Category: News
Score the first goal, earn the first point, eke out a first win, and then build from there.
Those were the targets set by Head Coach Kim Do-hoon for the Lion City Sailors as they embarked on their maiden Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) campaign.
But even the most optimistic of fans could not have predicted that the Sailors would hit all the targets in just their second-ever ACL game.
Last night (18 April), Kim’s men played with their heads in the right place and hearts on their sleeves to beat Daegu FC 3-0.
In doing so, they became the first Singapore side to beat a K-League team, and the first to score three goals in an ACL game. The Sailors are also only the second-ever club from the country to win a game in the ACL, as well as keep a clean sheet in the competition. The now-defunct SAFFC were the first team to achieve those milestones, with their 2-1 victory over China’s Henan Jianye in April 2010, as well as a goalless draw against Henan that same year.
“It’s a great upset that we caused and a historic night for the Lion City Sailors, and I want to thank and congratulate my players. I really want to enjoy this with them and the fans, but the next game is just around the corner,” stressed the 2020 ACL winner, Kim.
“We’ve to rest well, continue to work hard to get more points and try our best (in the remaining four group matches) to qualify for the last 16.”
Few would have predicted the result – this after 2021 K League 1 second runners-up Daegu – who reached the ACL Round of 16 as recently as last year – thrashed China’s Shandong Taishan 7-0 while the Sailors went down to a 4-1 defeat to Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds on their competition debut three days earlier.
But Kim Do-hoon – who holds a record of eight wins from 15 matches against Daegu when he was in charge of Ulsan Hyundai and was undefeated in seven previous encounters – had something up his sleeve, despite an injury sustained by star frontman Kim Shin-wook in the build-up to the game.
Korean-born Singaporean Song Ui-young led the line well in place of Wookie – who has a record of six goals and three assists in 16 appearances against Daegu – and became the first Sailors player to net in the ACL, before Brazilian imports Diego Lopes and Pedro Henrique joined him on the scoresheet on a night to remember.
Cannot? The Sailors certainly can.
They burst right out of the blocks at the Buriram City Stadium in their all-blue away kit, and came close to scoring after just two minutes, when Song’s shot ricocheted off the post.
Hassan Sunny pulled off a blinding save at the other end to keep out a long-range scorcher by Daegu midfielder Bruno Lamas in the 13th minute, but few would say the Sailors did not deserve the lead they took eight minutes later.
Song leaped like a salmon to connect with Maxime’s gorgeous left-wing cross and sent the ball looping over a bemused Choi Young-eun in the Daegu goal.
Kissing the Singapore flag emblazoned down the middle of his Sailors jersey as he wheeled away in celebration, Song stayed true to his words before the match.
“We had a chat at meal time earlier in the day and Song promised to have a good game if he played in place of Shin-wook. He kept his promise and that’s the most important thing,” revealed Coach Kim.
“He played in the no. 9 position last year in the league, so I know his ability in this position and he’s also a role model who is ready to play in any position for the team.”
Song, who was a constant thorn in the side of the Daegu defence on a night he was named Man of the Match, asserted that the goal fuelled the team’s confidence.
“When I connected with the ball, I had a good feeling that the ball was going in and it did. I was very happy to score, and after that all of us felt that we could go on to win the game,” said the 28-year-old.
“This win is not just for Lion City Sailors fans, it’s also for Singapore football.”
The Sailors took the one-goal lead into the break, but Daegu upped their ante in the second half and fashioned enough goal-scoring opportunities to turn the game around. Hassan stood tall in the Sailors’ goal, pulling off a few big saves to keep his team in front. Daegu were also uncharacteristically profligate in front of goal: captain Kim Jin-hyuk inexplicably failed to convert from a yard out, while 2012 AFC Player of the Year Lee Keun-ho saw his effort hit the woodwork.
Kim’s men rode out the storm, stuck to their tasks, fending off wave after wave of Daegu attacks before sealing the historic win with two goals in the latter stages of the game.
In the 71st minute, Maxime and Diego combined expertly in a lightning quick counter-attacking move that took out Daegu goalkeeper Choi, with the latter then showing the composure to slam home past two Daegu defenders on the line.
The win was secured nine minutes later, with Pedro glancing in a header off Shahdan Sulaiman’s corner.
Kim’s men remained focused till the final whistle while Daegu ended the night with 10 men after Hong Chul was dismissed for a reckless lunge on Song.
The Sailors are now second in Group F, three points behind leaders Urawa, who demolished Shandong 5-0 on the same night.
The result and performance have now provided the Sailors with a solid platform to build on ahead of a crucial double-header against Shandong on 21 and 24 April.
“To cope, excel and get a result against a big team while playing during the Ramadan period is a proud moment for our boys,” said Kim.
“We put our heads down, kept our cool and played with confidence tonight – that’s something we need to keep doing to give our fans more to be proud of and excited about.”
Daegu FC got their Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Group F campaign off to a flying start, resoundly beating Shandong Taishan 7-0 on Friday (15 April), but Head Coach Alexandre Gama insisted there is no complacency as the South Korean side lines up against the Lion City Sailors tomorrow (18 April) evening.
Indeed, the Brazilian tactician is acutely aware of the threat posed by frontman Kim Shin-wook and a “strong” Sailors team.
“(Shin-wook) worked with me in the (South Korean) national team before, he’s a good player, a big name. It’s very difficult to mark him, he’s tall and strong, but they have good Singapore players and Brazilians (Diego Lopes and Pedro Henrique) too,” said Gama at the ACL pre-match press conference.
The 54-year-old worked with the 1.98m Shin-wook during his time as assistant coach of the South Korea national team in 2011.
“Lion City Sailors are a very good team. They may have lost the first game(a 4-1 defeat to Urawa Red Diamonds), but we know they will try to improve a lot (before our match),” said Gama.
“But we are ready. My players have adapted to the weather here…and we’re very confident. We know all about the Lion City Sailors, and they know about us.”
Gama has set his sights on leading Daegu into the Round of 16, and he believes a good performance and result against the Sailors will be critical to take his charges one step closer to that target – and there is no room for any complacency.
“This will be totally different from our first game (the 7-0 win over Shandong Taishan). We don’t think that because of our first game, we can fly – no,” said a serious Gama.
“We must do our job. We want a good game to get three points, but we know the Lion City Sailors will give us a difficult game.”
There was a palpable sense of disappointment in the Lion City Sailors dressing room in the immediate aftermath of their 4-1 defeat to Urawa Red Diamonds in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) on Friday evening (15 April).
Yes, not many had expected the Sailors – making their debut in the ACL – to come away with anything against the Japanese giants, who have won the region’s premier competition twice before.
But it stung.
With the reigning Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions set to play Daegu FC on Monday (18 April) evening, Sailors head coach Kim Do-Hoon knows it is imperative his players pick themselves up quickly, and be ready to do battle on the pitch once more.
“Some players were definitely feeling a little down after the defeat to Urawa, and the whole team was not happy after the game,” Kim candidly revealed. “But I emphasised to them that what has happened has happened – let’s leave it in the past.
“We’ve got another important game coming up, so we just have to stay focused on that. We cannot let the defeat to Urawa affect us negatively. Let’s bring the spirit up and change the atmosphere of the dressing room, and go again on Monday.”
Daegu, however, will be no less tricky an opponent than Urawa, with the South Korean outfit coming into the game fresh off a 7-0 drubbing of Shandong Taishan.
Having come up against Daegu multiple times, both in his playing and managerial career, Kim is well-aware of the quality that the 2018 Korean FA Cup winners possess.
“I do know Daegu better than I do Urawa or Shandong, so maybe it can help us in that sense, because I can share more information with the players,” Kim said. “They’ve been playing with the same style of football for many years now, and I don’t expect them to change too many things.
“Yes, Daegu scored seven goals against Shandong, but it’s not about what they did in the last game. What’s important is how we play against them, and what we’re going to do on the pitch as a group.”
When asked if he had a strategy to counter the undeniable threat posed by Daegu, Kim admitted that he had several game plans in mind.
One thing is for sure – the Sailors will not simply look to defend against Daegu.
“There are various plans in my coaching book that I’ve prepared for the ACL,” Kim mused. “I know the effect that conceding a goal can have on my boys and the team, but obviously, our idea is not just to park the bus and defend throughout the whole game.
“We need to attack, we need to score that goal, we need to put the ball in the net. But we have to wait for the right time to create that chance to score. More importantly, we have to be more competitive, and come into the game with a better mindset.”
Agreeing, Sailors’ deep-lying playmaker Shahdan Sulaiman added that the team will try to take the game to Daegu, as he said: “I think we need to be more proactive. Instead of waiting, we should try and test ourselves and match these teams, player to player. Let’s go out there and see where we stand.
“We showed in the second-half against Urawa that we can compete, so now we’ve just got to start doing that earlier in the game, not when we’re already down by a few goals.
“But at the same time, we can’t be naïve and play too openly, because they (Daegu) have the ability to hurt us. We have to play it smart, and hopefully we’ll be able to put on a much improved performance.”
The Lion City Sailors put in a brave performance to mark their Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) debut, but were still beaten 4-1 by Japanese powerhouse Urawa Red Diamonds at Buriram’s Thunder Castle on Friday night (15 April).
Up against the two-time ACL champions who reached the tournament’s final as recently as in 2017 and 2019, Kim Do-hoon’s men battled hard and even enjoyed a few good moments, but Urawa’s pace and panache proved to be the key difference.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Kim lauded his players’ efforts while acknowledging they were not their usual selves.
“Obviously, this being our maiden tournament, there was a bit of nervousness amongst the boys. Before we came to the stadium tonight, I told them let’s not give ourselves pressure and just go out and play, but that’s not easy because after all this is the highest tier of competition any player in Asia can compete in,” said the 51-year-old, who led Ulsan Hyundai to the 2020 ACL title.
“I could feel the nervous energy from the team even from the bench, but I have to say a big thank you to my boys who didn’t give up. As a coach, you want your players to give everything on the pitch and that’s exactly what they did tonight and I’m very proud of them.”
Having made it clear that the Sailors are not here for holiday, Kim put out a strong and attack-minded eleven with fleet-footed wingers Maxime Lestienne and Gabriel Quak flanking Brazilian playmaker Diego Lopes behind two-time ACL winner Kim Shin-wook.
The reigning SPL champions got off to a positive start, with captain Hariss Harun – one of only two Sailors, along with Shin-wook, with ACL experience – winning a series of aerial duels to set the tone as the Sailors pushed forward to threaten the Red Devils.
The Sailors could have taken the lead seven minutes into the game through a well-worked move that started from the back, but Gabriel could only volley over from Maxime’s teasing left-wing delivery.
Urawa were much more clinical, finding the breakthrough just a minute later with Danish forward and 2020 Norwegian league top scorer, Kasper Junker, ghosting into the penalty area to score with a brilliant angled header off Ataru Esaka’s cross.
Sailors goalkeeper Hassan Sunny stood up strong to deny a goal-bound Esaka header in the 11th minute, but there was no stopping the Japanese international four minutes later. Esaka doubled Urawa’s lead, side-footing home after being teed up by Yusuke Matsuo.
Kim switched things up midway through the first half with Hafiz Nor replacing Gabriel down the right, but Japan’s Emperor’s Cup holders continued their dominance, scoring a third on 42 minutes through a wonderfully-executed David Moberg Karlsson volley that went in off the post.
The former Swedish international would, however, gift the Sailors their first ACL goal just a minute later. Under pressure from Maxime, Karlsson over-hit a backpass that flew past a bemused Zion Suzuki in the Urawa goal.
That goal gave the handful of travelling Sailors fans something to cheer about going into the break.
But Urawa restored their three-goal advantage just 45 seconds after the restart with Atsuki Ito squaring across the six-yard box for Matsuo to tap into an empty net. It was hardly an ideal start to the second half, but the Sailors would grow into the game from then on going toe-to-toe with the Japanese giants.
Maxime – one of Sailors’ best performers on the night – went on a few good runs down the left and almost set up a goal for Shin-wook in the 54th minute, but the South Korean was denied a goal on his 53rd ACL appearance as his speculative left-footed drive from range was tipped over the bar.
Maxime then earned a free kick off experienced Japanese right-back Hiroki Sakai, before coming off for what looked like a hamstring injury in the 74th minute.
Hafiz’s well-struck effort from the resulting freekick stung the palms of Urawa goalkeeper, Suzuki.
Kim then threw on Nur Adam Abdullah and Song Uiyoung from the bench, as the Sailors battled to the final whistle of their ACL debut that was full of both lessons and positives to take forward.
Next up on Monday (18 April) is a clash against 2021 K League 1 second runners-up Daegu FC, who thrashed China’s Shandong Taishan 7-0 in Group F’s opening fixture yesterday (15 April).
“In the second half, we kept our heads up, were more relaxed, and showed that we can play football. That’s something we need to keep working on in this campaign.
“The reality is clear – the level is different – and we accept that, but the gap’s definitely going to be reduced through the five remaining group games,” stressed Kim.
“I want to give my greatest gratitude to the fans who travelled a long way to come here to support us and I want to assure all our fans that we’ll try our best to get closer to the top teams in Asia while we’re here.”
They walked into Buriram’s Thunder Castle earlier today, carrying the dreams of the Lion City Sailors on their shoulders as the club stands on the cusp of marking a major milestone. But Head Coach Kim Do-hoon and skipper Hariss Harun hardly drew any attention from onlookers.
While there was little fanfare as the duo attended the pre-tournament press conference for the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL), it was clear that the Sailors – underdogs in a Group F that features Urawa Red Diamonds, Daegu FC and Shandong Taishan – are not being taken lightly.
“Their attacking style is very interesting for me,” said Urawa Head Coach, Ricardo Rodriguez, speaking at Buriram United’s Buriram Stadium home ground that is perhaps better known as Thunder Castle.
Urawa are the Sailors’ first ACL opponents, with the teams facing off in the opening Group F fixture on Friday (15 April) at 10pm (Singapore time).
“They have a good target player in the team, and in their local league, they are very superior in comparison to the other teams. I think the Sailors have a very clear style, playing in 4-3-3,” added the 48-year-old Spaniard who is into his second year leading the defending Emperor’s Cup champions.
Rodriguez was acutely aware of the importance of this opening game – especially in an ACL group stage that is played in a campaign format with the teams playing a match every three days – and his captain, veteran goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa, made the Japanese side’s intentions very clear.
“We are a good team; we came to Buriram with confidence, and we are playing to win this game (against the Sailors),” he said.
The Sailors have their work cut out for them, facing Daegu FC just three days after Urawa, on 18 April.
Head Coach of the Korean side, Alexandre Gama, was wary of the threat posed by the Sailors’ Korean connection – Kim Do-hoon, and forward Kim Shin-wook.
“They are a very strong team, have invested so much (in the team), and have a good coach who knows Korean teams very well – that is one big advantage (for the Sailors),” said the 54-year-old who is familiar with the Sailors Brazilian pair, Diego Lopes and Pedro Henrique.
But it was perhaps the attacking threat of Shin-wook that Gama understands most deeply, having worked with the 1.98m front man during his time as assistant coach of the South Korea national team in 2011.
“(The Sailors) have a good Korean striker – he was my striker before in the national team – and he’s a very good striker,” he said.
Gama’s approach to Group F matches perhaps sums up the challenge that lies ahead of Kim Do-hoon, Hariss and company, as the Sailors take their first steps into the ACL, Asian football’s biggest stage.
“This is not an easy group to play in,” said Gama.
“Every match is a cup final for us – this is the mentality I want in my team.”
It was a dangerous test for the Lion City Sailors, coming up against the only unbeaten side in the Singapore Premier League (SPL), less than 48 hours before leaving for their maiden Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) campaign.
But the defending champions showed up in scintillating fashion, convincingly beating Tanjong Pagar United 6-1 on Saturday night (9 April) at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
Brazilian playmaker Diego Lopes at his mesmerising best as he set the Sailors on their way with a brace in the opening half-hour, before Belgian winger Maxime Lestienne came on at half time to chalk up two assists and his first-ever goal for the club. Shahdan Sulaiman, Kim Shin-wook and Hafiz Nor were the other scorers on a night to remember for the Sailors fans.
Fans were treated to a captivating display by Diego who was a constant thorn in the Jaguars backline with his trickery and close control, and at times seemed unplayable. The 27-year-old has never felt more physically fit since he arrived in January 2021 and he believes he will get even better, in what appears perfect timing for the Sailors who depart for Buriram, Thailand, to face Asia’s best on Monday.
“I’ve been working hard on my physical condition, putting in sprints after training and doing gym with (Sailors’ Head of Performance) Mario (Jovanovic) for upper body strengthening. I also started changing my diet last season with the help of a nutritionist arranged for by the club,” said the former Rio Ave man, who has now started the last five games after initial difficulties in holding down a first eleven spot under Kim Do-hoon.
“Now I’m beginning to see the results – I’m stronger and fitter this season. The help from our medical department and trust by Coach also gives me a lot of confidence, so you can see I’m enjoying myself a lot more on the pitch.”
Just eight minutes in, Diego made his mark in the top-of-the-table clash by ghosting in to meet Iqram Rifqi’s deep cross and arch a brilliant header beyond Zharfan Rohaizad.
“This was one of my best matches, but the whole team played well, and I think it comes down to the hard work that we all have been putting in training sessions,” added Diego.
“This positive result will only encourage us as we go on to play in the ACL.”
This was the final game before embarking on their ACL adventure, but the Sailors showed that there is no letting up in terms of desire and intensity, with M. Anumanthan shutting down the threat of Jaguars’ influential playmaker Mirko Šugić, and the Sailors winning the majority of second balls.
Kim’s men would double their advantage in the 28th minute through a brilliant team move from back to front, with Diego striding onto Gabriel Quak’s slide-rule pass before firing in between Daniel Bennett’s legs into the bottom left corner.
The Brazilian continued to pull the strings from the middle of the park and it was his visionary ball over the top that led to Shahdan slotting home the Sailors’ third five minutes later.
The Sailors were relentless and could have gotten more goals before half time, but Diego was agonisingly denied a hat-trick when his attempt to hook the ball over Zharfan was hacked off the line before Anaqi Ismit struck the bar.
Maxime then came on for Anaqi at the break and he would make an instant impact 40 seconds after coming on. The Belgian got onto the end of Tajeli Salamat’s low cross before squaring across goal for Shin-wook to make it four from close range.
The Sailors’ defence was finally breached in the 71st minute – conceding their first goal after 296 minutes of football – when Pedro Henrique inadvertently diverted Rusyadi Salime’s free-kick past Izwan Mahbud.
However, the four-goal advantage was restored almost immediately with Hafiz applying the finishing touch on another excellent Maxime cross – this just nine minutes after the Singapore international came on for Gabriel.
Maxime put the icing on the Sailors’ cake in the final minute of regulation time, feinting past two Jaguars defenders before producing a fanciful finish into an empty net for his maiden goal for the club.
It was a result and display to savour, with Head Coach Kim expressing utmost satisfaction as the Sailors now lead the table by four points.
“We did concede a goal and that was a bit disappointing, but we were close to perfect in this match. We displayed our football and were on top. We’re just very happy that we put on a good show for the fans before we fly off to Buriram,” said the former Ulsan Hyundai man.
“We have to continue this good momentum in the ACL and we want to represent Singapore well in this competition. The key is to recover and adapt well once we’re over there.”
One last push before embarking on ACL quest
Their maiden Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) campaign in Buriram, Thailand, is on the horizon, but there is still one last domestic hurdle – a significant one – to overcome. The Lion City Sailors take on high-flying Tanjong Pagar United in a top-of-the-table Singapore Premier League (SPL) clash on Saturday night (9 April).
One point behind the Sailors, the Jaguars are second in the eight-team SPL standings. They are the only remaining unbeaten side this season with three wins and three draws, and their 16 goals is the most of any team in the league.
Sailors’ goalkeeper Hassan Sunny knows that his side needs to bring their A-game to dish out a first league defeat for the visitors in 2022.
“Tanjong Pagar is the most in-form team right now and they will take the fight to us – just like the other sides that we’ve faced. We’ve to match their desire and aggression to get the three points that we need,” said the Singapore national custodian.
Coming off the back of an unconvincing but important 1-0 victory over Young Lions on Wednesday (6 April), Hassan knows there is a need for the Sailors to improve and put in a more cohesive display in this coming match.
“We knew this – that every team will go out there to try and beat us this season – and that clearly showed against the Young Lions. We were second-best for 60 minutes and struggled towards the end of the game. The onus is on us to adjust what went wrong; we need to make fewer mistakes and work on improving certain aspects of our game against Tanjong Pagar,” said the 38-year-old.
But there has been some improvement in key areas. Hassan and the team are on a good streak – they have kept three clean sheets in their last four outings and achieved back-to-back shutouts for the first time since November 2020. Coupled with his appearance for the Lions in a 2-0 win over Philippines in the recent FAS Tri-Nations Series, Hassan has personally gone three straight games without conceding a goal.
The veteran, who made his professional debut in 2003, understands the value of a clean sheet and is keen to attribute the positive run to the improving Sailors’ defensive unit.
“I can’t do everything by myself. I count myself fortunate to have a good pair of centre-backs with Hariss (Harun) and Pedro (Henrique) in front of me, they give us a lot of confidence at the back,” said Hassan. “It’s satisfying of course because sometimes we can play well for 90 minutes, but if we lose that bit of concentration in injury time, then the clean sheet is gone.
“For myself, it is really important to keep clean sheets and maintain my level of performance. I’ve said before: at my age if I don’t perform, people are going to say it’s time for me to retire. So I have to go out there and prove myself consistently.”
The Tanjong Pagar game sets up an interesting reunion with a familiar face in Aqhari Abdullah – who left for the Jaguars after being part of the Sailors’ title-winning squad in 2021 – and Hassan is pleased to see the 30-year-old enjoying a new lease of life with his new employers.
“We all know Apek’s professionalism as a player – he doesn’t complain much even during hard training sessions. To be honest, I’m disappointed not to have him around this season, but at the same time it’s just really nice to see him happy and enjoying his football again,” he said.
This is the final game before the Sailors fly off for the ACL, and Hassan is hopeful of seeing a healthy crowd turn up at Jalan Besar to be the Sailors’ 12th man.
“I know some fans will be flying to Thailand, but some of them will be staying home and probably catching us on TV. Hopefully every one of them will come down to pack the stadium and give us the chance for us to give the fans something to cheer about before we travel.”
It was not the most fluent of displays by the defending Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions, but the Lion City Sailors did enough to grind out a crucial 1-0 win over Young Lions on Wednesday night (6 April) at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
The result sees Kim Do-hoon’s men finish Matchweek 7 top of the eight-team SPL standings for the first time since the opening weekend of the season, following Tanjong Pagar United’s 3-3 draw with Tampines Rovers in a concurrent match at Our Tampines Hub.
Gabriel Quak’s 15th minute goal proved to be the decider, but Shahdan Sulaiman acknowledged the need to produce a more cohesive display in the upcoming matches.
“Credit goes to the Young Lions – they stuck to their game plan and they knew how they wanted to play to stop us,” said the 33-year-old midfield lynchpin.
“We didn’t play as well as we wanted to – our game management could have been better and leading by that solitary goal for so long created pressure for ourselves. We have to look at ourselves and ensure that we’re not in this position again.”
Even though the Sailors did not hit top gear, there were positives to be drawn. This was the Sailors’ third clean sheet in their last four outings – back-to-back shutouts for the first time since November 2020 – showcasing the improved defensive solidarity and overall compactness.
Three-time SPL winner Shahdan knows better than most the importance of grinding out victories in a long league season.
“But we came away with the three points and we’re top of the table now, and that’s a good place to be. For us, the focus is on getting as many points as we can before we fly off for the ACL (Asian Football Confederation Champions League),” he noted.
Head Coach Kim made just one change to the lineup that started the 4-0 thrashing of Balestier Khalsa five days ago, with Hafiz Nor coming in for Maxime Lestienne on the left flank.
The Sailors settled into their rhythm early and almost scored after just four minutes, with Shahdan playing a quick one-two with Kim Shin-wook after winning the ball in the attacking third, but saw his resulting shot tipped onto the post by Young Lions goalkeeper Ridhwan Fikri.
After Hassan Sunny tipped over a Khairin Nadim shot over at the other end, the Sailors went ahead in the 15th minute. Gabriel unleashed a 20-yard daisy-cutter that sneaked into the bottom corner after Song Ui-young’s initial shot was blocked by Jacob Mahler.
That was 31-year-old Gabriel’s second goal of the season and he proved to be the Young Lions’ slayer again – this was his sixth strike in as many games against them since the Sailors’ inception in 2020.
The Young Lions did not let their heads go down after conceding, and instead made life difficult for the Sailors with their back five turning in sturdy defensive performances. Nazri Nasir’s boys went close on a few occasions, with Hassan having to get his hands to at least four shots.
The Sailors were then forced to rejig towards the end of the first half, with Song replaced by Adam Swandi after picking up what appears to be a hamstring injury. That meant Diego Lopes was pushed further up into the no. 10 role, while Hafiz and Gabriel also switched flanks to give some variation in the final third.
The move brought a bit of an impact with smoother football played after the restart, as Gabriel and Tajeli Salamat going close to doubling the lead.
Young Lions kept on trying and upped the ante in the final 20 minutes, prompting the Sailors to bring on M. Anumanthan and Amirul Adli to steady the ship. Both men were then involved in a great team move in the 89th minute that should have sealed the three points.
After Adli had won the ball high up, Anu exchanged passes with Shin-wook before squaring across goal for Diego – who fired against the post from six yards out.
The Sailors had to keep their heads late on and have Hassan to thank for as he tipped Jacob’s half-volley around the post a minute into injury time to preserve the points for the champions.
Coach Kim’s immediate attention turned to the top-of-the-table clash against Tanjong Pagar United this coming Saturday (April 9) and is hopeful that his players recover well for another game in quick succession.
“All teams are facing this issue so this is not an excuse, but it wasn’t easy as this was the first game in the Ramadan period, and we have a tight schedule,” said the former Ulsan Hyundai man.
“The key now is for the boys to get some good rest because the next game will be very challenging. We’ve to take the confidence from this win and go into the game being very well-prepared.”
I’m loving it: Adam Swandi
He is smiling more these days, and there is little wonder why.
After dragging himself out from under low hanging dark clouds of injury setbacks in the last couple of years, Adam Swandi has fought his way back into firm contention for a first-team spot at the Lion City Sailors.
And he is loving it.
It may still be early days in the 2022 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season, but as the Sailors line up against Adam’s former employers, Young Lions on Wednesday (6 April) at the Jalan Besar Stadium, it seems that the 26-year-old is finally stepping into the light.
He has already made more starts this campaign than in 2020 and 2021 combined – three, to be exact, including the AIA Community Shield, and has also come off the bench on two other occasions.
Adam was a starter for the Singapore national team in the Lions’ memorable 2-1 Causeway Derby win over Malaysia in the Football Association of Singapore Tri-Nations Series in March, and things are looking up, with his fiery renaissance sparked by a positional change.
Mainly deployed as a winger since his professional debut in 2015, Adam has been reinvented as a central midfielder and is enjoying life in the Sailors’ engine room.
“It’s not easy, it’s really different from what I’ve been doing before, so I’m fortunate that I have Shahdan (Sulaiman) alongside me. He continues to give me wonderful guidance from his years of experience,” said Adam.
“It also helps that we have Hariss (Harun) providing stability from the back. I’m really grateful to be getting quite a number of minutes this season, but of course there’s still a lot of room for improvement.”
It has been a long and arduous road back for Adam, whose horrific anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in July 2019 saw him out of action for 15 months. He had to be content with 12 substitute appearances on his comeback in 2020 and found it hard to break into the first team under Sailors’ former Head Coach Aurelio Vidmar last season.
Adam would get his first start in over two years in July 2021 during Kim Do-hoon’s first match in charge of the Sailors, but lasted just 14 minutes – he tore his hamstring and missed the next four matches as a result. These multiple setbacks only served to make Adam dig deeper, and looking internally, he found steel, a firm resolve reinforced by the trust given by a renowned tactician – Head Coach Kim.
“As soon as he came, he made it clear that he saw me as a player who can grow into this central midfield position, in terms of controlling the game and its technical aspects. All I need to do is to learn and do as much as I can in this new role for the team,” said Adam.
“I’ve been working my socks off in training in order so I can more regularly and I’m happy that he recognises the efforts that I’ve put in. I just have to keep doing my best and play well to repay his faith in me.”
The Sailors have had a mixed start to 2022, but the two-week international break looked to have served the team a world of good. Kim’s charges delivered their most convincing display of the year thus far in a 4-0 thrashing of Balestier Khalsa last Friday (1 April).
Now second in the eight-team standings, a solitary point behind league leaders Tanjong Pagar United with 10 points from five matches, the Sailors are looking to keep up the pressure when they take on bottom-placed Young Lions at Jalan Besar.
This is the Sailors’ penultimate SPL fixture – they will face Tanjong Pagar United on 9 April – before flying off to Buriram, Thailand, for their maiden Asian Football Confederation (ACL) Champions League (ACL) campaign, Adam wants his teammates to grab the remaining opportunities to impress and give Kim some food for thought ahead of the matches against Asia’s big boys.
“Coach Kim has made it clear that we’ll need every single player to play our part in what will be a long season. Everyone’s been working really hard to show that they deserve the chance to play, and I’m sure whoever is chosen will do a good job for the team,” he said.
“Young Lions are not a team to be taken lightly, they’ve got quality players like Joel Chew and Shah Shahiran. They may lack that experience, but have drive and boundless energy that makes them competitive in matches. This is a game where our experience will be vital for us.”
The Sailors’ busy April schedule coincides with the annual Ramadan period during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, a time that will test the team’s resolve, but Adam believes the Sailors have what it takes to come through.
“It’s not easy to play in the Ramadan period, but we’ve long learnt how to cope,” said Adam.
“We will manage things and go out there and play our best for the team. We’ve a big enough squad fighting for places, and that will definitely come in handy for us.”
