Category: News
He has played against the youth teams of Corinthians FC and PSV Eindhoven in the Lion City Cup, impressing many with his ability to pick a pass from the middle of the park and his combativeness despite his diminutive frame.
Come Thursday (24 November) night, midfielder Hami Syahin will get the opportunity to pit himself against Borussia Dortmund (BVB) when the Lion City Sailors take on the eight-time German champions at Singapore’s Jalan Besar Stadium.
Singapore is the first leg of BVB’s Southeast Asia Tour, with Edin Terzić’s side set to go up against Malaysian giants Johor Darul Ta’zim and the Vietnam national team after leaving Singapore on 28 Nov.
With tickets for this encounter already sold out, Hami is chomping at the bit for his chance against a strong BVB travelling squad which includes the likes of Marco Reus and 2014 FIFA World Cup winner Mats Hummels.
“It is going to be a relatively new experience for our local players because it’s not everyday you get to play a top European side like BVB who compete in the UEFA Champions League,” said Hami, the 23-year-old Singapore international.
“I will cherish this moment and try to learn as much as I can. We know it’s going to be tough but I’m sure we will put up a good show for our fans and those coming to support us.
“After hearing that we will be playing in front of a sold-out crowd at Jalan Besar, I’m really excited and it gives me extra motivation.”
Echoing Hami’s sentiments, wideman Hafiz Nor is optimistic that the Sailors will give a good account of themselves.
“I’ve never really got the chance to come up against World Cup players like Reus, Hummels and (Emre) Can during my career, so it will be a real honour to be sharing the same pitch as them,” he noted.
“After a disappointing SPL season, it is also the perfect opportunity to prove ourselves and we want to put in a good showing to repay the support from our fans.”
Hafiz has also urged the younger players in the team such as Hami, Haiqal Pashia and Bill Mamadou to seize their chance.
“I’m happy to see them get this opportunity to compete with a side like BVB at such a young age,” added Hafiz.
“They need to play their hearts out, go in without any fear and more importantly, prove they deserve to be in the team in the years to come.”
Hami believes the presence of the senior figures in the team will prove invaluable.
“With their experience, the senior players will be key when it comes to things like knowing how we should control the game, when to go forward and when to hold,” said Hami.
“It will definitely help us a lot in calming the nerves and managing the intensity against a quality BVB team.”
With this being the final match for some in the Sailors class of 2022, Hafiz expressed a tinge of sadness.
“We know that there will be departures within the ranks, including experienced players like Shahdan (Sulaiman) whom I’ve played with since I was 12,” he said.
“We have many memories together and unfortunately, some of them won’t be with us for the new season. It’s going to be emotional for sure, but it is a day that we will remember and hopefully we can end it off with a bang.”
Matchday kicks off at 6.45pm with a celebrity match featuring teams led by local artistes Sheikh Haikel and Fauzie Laily, before the Sailors and BVB take to the pitch for warm-ups.
The match proper kicks off at 8.30pm.
Football fans in Singapore can look forward to an exciting week ahead as eight-time German champions Borussia Dortmund (BVB) announced the final squad for their Southeast Asian tour which kicks off in the Lion City next Tuesday (22 November).
A number of BVB stars have been named in the 25-man list, and the local public will be excited to learn of the inclusion of the charismatic Marco Reus as well as 2014 FIFA World Cup winner Mats Hummels.
Another recognisable name is Emre Can – the former Liverpool and Juventus midfielder – with Dutch attacker Donyell Malen also amongst those set to feature.
The likes of experienced German full-back Nico Schulz and Turkish international Salih Özcan make up a strong BVB squad that will take on the Lion City Sailors next Thursday (24 Nov) at Singapore’s Jalan Besar Stadium.
A handful of BVB youth players have also been included, with the pick of the bunch being Jayden Braaf, an exciting Dutch talent whose promising displays earned him comparisons with Jadon Sancho and Manchester City’s U23s Player of the Year award in 2020 – at the age of 17 – before he swooped for the Black & Yellow this May.
There is also the up-and-coming duo of former France Under-17 centre-back Soumaïla Coulibaly – who turned down the chance of a professional contract with Paris Saint-Germain to sign for Dortmund – and current Croatia Under-21 forward Marco Pašalić.
Both are on the fringes of the BVB first team and were unused substitutes in BVB’s final Bundesliga game before the World Cup break, a 4-2 loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach on 12 November.
Edin Terzić’s side will be in Singapore between 22 to 28 November, with a series of off-the-field professional activities, fan engagements and even community activations lined up over the week.
They will then travel across the Causeway to play Malaysian powerhouse Johor Darul Ta’zim on Monday, 28 November, before concluding the Tour against the Vietnam national team two days later.
Limited gallery tickets for the Sailors vs BVB friendly game are still available on sale on SISTIC.
BVB squad for Southeast Asia Tour 2022
Goalkeepers: Alexander Meyer, Marcel Lotka
Defenders: Mats Hummels, Nico Schulz, Guille Bueno, Lion Semić, Prince Aning, Soumaïla Coulibaly, Antonios Papadopoulo, Nnamdi Collins
Midfielders: Marco Reus, Emre Can, Salih Özcan, Felix Passlack, Can Hayri Özkan, Falko Michel, Göktan Gürpüz
Forwards: Donyell Malen, Justin Njinmah, Marco Pašalić, Ole Pohlmann, Moritz Broschinski, Jayden Braaf, Julian Rijkhoff, Samuel Bamba
Sailors squad for BVB clash
Goalkeepers: Hassan Sunny, Rudy Khairullah, Adib Nur Hakim
Defenders: Naqiuddin Eunos, Aniq Raushan, Hariss Harun, Amirul Adli, Bill Mamadou, Iqram Rifqi, Nur Adam Abdullah
Midfielders: M. Anumanthan, Shahdan Sulaiman, Adam Swandi, Hami Syahin, Saifullah Akbar, Diego Lopes, Song Uiyoung, Arshad Shamim
Forwards: Hafiz Nor, Maxime Lestienne, Gabriel Quak, Faris Ramli, Haiqal Pashia, Kim Shin-wook
Hariss Harun leads the lineup of 11 Lion City Sailors players selected by Singapore national team Head Coach Takuyuki Nishiyaga in his provisional 29-man Singapore squad for the upcoming ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Mitsubishi Electric (ME) Cup.
Lions’ captain Hariss, along with 10 others – Hassan Sunny, Amirul Adli, Nur Adam Abdullah, Hafiz Nor, Adam Swandi, Hami Syahin, M. Anumanthan, Shahdan Sulaiman, Faris Ramli and Song Ui-young – are in contention to fly the flag for Singapore at the biennial regional tournament that takes place from 20 December 2022 to 16 January 2023.
Two Sailors who missed out on the last Singapore squad which lost 4-0 to Vietnam and drew 1-1 with India in a Tri-Nations series in September – Nur Adam and Hami – return to the national side and will be hoping to impress in the Sailors’ upcoming friendly match against eight-time German champions Borussia Dortmund to further stake their claim for a spot in the final ME Cup squad.
The Lions will travel to Chiba, Japan for a training camp from 1 to 12 December, where they are set to play two training matches. The team will then face the Maldives in an international ‘A’ friendly at the Jalan Besar Stadium on 17 December after which Nishiyaga will cut the list down to a final 23-man squad that will represent the nation at the ME Cup.
The Lions have been drawn into Group B alongside Causeway rivals Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos and will kick off their campaign against Myanmar on Christmas Eve.
Thailand are the defending champions and record six-time winners, while Singapore have won it four times and are looking to build on an encouraging run into the semi-finals in the previous edition.
Sailors’ Lions representatives in Singapore’s 29-man AFF ME Cup provisional squad:
Goalkeeper: Hassan Sunny
Defenders: Hariss Harun, Amirul Adli, Nur Adam Abdullah
Midfielders: Hafiz Nor, Adam Swandi, Hami Syahin, M. Anumanthan, Shahdan Sulaiman
Forwards: Faris Ramli, Song Ui-young
Representatives from the Lion City Sailors were recognised at the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) Awards Night 2022 – held at Orchard Hotel on Tuesday (8 November) night.
In leading the Sailors Women’s Team to a memorable unbeaten Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title-winning campaign, Yeong Sheau Shyan deservedly staved off competition from Albirex Niigata (S)’s Nahar Daud and Tanjong Pagar United’s Samawira Basri to claim the WPL Coach of the Year.
The 44-year-old, however, refused to bask in the achievement, and in her unassuming style, preferred to focus on the journey ahead instead.
“I’m very happy to win this award, but for me – the team’s performances on the field goes above anything else. This prize is the recognition of the girls’ hard work throughout the season.
“It’s important that we keep striving towards taking that next step in 2023. I want to see the team develop even more, play in a more controlled manner – that will be something that will give me greater satisfaction than winning a personal award,” she said.
Having claimed the WPL Golden Boot with 10 goals in 11 appearances, there was double joy for Sailors attacker Nur Izzati Rosni as she also won the WPL Goal of the Year for her sumptuous long-range strike against Still Aerion FC.
FAS Awards Night 2022: Photos courtesy of FAS
The 23-year-old was pipped to the WPL Player of the Year crown by Tanjong Pagar’s Manami Fukuzawa, but reflected on a good year for both club and country.
“It’s already a great honour to be up for three awards, and I feel really blessed, especially for the opportunity to receive the prizes on such a glamorous night with representatives from all over the domestic football scene.
“I’m not going to stop here; I want to continue to work hard and be an even better player for the Sailors and Singapore,” she said.
To round off the Sailors’ WPL honours, goalkeeper Beatrice Tan claimed the first-ever WPL Golden Glove award with the most number of clean sheets – six – throughout the season.
On the men’s Singapore Premier League (SPL) front, Sailors’ Maxime Lestienne could count himself unlucky to be pipped to the AIA Player of the Year crown by Albirex’s Kodai Tanaka who was the league’s second-highest scorer with 33 goals.
However, the Belgian winger’s scintillating performances that yielded a league-high 23 assists as well as 12 goals in 25 appearances did not go unnoticed as he was amongst a Sailors trio that was named in the AIA SPL Team of the Year (TOTY).
The other two who made the list were Diego Lopes – the Brazilian produced several silky performances in the middle of the park to go with 10 goals and as many assists – and compatriot Pedro Henrique who stood out with his composure in defence as he was involved in seven out of the Sailors’ eight clean sheets this season before missing the final five games through injury.
Pleased to get into the SPL TOTY for the first time, it was a bittersweet end to the season for Diego and he has vowed to do even better next year.
“I’m very happy for my work to be recognised this year, but as a club it was sad and disappointing for everyone that we were unable to deliver.
“We would like to apologise for the disappointing season we had this year. Next year we need to do much better and give a very strong response for our fans. Personally, I’m already looking forward to next season and there are no two ways about it – we want to be SPL and Singapore Cup champions in 2023,” said the 28-year-old.
Rounding up the club’s list of award winners, Sailors goalkeeper Hassan Sunny received an FAS Recognition Award for sporting excellence in Singapore football as he became only the second custodian to amass 100 caps for the Lions in September.
Sailors’ Winners for FAS Awards Night 2022
SPL Team of the Year: Maxime Lestienne, Pedro Henrique, Diego Lopes
WPL Coach of the Year: Yeong Sheau Shyan
WPL Goal of the Year: Nur Izzati Rosni
WPL Golden Boot: Nur Izzati Rosni
WPL Golden Glove: Beatrice Tan
FAS Recognition Award, Sporting Excellence in Singapore Football (100 National Team Caps): Hassan Sunny
For a third straight Singapore Premier League (SPL) season, the Lion City Sailors have a representative gunning for the honour of being named the season’s best performer as the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) earlier this afternoon (7 November) announced the list of nominees for tomorrow’s FAS Awards Night 2022 – an annual event to recognise the best on and off the pitch in domestic football.
Belgian winger Maxime Lestienne has had an outstanding first season with the Sailors, contributing a league-high 23 assists to go with 12 goals in 25 appearances, as he was named as one of three players nominated for the AIA Player of the Year (POTY) award.
The 30-year-old will have to fend off competition from the SPL’s top two goalscorers of the 2022 season, namely Tampines Rovers’ Boris Kopitović (35 goals) and Albirex Niigata (S) forward Kodai Tanaka (33 goals).
Gabriel Quak was the 2020 recipient of this award, while the duo from the Sailors’ 2021 title-winning campaign, Stipe Plazibat and Jorge Fellipe, lost out to Hougang United’s Tomoyuki Doi the following year.
There is also joy on the Women’s Premier League (WPL) front after the Sailors Women completed a memorable unbeaten title-winning campaign, with Nur Izzati Rosni nominated for the Deloitte WPL POTY award alongside Albirex’s Manami Fukuzawa and Tanjong Pagar United’s Haziqah Haszman.
The 23-year-old has claimed the Golden Boot with her 10 goals in 11 appearances and it could be triple happiness for her as she is also in the running to win the Deloitte WPL Goal of the Year award for her brilliant long-range strike against Still Aerion.
Teammate Dorcas Chu is also up for the Deloitte WPL Young Player of the Year award – along with Haziqah and Hougang United’s Dhaniyah Qasimah – after an impressive campaign in which she finished as the league’s third-highest scorer with seven goals in 11 appearances.
Meanwhile, Yeong Sheau Shyan will also jostle with Albirex’s Nahar Daud and Tanjong Pagar’s Samawira Basri for the Deloitte WPL Coach of the Year honour – in a season which witnessed the Sailors Women become Invincibles.
To round off a long list of potential Sailors nominees, goalkeeper Beatrice Tan will have the honour of being the first-ever Deloitte WPL Golden Glove winner with the most number of clean sheets – six – throughout the season. Incredibly, the 30-year-old conceded just one goal all season.
The FAS Award Nights will be hosted as a full scale in-person event for the first time since 2019. It was hosted virtually for the past two pandemic-affected years. Themed Legacy, this year’s event will aptly be held at Orchard Hotel – the venue where the first-ever domestic league Awards Night was held in 1996.
Sailors’ Nominees for FAS Awards Night 2022
AIA Player of the Year: Maxime Lestienne
Deloitte WPL Player of the Year: Nur Izzati Rosni
Deloitte WPL Young Player of the Year: Dorcas Chu
Deloitte WPL Coach of the Year: Yeong Sheau Shyan
Deloitte WPL Goal of the Year: Nur Izzati Rosni
Deloitte WPL Golden Boot: Nur Izzati Rosni (winner)
Deloitte WPL Golden Glove: Beatrice Tan (winner)
Battling Sailors fall agonisingly short
The Lion City Sailors were made to rue missed chances as they crashed out of their maiden Singapore Cup campaign, going down 2-1 to Albirex Niigata (S) at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday (5 November) evening.
Needing victory to seal a semi-final spot and make it out of Group A, the hosts put in a battling display but were left undone when Kodai Tanaka netted the winner after Maxime Lestienne had cancelled out Masaya Idetsu’s stunning opener.
Speaking after the final whistle, interim Head Coach Luka Lalić lamented his side’s profligacy but refused to pin any blame on them.
“This game is the story of our season, where we dominated the game and created chance after chance but Albirex won after scoring two goals from two chances,” said the 35-year-old.
“It’s not the result we wanted and I don’t think we deserved it, but we cannot fault the players because they played their hearts out today. There were small mistakes made, but I cannot take anything away from anyone – they gave their 100 percent.”
With Faris Ramli leading the attack and Diego Lopes in support, the Sailors started the brighter of the two sides.
Maxime’s free-kick flew narrowly over the bar on two minutes before Diego stung the palms of Albirex custodian Takahiro Koga after waltzing past a number of challenges.
The hosts continued to lay siege on the Albirex goal and came close through winger Gabriel Quak and Maxime in quick succession.
But failure to convert these chances led to the White Swans going in front on the half-hour mark.
After Masahiro Sugita was fouled on the edge of the box, custodian Izwan Mahbud could only watch on as Idetsu curled a dipping free-kick over the wall and into the far corner.
It was nearly 1-1 before the break, but Faris blazed over from close range after getting onto the end of Maxime’s cutback.
The Sailors continued their search for an equaliser after the restart and could have found it in the 52nd minute, only for Koga to keep out Faris’ downward header.
After Sugita had a pair of chances on either side of the hour mark and a Tanaka volley which was pushed away by Izwan, the Sailors eventually got the equaliser on 73 minutes.
A pinpoint cross from substitute Hami Syahin fell nicely onto the left foot of Maxime, who had the composure to cut inside an Albirex defender before slotting into the bottom left corner.
Diego then should have put the Sailors ahead for the first time in the game five minutes later, but scuffed his shot with the goal gaping.
It was a miss that proved costly, with Albirex sealing the three points and their third win in as many Group A games six minutes from time.
Ghosting in behind the Sailors defence, Tanaka connected with Kan Kobayashi’s cross before nodding in past Izwan.
The result meant the Sailors finished third in Group A with just two points, behind Balestier Khalsa who advanced as runners-up following their 5-2 win over the Young Lions.
Reflecting on his time since taking over the first team in August, Luka was circumspect.
“I always told myself that I would never take a team halfway through the season but circumstances demanded it and I’m thankful to have worked with this group of players,” he said.
“With the players that I had at our disposal, I did the best that I could. There is definitely quality in the team, which we haven’t been able to fully utilise for various reasons.”
Luka also took the opportunity to thank the Sailors fans for being with the team through thick and thin.
“The support has been great, that’s the first thing I want to say,” he added.
“I tried to make the team play attractive and attacking football, but the results didn’t turn out as expected and I can only apologise for that. This chapter is now over and we are eagerly looking forward to a much better 2023 season.”
A fight for the badge, our fans – and pride
Faris Ramli has called on his teammates at the Lion City Sailors to make a statement when they face Albirex Niigata (S) in a must-win Singapore Cup clash at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday (5 November) evening.
After draws against Balestier Khalsa and Young Lions, Luka Lalić’s men sit second in Group A and will progress to the semi-finals should they beat the Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions.
Anything less than three points will mean they have to rely on the outcome of the tie between Balestier and Young Lions on the same day.
“Everyone knows what’s at stake against Albirex and it’s a position I love to be in. Things are still in our own hands and we need to show what we are capable of,” Faris said.
“We want to be Singapore Cup champions and we really need to play and fight like it. We didn’t start the competition well, but it’s not too late to fix things and we are all eager to rebound stronger.”
The Singapore international also reflected on their 1-1 draw against Young Lions last time out, where the Sailors only managed a point despite creating a host of chances.
“I had trouble sleeping that night just thinking about the game, how we can move forward as a team and do better on Saturday,” admitted the 30-year-old winger.
“To be honest, it’s something we are still figuring out, but this is football. On your day, any kind of shot that you take will go in but if it’s not, the ball will not go in no matter how hard you try.”
Echoing Faris’ sentiments, captain Hariss Harun has urged for an improved showing from the get-go.
“The result might not have helped us, but it is what it is. We just have to accept it and move forward,” he said.
“We didn’t seize the initiative and create enough chances in the first-half against the Young Lions. We tried to push harder after the break, but it wasn’t enough.
“Football is a game of 90 minutes and we need to stay focused over the course of it – something we didn’t really do in our last game.”
The fans will play a big part in spurring the Sailors on in their crucial encounter against the White Swans, added Hariss.
“They have been wonderful and have come in full force even though we didn’t manage to retain the SPL title this season,” said the Singapore skipper.
“We have to do it for them, for ourselves, and for the club. When we step onto the pitch, we represent the club and we have to play for the badge on our chest with pride and fire.
“It’s never easy playing against Albirex but we have to use the disappointment from the last two months to be the fuel to achieve the result we want, which is to make the semi-finals.”
The Lion City Sailors have it all to do in the Singapore Cup after a 1-1 draw against the Young Lions at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Monday (31 October) night.
Kim Shin-wook cancelled out Amirul Adli’s own goal on the stroke of half-time to earn the Sailors a share of the spoils in the second match of their Group A campaign.
It was a result that left interim Head Coach Luka Lalić fuming.
“Two points in two games, this is unacceptable. This is absolutely not good enough and I can only take responsibility for this,” the 35-year-old said.
“We are playing like we have the weight of the world on our shoulders and we need to stop doing this. We didn’t deserve anything from this game, not even a point.”
Unlike the Sailors’ thrilling 3-3 draw against Balestier Khalsa at the same venue four days ago, chances were at a premium this time around.
The first real opportunity of note came only in the 39th minute, with Shin-wook’s header off Hafiz Nor’s cross cleared off the line by Syahrul Sazali.
The former South Korean international then should have scored two minutes before the break, but contrived to miss from close range after taking down a superb ball from Maxime Lestienne.
The Sailors were made to rue those misses as Nazri Nasir’s Young Lions went ahead just before half-time.
Under pressure from Amir Syafiz, Adli’s volleyed pass back to Izwan Mahbud bounced and appeared to have taken a touch off the stranded goalkeeper’s head before bobbling into an empty net.
Luka rang the changes at the interval, bringing on Shahdan Sulaiman and Hariss Harun in a move that nearly worked a treat.
Moments after his introduction, Shahdan forced Young Lions custodian Ridhwan Fikri into a save after being teed up by Maxime.
There were further chances from the Sailors from the likes of Adli and Hariss to pull level and it all came to naught, until “Wookie” struck with 15 minutes left on the clock.
Substitute Diego Lopes cut inside his defender and masterfully squared it for the lurking 34-year-old, who took a touch before hitting a shot that Ridhwan could only parry into his own net.
There was one final chance for the Sailors to steal a late winner, but Maxime poked the ball onto the bar after Ridhwan could only parry Hafiz’s powerful shot into the path of the Belgian.
As things stand, the Sailors – who sit second with two points in as many matches – will need to beat Group A leaders Albirex Niigata (S) this Saturday (5 November) to qualify for the semi-finals.
Failure to do so will mean they have to rely on results elsewhere, with Balestier and Young Lions facing off on the same day.
Luke is acutely aware of the task that lies ahead of his team in their maiden Singapore Cup voyage.
“We have no choice but to win the game against Albirex or we will go out of the Cup,” he mused.
“We have quality in the team but at this moment, the ball is just not going in. This is the least of the issues if you look at today’s match – there were so many issues all over the field.
“But we must first stop playing like we have the weight of the world on our shoulders.”
Nur Adam: We can and will be better
After a frustrating 3-3 draw with Balestier Khalsa in their opening Singapore Cup match, the Lion City Sailors will seek their first win in the competition when they come up against Young Lions at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Monday (31 October) night.
Both sides meet just slightly over a week since last facing off in the final match of the 2022 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season when the Sailors edged it 2-1 courtesy of a Faris Ramli double.
Having sat out that match as he was still recovering from sickness, Nur Adam Abdullah watched keenly from the stands and is acutely aware the Young Lions will not be as easy fodder as widely perceived.
“Young Lions have faced a lot of criticism this season for losing games and conceding a lot of goals, but I know for sure they have quite a few talented players and they’re out to prove to the fans that they can do something.
“They did well to come back against us recently and gave themselves a chance of getting a point. It is clear that we cannot take this coming game lightly – we’ve to go out there with full focus and commitment to get the three points,” said the Sailors full-back.
The Sailors trudged off the Jalan Besar pitch on Thursday (27 Oct) night, visibly exasperated after a night of wasted chances saw Balestier equalise three times.
Nur Adam, who played the full 90 minutes, admitted the team could have managed the game better.
“We didn’t put away our chances and conceded goals that we should not be conceding,” said the 21-year-old matter-of-factly. “We have to learn to kill the game off earlier and not allow our opponents a way back into the game.
“Defensively we have to stop allowing space in between our players and be tighter so that we won’t be easily breached. We’ve been putting in good performances and we need the results to back that up.”
The Sailors will need all hands on deck to go far in the Singapore Cup and Nur Adam has faith that the team will deliver the goods.
Now joint-second with Balestier in Group A, Luka Lalić’s charges are targeting wins against Young Lions and Albirex Niigata (S) to qualify for the semi-finals.
“I’ve read comments online saying we’re not motivated or committed. That’s absolutely not true – you can see we’ve been fighting for each other. Everyone’s pushing themselves and we were still creating chances till the final whistle against Balestier.
“Those who didn’t start but came on as substitutes like Sai (Saifullah Akbar) and Gab (Gabriel Quak) contributed massively to the team and could have scored,” said Nur Adam.
“This is part and parcel of football – we have to get through the tough period and all of us have to stick together in this. What’s important now is to ignore the noise, look forward to the upcoming games and focus on our ultimate aim of winning the Singapore Cup.”
The Lion City Sailors did not get an ideal start to their maiden Singapore Cup voyage on Thursday (27 October) night, as they were held to a frustrating 3-3 draw by Balestier Khalsa at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
In an open game which saw both sides recording more than 20 shots each, the Sailors – led by two-goal hero Maxime Lestienne – took the lead three times but defensive lapses allowed the gritty Tigers to come back on each occasion to claim a point.
At the end of the game, Sailors interim Head Coach Luka Lalić was left wondering what could have been.
“This is not the first game that ended this way for us. Instead of going into half-time with a big lead, we put ourselves in this situation. We lost focus after scoring and were a bit shaky at the back – which were the issues we had previously.
“This game shouldn’t have ended as a draw, but that’s the reality,” said the 35-year-old.
The Sailors got off to an assertive start and took a deserved lead in the 14th minute, with Faris Ramli nodding home Hafiz Nor’s pinpoint cross for his third goal in two games.
But Balestier hauled themselves back into the game just eight minutes later with Kuraba Kondo sweeping in after Daniel Goh’s shot was spilled by Izwan Mahbud in the Sailors’ goal.
After wasting a few chances before half time, the Sailors reclaimed the lead in the 47th minute with Maxime – who asked questions of the Balestier defence all night – firing into the bottom right corner after great work by Faris to set him clear.
The visitors then restored parity again – through the same man – eight minutes later as Kondo cut inside Hariss Harun before slotting past Izwan.
Luka’s men went back ahead at 3-2 on 57 minutes with Maxime producing another moment of magic as he raced down the left courtesy of Kim Shin-wook’s through ball, expertly giving his marker the slip before slamming it in from a tight angle.
But Peter de Roo’s Tigers levelled it up for a third time on the night, through Shuhei Hoshino who converted from close range after Izwan could only parry Delwinder Singh’s shot into his path.
The Sailors kept going in search of the winner in the latter stages of the game but could count themselves unlucky not to leave with all three points. Saifullah Akbar was denied by the post a minute after coming on as a 72nd-minute substitute, while fellow substitute Gabriel Quak saw his goal on 81 minutes controversially chalked off offside.
After Izwan pulled off a wonder save to deny Goh on 89 minutes, the Sailors could have stolen it at the death – in the fifth and final minute of injury time – but Shin-wook could only direct Gabriel’s cross straight at Balestier custodian Hairul Syirhan.
The result meant the Sailors are now joint-second in Group A with Balestier, behind Albirex Niigata (S) who thrashed Young Lions 4-0 in a concurrent match, with the Sailors looking for more improvement ahead of their second group match against Young Lions next Monday (31 October).
“We have to continue to work hard,” said Luka. “We have to work out the things that we didn’t do well in this game and do better in our next match.”
