalan Besar.
Sailors captain Hariss Harun has called for strong performances in the Singapore Cup, especially after a disappointing debut campaign in 2022 that saw the club fail to get out of the group stages – finishing third behind Albirex and Balestier in Group A.
“We let our fans and ourselves down last season. We ought to do better this time round and we’re determined to go all the way this year,” said the 32-year-old.
“It won’t be easy as we’ll be juggling our commitments in the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Champions League while the Singapore Cup is going on. But there can be no excuses – we’re going out there to try and achieve history by winning the club’s first-ever Singapore Cup.”
The Lion City Sailors Women have moved to add depth and variation to their frontline with the signing of former Kaya FC-Iloilo forward Nica Siy.
The 25-year-old Filipino is the Sailors’ second and final signing of the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) mid-season transfer window after Sara Hayduchok, with Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan looking to add a different dimension to the Sailors’ attack alongside the likes of Nur Izzati Rosni and Lila Tan.
“Nica comes in very handy in our attack with her adaptability on both flanks and through the middle as well,” explained the 45-year-old, pointing to the departure of Chloe Koh and Ardhra Arul Ganeswaran who left for the USA, joining the IMG Academy under Unleash the Roar! scholarships.
“We’ll need to constantly find new solutions to score and she will be very helpful in this aspect.”
Nica comes with pedigree, she was named Rookie of the Year while on scholarship with Ateneo de Manila University and was shortlisted for the trials to represent Philippines at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games.
However, she turned down that opportunity to pursue her academic dreams at the University of Melbourne where she led the university football team to three consecutive Victoria Premier League championships.
She then joined Kaya’s Women Team upon graduating in 2021 and played alongside Philippines’ World Cup captain Hali Long. Nica’s Kaya Women’s side defeated the Sailors, as well as Thailand’s Phranakorn FC and Indonesia’s Persib Bandung Putri to win the inaugural Women’s Football Championship held in Singapore last October.
Little did she know that fate would bring her back to the Lion City and she would be reunited with the Sailors – this time as a player of the club.
Nica decided to relocate to Singapore in March after getting a job offer with a tech company, but because football remains an indelible part of her identity, she quickly moved to identify the most ideal place for her to continue to grow in the Beautiful Game – the Sailors.
“I moved to Singapore for my career, but at the same time I really wanted to play football because I haven’t played for many months. I knew the Sailors are a really established club, so I reached out and there was no hesitation after speaking to Coach Sheau Shyan,” she said.
Nica only started training with the team some six weeks ago, but already feels at home with her new surroundings and teammates.
“I was going back and forth from the Philippines quite often for work, so I didn’t get to properly train with the team until July. It has been great here – everyone in the team has been so welcoming and friendly, and we’re training off the base of a fantastic Training Centre with facilities to help us get better as football players.
“And Coach Sheau Shyan has been brilliant as well – I’ve been learning so much from her,” she added.
Having had to bide her time, Nica could finally make her long-awaited Sailors debut against Tampines Rovers this Sunday (27 August) at Choa Chu Kang Stadium and she is eager to make her mark in this new chapter of her football journey by helping the club retain their WPL crown.
“I love travelling around the world and discovering new things. I’m just really looking forward to this experience here, making new friendships, learning new things from Coach and my new teammates, as well as bringing something to the team with my versatility and experience,” said Nica.
“Firstly, I will need to bring up my stamina though because I haven’t played for a while, but I’m sure that with the great people here, we will enjoy the season together. I’m confident we’re going to win the title while having fun and building bonds with each other.”
The absence of several players – either out injured or unavailable – and Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan, who is away on personal matters, did not halt the Lion City Sailors Women’s charge towards the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title.
Despite being able to name only two substitutes in a matchday squad managed by Izz Haziq, the defending WPL champions continued their unbeaten streak in the 2023 season with a 1-0 win over Still Aerion FC on Saturday (19 August) at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium.
The win extended the Sailors Women’s lead at the top of the WPL to seven points, before nearest challengers Albirex Niigata (S) take on Balestier Khalsa on Sunday (20 August).
Josephine Ang’s third goal of the season was enough to help her side gain victory.
At the other end of the pitch Munirah Mohamad and Nur Umairah Hamdan held the fort down in the backline in the absence of skipper Ernie Sulastri Sontaril, with the experienced Beatrice Tan helping to ensure yet another clean sheet.
It took only nine minutes for the Sailors to go ahead. Nur Syazwani Ruzi’s well-weighted cut back from the right wing fell perfectly for Josephine, whose clinical finish gave the opposition keeper no chance.
The 16-year-old came close to bagging her second goal in the 33rd minute. The opportunity came from yet another cut back, this time from the speedy Miray Altun, but Josephine’s left-footed shot hit the side netting.
Sailors’ goalkeeper Beatrice, who had a relatively quiet first half of football, was tested just before half-time by Carmen Calisto. With three defenders on her tail, the Aerion forward rushed her shot that was easily gathered by Beatrice in the Sailors goal.
The first of two substitutions was made in the 70th minute when Sara Hayduchok came on to make her Sailors debut and the new signing helped the team see out a win, in which they chalked up a 10th clean sheet in 11 games in 2023.
“It was a lot of fun! I’m excited to continue learning from everyone. It’s a really unique experience for me to transfer to another club in mid-season,” she said. “I think I need to work on my versatility and on adjusting to the style of play. There are so many veterans here who are willing to teach me and I’m making full use of that.”
Sara was not the only substitute who made waves under the floodlights on Saturday night. Goalkeeper Noor Kusumawati (Wati), usually commanding the backline from between the sticks, this time had to do her part for the team in the opposition penalty box.
The 33-year-old came on as a forward to roaring cheers from the Choa Chu Kang stands.
The first and only other time Wati swapped her goalkeeping kit for an outfield jersey was on 21st October 2022 against Thai outfit, Phranakorn FC in the Women’s Football Championship. Back then, Sheau Shyan said: “I have to praise Wati. She has never played outfield in a match before, but she is willing to do it for the team and didn’t look out of place at all.”
The Singapore and Sailors number one was given eight minutes in total, with the three extra minutes courtesy of the fourth official.
“It was hard but it was fun at the same time. I guess it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity as a goalkeeper! I know now how the players feel, it’s really hard to score,” said Wati. “Thank God it was only eight minutes because I don’t think I can last for 45-90 minutes.”
The Sailors are due to face sixth-placed Tampines Rovers on Sunday (27 Aug). Set to kick off at 5pm at Choa Chu Kang, Sara is looking forward to meeting old friends from across the other side of the pitch.
“What’s really cool about this league is despite everyone being very competitive and wanting to win each match and ultimately the league, there are several friends between teams,” gushed the ex-Tampines defender.
“I look forward to seeing my friends but I also look forward to competing. I think it makes us better footballers and that’s what we want for women’s football in Singapore.”
Five players from the Lion City Sailors are in line to represent the Singapore Under-22s at the upcoming Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-23 Asian Cup 2024 Qualifiers, scheduled to take place in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi between 6 and 12 September 2023.
Sailors first-teamers Nur Adam Abdullah, Bill Mamadou and Abdul Rasaq Akeem retain their places in the squad, while two trainees from the Sailors Academy – Nur Muhammad Asis Ijilrali and Kieran Aryan – are handed their first call-ups at the U22 level.
The quintet are part of Nazri Nasir’s 26-man provisional squad that was confirmed by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) on Saturday (19 August) afternoon.
The Singapore U22s will first embark on a centralised training camp in Bangkok, Thailand, from 23 August to 2 September, before the squad will be trimmed to 23 for the qualifying campaign proper.
Nazri’s side will take on Yemen on 6 Sept and face Guam three days later, before ending their Group C campaign against group hosts Vietnam on 12 Sept.
The eleven group winners and the four best runners-up qualify for the final tournament, to be held next year between 15 April and 3 May in Qatar.
Asis and Kieran have been impressive for the Sailors Under-21 side that is currently third in the FAS Centre of Excellence (COE) U21 league after 12 matches. The pair have also started to make inroads into the Sailors first-team.
Asis came off the bench to make his Singapore Premier League (SPL) debut in a 7-1 win over Tanjong Pagar at the start of July and has made a total of three substitute appearances under Aleksandar Ranković so far.
The 19-year-old attacking midfielder admitted the call came as a surprise, but is determined to make the most of this opportunity to play at the U22 level.
“I’m most excited about the prospect of coming up against higher-level opponents, this can only help my football development at the age of 19,” said Asis, who last represented Singapore at the U19 level in last year’s ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U19 Championship and AFC U20 Qualifiers.
“I’m happy that Kieran and I got called up, and I hope this can inspire our other U21 teammates to perform well and also be called up in the near future. I hope to do well in the upcoming training camp in Thailand and secure a spot in the final 23,” he added.
While Kieran has yet to make his SPL bow, he has been included in the first team’s matchday squad three times thus far, and the 20-year-old full-back is looking to make a good impression.
“Obviously it’s a huge honour to be called up to play for the country. Thanks to all my coaches that have believed in and trusted me, I’ve been playing regularly for our U21s this season and I feel I’ve improved a lot in terms of maturity and decision-making,” said Kieran, who rose through the Sailors ranks like Asis did and has been with the Academy since 2020.
“Getting the call-up is just the first step, I need to keep giving my best in training and matches to ensure I get picked for the final squad and also get more call-ups in the future.”
The Lion City Sailors Women’s Team have moved to strengthen their backline with the signing of Sara Hayduchok from fellow Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) side Tampines Rovers.
The 28-year-old Filipino-American centre-back is the Sailors’ first signing of the WPL mid-season transfer window, as Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan swooped to get cover for a backline that has conceded just a solitary goal in 10 games this season.
“We’re going into the second round of the season a bit short of depth in central defence: Fatin (Aqillah) is out for the year due to an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury and Natasha (Naszri) is leaving in September for her scholarship (with ESC LaLiga Academy) in Spain,” explained the 45-year-old.
“Sara is a powerful defender who reads the game well and attacks the ball with a lot of pace and accuracy. She was originally a central midfielder, so she possesses the ability to bring the ball up into midfield for us and I think she will fit into this team seamlessly.”
Sara featured regularly for WPL debutants Tampines in the first half of the season and enjoyed her stint with the Stags, but the opportunity to be embedded in an established setup like the Sailors was one that proved too hard to turn down.
“I spent some time deciding over this move, but I knew this was one that I had to make because I want to continue growing and improving all-round in areas like my fitness, technique and football IQ.
“I feel I can achieve my goals with the well-credentialed coaching staff and the experienced pool of players that we’ve here at the Sailors,” said Sara, who played in the USA’s top amateur league – Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) – with Philadelphia Flames SC for a couple of years before first coming to Southeast Asia in June 2022.
“I just want to thank coach Sheau Shyan for this opportunity. She’s a huge part behind this decision to join the Sailors because she’s very genuine to everyone and is someone you can really trust.”
Sara has just trained with the team for a couple of weeks, but with her serious approach on the pitch and affable nature off it, she has already struck a chord with her new teammates.
Sara came up against the Sailors earlier this year in May and the reigning WPL champions required a late goal from Paula Druschke to secure victory over the Stags.
“I remember in one of the first couple of training sessions, one of the forwards actually said this to me: “man, you marked me and really shut me down (in that game)!”. I’m not telling you who, but it was something that made both of us chuckle and warm up to each other,” said Sara, breaking into a wide smile.
“One of the things about me is that I’m really committed to this game, I take training and playing very seriously. What I’m loving about the Sailors so far is that we have this very professional setup where we take things very seriously, but at the same time the girls are also having a lot of fun and laughter alongside each other.”
Sara could make her Sailors debut against Still Aerion FC this Saturday (19 August) at Choa Chu Kang Stadium and is looking forward to helping the team retain their WPL crown, but she also already has eyes set for the long-term here.
“My target is to stay in Southeast Asia, and ideally Singapore, for the long-term. I’ve had some experience in coaching and that’s something I would like to do here as well. I want to be able to impart my experience and give more girls the opportunity to learn sports,” shared Sara.
“In the short-term, of course I’m so looking forward to this upcoming game with the Sailors. I want to do my part to not only strengthen our defence and prevent as many goals as we can, but also ideally help in the building up of phases as a team.
“It won’t be easy, but we’re setting big goals as a team and hopefully we can continue this winning streak and retain the title.”
Three young upstarts from the Lion City Sailors Women’s team that play in the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) – Natasha Naszri, Ardhra Arul Ganeswaran, and Chloe Koh – have been granted coveted overseas scholarships as part of the Unleash The Roar! (UTR) national project.
The trio are part of the eight-strong group of inaugural scholarship awardees of the UTR! Initiative that aims to revolutionise the landscape of Singapore football.
The scholarship grants Chloe and Ardhra, both 16, the rare opportunity to spend the next three years at the esteemed IMG Academy in Florida, USA, a renowned institution known for nurturing talents across various sports.
Both of them have already departed Singapore to begin their new journeys.
Natasha, on the other hand, will leave in September to embark on a transformative journey at the ESC LaLiga Academy in Madrid, Spain for a duration of three years.
The detailed selection process for this UTR! scholarship spanned over four months, commencing with an initial shortlist of nearly 40 student-athletes, identified through preliminary assessments by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and the Singapore Sports School.
These promising talents then underwent rigorous scrutiny during training sessions and competitive matches, with this exhaustive evaluation process aimed at identifying individuals who exemplify dedication, technical ability, and a potential to make an impact in the local football scene.
A group of potential players were later chosen for a face-to-face interview with members of the UTR executive committee. This stage aimed to further explore their personal motivations, goals, and dedication to their sport. Ultimately, a special panel approved their scholarships.
For Chloe and Ardhra, this award represents more than a scholarship.
“My goal is always to land a professional contract, and the short-term goal would be to get a scholarship to a Division 1 college in America,” shared Chloe. “Playing overseas will really test my limits and push boundaries, and playing and training with better, faster and stronger players on a daily basis is going to make me a better player, and help me get closer to my goals.”
One key facet Ardhra is looking forward to, is immersing in an environment where sports is the raison d’etre.
“My aspiration is also to play for a Division 1 college in the United States and the UTR scholarship will help me with that because we will be regularly playing at a higher level of competition. Moreover, we will be in an environment where the main priority is football,” said Ardhra who is appreciative of the role the club has played in her journey in football.
“The Sailors provided the infrastructure and many opportunities for us to improve ourselves as footballers and as individuals,” added the midfielder.
Chloe’s journey has been a tad more complicated.
Following an injury during an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-17 Women’s Asian Cup match in May, Chloe, who had recently earned her debut call-up to the national U-16 team, initially feared severe damage to her left leg. Concerns of meniscus tear or anterior cruciate ligament rupture arose, and although the problem was eventually diagnosed to be in the plica (an additional band of soft tissue in the knee), Chloe faced a challenging period, and was sidelined for more than a month.
Chloe knuckled down, focusing on recovery this time instead of playing football, and her dedication paid off when she marked her comeback by participating in her first matches for the national U-19 team, Lion City Sailors Women’s team, as well as the senior national team in the months that followed.
Reflecting on her journey thus far, Chloe holds a deep affection for the cherished memories she crafted during her time with the Sailors.
“My experience in the Sailors Women’s Team and the Academy has been a really pleasant one because I’ve learned so much from the coaches, and I’ve made so many friends. These are the moments and little things that I will really cherish. I think the community here is just so welcoming and everyone’s like a big family, and that has really helped me in terms of my growth,” she said.
“The Sailors have a really clear pathway for development: if you’re from the academy, there’s a pathway to our WPL team which is the path that I went down,” said Chloe.
“I think one of my most memorable moments was when I scored my first hat-trick in the WPL against Geylang and it was quite memorable in the sense that I only came on as a second half substitute – and my first touch on the ball was a goal,” reminisced Chloe.
“That is something I will never forget.
In her heartfelt sentiments, Chloe paused to pay tribute to the unwavering dedication of coaches who have been guiding lights across her journey.
“The coaches at the Sailors care more about your personal development as a player than the results in matches. Although we know results are important, coaches always say that they rather see us apply something learnt from training on the field during a match.
All in all, it was clear the coaches really care about your holistic development as a player and a person. And they actually are more than willing to go the extra mile to help you,” mused Chloe.
“I’m really grateful to Coach (Yeong) Sheau Shyan for just being one of the best coaches I’ve ever had. She has groomed me since 2018 and she really shaped me to become the player I am today so I am thankful to her for that.”
Natasha, who like her Sailors comrades is keen to play professionally, sees the opportunity to train at ESC LaLiga Academy as a platform for her to grow as a footballer.
“This is a good opportunity for me to pursue my goals in sports and academics. My development as a footballer will definitely improve and I am very thankful for that,” said Natasha.
“And I really hope that in the future, I will come back to Singapore and share whatever knowledge that I will gain overseas – lessons from on and off the pitch – with more Singaporean players.”
Bernie leaves the Sailors
The Lion City Sailors have reached mutual agreement with Bernie Ibini-Isei to terminate his contract with the club.
Having come off the bench to make his club debut in a 5-0 win over Hougang back in April, the 30-year-old Australian striker went on to make eight appearances for the Sailors – with the last coming in a 3-0 win over Hougang on 25 June.
Having scored goals in more illustrious leagues like Australia’s A-League and Korea’s K League 1, the former Central Coast Mariners and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors man was unlucky not to have netted in the Sailors’ white and blue colours.
An amiable presence on and off the pitch, Bernie leaves with the best wishes of the team. The Sailors wish him all the best in the next chapter of his career.
The Lion City Sailors Women got the perfect start to the second round of the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL), beating fourth-placed Police Sports Association (Police SA) 3-0 on Sunday (13 August) night at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium.
Goals by Nur Izzati Rosni, Cara Chang and Lila Tan reinstated the four-point lead the Sailors held at the top of the 10-team WPL standings before Albirex Niigata (S) beat Tiong Bahru FC 10-0 on Saturday (12 Aug).
Standing in for Head Coach Yeong Sheau Shyan who is away on a personal matter, Izz Haziq drew several positives from both the result as well as the team performance.
“Today was one of our best performances in terms of build-up play and creating chances and it was against a team that has proven to be a tough team to beat,” said the Sailors Women assistant coach.
“For us to play the way we did and get the win in the end was very satisfying.”
The Sailors women beat Police 3-0 in their opening WPL fixture in March, but it was two late Izzati goals that put the gloss on what was a hard-earned win then.
This time around, the women needed a penalty to break the deadlock, and it was Izzati who again nudged her Sailors towards victory.
After Nur Syazwani Ruzi, Izzati and Cara all went close, 16-year-old forward, Josephine Ang was tripped inside the box. A calm Izzati stepped up to convert and give the Sailors the lead in the 25th minute and that was her 10th goal of the campaign.
Just a minute before half time, 14-year-old Cara scored her first goal for the Sailors. On her weaker foot, the Academy graduate pummeled the ball past the Police goalkeeper before dedicating the goal to her ex-teammate, Ardhra Arul Ganeswaran, who recently left to train overseas under an Unleash The Roar! football scholarship.
“I’m very happy because I missed a few chances last week. I’m happy to score for my friends who have left,” said Cara, smiling as she recounted her goal.
That feeling is something Cara already wants to recreate.
“Mostly, I just want to improve on my decision-making and how I play with the team,” she said. “Hopefully I can help the team get more goals.”
Haziq is confident that Cara will only grow from strength to strength.
“I’m so happy for her to get her goal and on her left foot too. It’ll be fantastic for her confidence and morale, and she deserves every bit of it. She’s been in our academy for many years now and we had full trust in her,” said a proud Haziq.
“We didn’t register her in the league from the start because we didn’t want to rush her, but from her performances in the last few games (since joining the team in the mid-season transfer window), it is clear that she fits right in.”
After causing problems for the opposition back line all game, Cara had yet another chance on goal in the 76th minute. She sped down the right flank and showed quick feet to turn towards goal, and unleashed a shot that was parried away by Police custodian Nur Fadhillah Hassan.
But Lila was on hand to tap the ball into an empty net for her fourth goal of the season to make it 3-0.
Haziq will continue as the stand-in Head Coach for the Sailors’ next WPL assignment, against seventh-placed Still Aerion FC this Saturday (19 Aug) at Choa Chu Kang, and he is hoping for more of the same from the team.
“We are dealing with several players being unavailable or out injured but in the next two weeks it will be about continuing what we’ve been working on and have already shown that we can accomplish,” he said.
“This win over Police is a very good start and if we continue putting in a performance like this again next week, that’s really all we can ask for.”
