Category: News
Lion City Sailors will play our Singapore Premier League (SPL) matches behind closed doors from May 8, 2021, in line with the new Covid-19 restrictions announced on Tuesday.
Up to 250 spectators were allowed into the stadiums for SPL games last month, and we were delighted to have our fans supporting us live at the games against Geylang International, Balestier Khalsa, and most recently, Hougang United.
However, the recent rise in Covid-19 infections has led to the authorities implementing stricter measures for SPL games.
Sailors CEO Chew Chun-Liang said: “We fully understand and support the decision to have SPL games played behind closed doors. The wellbeing and health of our fans, players, and staff remains our top priority.
“We are naturally disappointed that our fans can no longer support us in person. Their presence at the stadiums in our last few games, especially against Hougang, provided a real boost to the team.
“But we urge our fans to adhere to the new Covid-19 measures implemented by the authorities, so that we can get through this storm together as quickly as possible. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before the restrictions are lifted, and fans will be allowed back into stadiums again.”
Fans can still catch the Sailors in action LIVE on broadcast via the SPL Facebook page and YouTube channel, as well as the 1 Play Sports Facebook page.
The Sailors will next take on Geylang International this Sunday, 8.30pm, at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
Join The Crew!
As Lion City Sailors’ interim Head Coach, Robin Chitrakar knows he has an important role to play from now to when a permanent replacement for the outgoing Aurelio Vidmar is appointed.
With the Sailors on a good run of form – they are unbeaten in their last five games, having won four of them and drawn one – Robin has the huge responsibility of ensuring that the team continues to pick up the wins as they work towards their goal of finishing as champions of the Singapore Premier League (SPL) this season.
While Aurelio will only officially part ways with the Sailors tomorrow (April 30), Robin has already been heavily involved in leading the training sessions for the senior team.
And the 44-year-old, who holds an AFC Professional Coaching Diploma, revealed that his main focus at the moment is on continuing the good work that Aurelio has done with the Sailors.
“I’m not here to make huge changes. Coach Aurelio has done very well with the team…he has laid a solid foundation, so my role now is to simply carry on from where he left off,” Robin explained.
“Under coach Aurelio, the team’s philosophy was to attack, and that is what we’ll stick to because it’s proven to be effective. But of course, we’ll reflect and make some tweaks according to who our next opponent is.”
This is not the first time that Robin, who is also the head coach of the Sailors’ Under-21 side, has managed a senior team in the SPL.
About a decade ago, when the SPL was still known as the S.League, Robin was the head coach of the Young Lions. During that stint, which lasted from 2011 to 2012, he worked with and helped develop several of the current stars in the Sailors squad, including Faris Ramli, Gabriel Quak, Shahdan Sulaiman, Aqhari Abdullah and Tajeli Salamat.
While acknowledging that it has been “quite long ago” since he led a senior team, Robin is confident that, together with the rest of the technical team, they will be able to stabilise the ship in the absence of a permanent head coach.
“On the player front, everybody knows that we have top quality in our ranks. But we also have a very strong technical team and dedicated backroom staff who all work hard to help the team perform at their optimum on match days,” said Robin.
“So, I don’t have any concerns about taking on this role because the support is there. I’ll be working closely with everyone, especially assistant head coach Noh (Rahman) and Head of Sports Science Mario (Jovanovic) to keep the Sailors going until a permanent head coach is found.”
The Sailors are currently second in the SPL, just three points behind league leaders Albirex Niigata (S). They will next take on Geylang International at the Jalan Besar Stadium next Sunday (May 9), at 8.30pm.
Robin believes the two-week break in between the Sailors’ last game against Hougang United (a 1-0 win over the Cheetahs) and their next fixture against the Eagles will be beneficial for the players.
“The boys are all going to miss Aurelio, so it’s good that we have two weeks before the next match, because then it’ll give them more time to adapt to life without him,” Robin elaborated.
“It’s important that everyone is ready for the visit of Geylang. They’re a very good side that retains possession very well. They were unfortunate with injuries early in the season and failed to make their chances count, but they are a very dangerous team overall. We’ve got to be wary especially of their attacking set-pieces, so we’ll have to prepare for that.”
And while Robin may not be in the Sailors dugout as the team’s head coach for long, he has promised the club’s fans that he will do all he can to make them happy.
“Like everyone else here at the club, I’m only focused on helping the Sailors win the SPL this season,” Robin declared. “It’s an honour to be given this responsibility, and my promise to the Sailors fans is that I will work my hardest to tide the team through this period of transition.
“Ultimately, we want to make our fans happy by playing entertaining football while getting the right results. That is what I intend to achieve with the Sailors, and I hope you’ll continue to give me and the team your utmost support.”
Aurelio Vidmar leaves Lion City Sailors
Lion City Sailors announce today that the club will part ways with our head coach, Aurelio Vidmar, who has decided to pursue other opportunities, with effect from 30th of April 2021.
“We sincerely thank Aurelio for his work in getting the Lion City Sailors project off the ground in our first season, and for implementing a mindset of professionalism and excellence in the club,” said Sailors CEO, Chew Chun-Liang.
“We wish Aurelio nothing but the best in his future endeavours.”
Vidmar led the Sailors to third spot in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) in the club’s first season since its February 2020 founding, a truncated season hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. But the team lit up the league with scintillating attacking football that saw three Sailors receive personal accolades at the year-end SPL Awards night – Gabriel Quak was named Player of the Year, with Saifullah Akbar picked as the SPL’s Young Player of the year and Stipe Plazibat’s 14 goals in 14 matches saw him end 2020 as the league’s top scorer.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the Lion City Sailors project and I thoroughly enjoyed my time here with the team and management. I’m sure Singapore football fans were entertained by some of the football we continue to dish out, and I look forward to hearing about the future successes of the club,” said Vidmar.
“Thank you, Sailors, and thank you Singapore for your hospitality and kindness during my time here.”
Robin Chitrakar, the head coach of the Sailors’ Under-21 side will take charge of the first team on an interim basis.
The club will make an announcement on the appointment of a new head coach in due course.
The Lion City Sailors’ Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup Asean Zone Group Stage matches have been rescheduled.
Originally slated to be played from June 22 to 28, the Sailors’ Group H fixtures will now be held from June 29 to July 5.
The exact date of the Group H matches, which will see the Sailors take on Vietnam’s Saigon FC, Malaysia outfit Kedah Darul Aman, and the winner of the Asean Zone play-offs 3.2, has yet to be fixed.
In a statement posted on the AFC website, the continental body said: “The decision to reschedule the ASEAN Zone was taken after the confirmation of the new match schedule for the AFC Champions League (East) Playoff matches, which are now planned for June 22, 2021 and, depending on the outcome of the Preliminary Stage matches, may include the participation of teams from the ASEAN Zone.”
The Sailors’ Group H games are still scheduled to be played in Singapore.
Barely a week after witnessing Gabriel Quak score a goal that was deemed worthy of being nominated for the Puskas award, Lion City Sailors midfielder Diego Lopes submitted an entry of his own with an equally stunning strike against Hougang United last evening.
Receiving the ball at the edge of the box from a Faris Ramli throw-in, Diego swivelled and volleyed a shot with his right foot that seemingly defied the laws of physics, as it curled outwards and dipped into the top corner of the net.
🤯 𝗗𝗜𝗘𝙂𝙊-𝙇𝘼𝙕𝙊 ‼️
What have you done, Diego Lopes?! 💣 A 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒔 hit from the @lioncitysailors star last night! #SPL #GameOn
cc: @FIFAcom Puskas Award panel pic.twitter.com/F4IqKzd3gg
— Singapore Premier League (@SGPremierLeague) April 25, 2021
It was a goal that left the crowd at the Hougang Stadium in stunned silence for a moment. But a collective gasp of wonderment soon followed once fans finally processed the moment of magic they had just witnessed.
The 69th minute goal, which was reminiscent of Papiss Cisse’s wonder strike for Newcastle United against Chelsea in 2012, was enough for the Sailors to clinch all three points as Aurelio Vidmar’s men ran out 1-0 winners over the Cheetahs.
That such a magnificent goal proved to be the winner was apt – against a tight and compact Hougang side, the Sailors had struggled to create clear-cut chances against the home team all throughout the game.
It needed something special to break down the stubborn Hougang defence. And Diego was more than happy to provide it.
Reflecting on Diego’s wonder goal, Sailors captain Hassan Sunny praised the Brazilian for stepping up to the plate when it mattered.
Said Hassan: “It was a very good goal. With the quality that he has, he is always capable of scoring these kinds of goals, so you know it’s not a fluke.
“The whole team knows how important it is that Diego plays at his best, because he can win games for the team. This goal against Hougang showed us just why he is worth so much.”
Last night’s victory over Hougang was especially significant for the Sailors, given that they had lost 1-3 to the same opponents at the Jalan Besar Stadium a month ago.
While underlining the importance of getting one over Hougang – who had started the match level on points with the Sailors – Hassan also highlighted that defensive solidity played a huge role in the victory.
“It’s a massive three points,” Hassan, who made several fine stops to keep a clean sheet last evening, declared. “And it is always tough to play Hougang at their home ground. They were very compact and defensively solid, so we had to be very patient with our attacks.
“We have also improved defensively in the last few games. But it’s not just the backline that deserves praise. The entire team did their part to defend last night, starting from Stipe (Plazibat) and Diego, so it was hard for Hougang to break us down too.
“So, while we lost to Hougang back in the first round when we were not at our best, I’m very happy that we managed to get the win over them this time.”
With the victory, the Sailors moved to the top of the table for at least 24 hours – Albirex Niigata who are also on 17 points, but with a game in hand, take on Balestier Khalsa on Sunday evening. The Sailors’ next match, in two weeks’ time on May 9, at the Jalan Besar Stadium, will see them take on Geylang International.
While the Sailors could be bumped back down to second by the time they face Geylang, Hassan believes the team can draw confidence from the fact that they had reached the summit.
“I think we deserve to be at the top with the way we have been playing, and the form we are in,” Hassan explained. “Having reached the top will definitely give us more confidence going into our next game.
“For now, though, it’s a good break for us, so we can continue to work more in training on the areas that we need to improve on.”
Welcome back, Sailors fans
Up to 250 fans will be able to watch Singapore Premier League (SPL) matches live from April 24 without the need for any Covid-19 test, in accordance with guidelines set out by Singapore’s multi-ministry taskforce.
The Lion City Sailors are set to visit Hougang United on the day these measures come into force, and Sailors CEO Chew Chun-Liang is excited at the prospect of playing in front of fans once again saying, “Football is about fans and we cannot say enough about how excited we are to be able to play in front of our fans once more. We cannot wait for Saturday and we must commend the Football Association of Singapore and Sport Singapore for their hard work to allow this to happen.”
A total of 50 complimentary tickets will be available for Sailors fans on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to 2020 and 2021 LCS season pass holders. Holders of the 2020 and 2021 season pass can redeem one ticket per pass from the Lion City Sailors representative at the ticket counter of Hougang Stadium from 6.30pm on matchday.
Should there be unredeemed tickets, non-season pass holding Sailors fans may obtain their tickets from 8pm onwards, subject to availability.
Fans will also be subject to safe distancing measures at all match venues, and are encouraged to arrive early to avoid congestion. They will also have to adhere to guidelines set out in the advisory by Sport Singapore on Safe Resumption of Sport & Physical Exercise For Phase Three.
All SPL matches will still be live streamed on the league’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel, as well as on 1 Play Sports’ Facebook page.
Ticketing details for the Sailors’ home game against Geylang International on May 9 will be released soon.
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They have yet to turn 18, but yesterday evening at the Jalan Besar Stadium, both Aniq Raushan and Glenn Ong were thrown into the deep end against a tough Balestier Khalsa side for their Lion City Sailors debuts.
It was, in effect, a sink or swim situation for the pair – would they be able to handle the demands of top-level football at such a young age?
By the time Glenn and Aniq walked off the pitch after being substituted in the 69th and 77th minute respectively, the answer was clear: yes, they can.
Confident, energetic and tactically disciplined, the duo looked right at home with their senior teammates as the Sailors romped to a 4-1 win over the Tigers.
“I thought they performed very well,” said Sailors head coach Aurelio Vidmar.
“Both Aniq and Glenn trained with the senior team for most of the pre-season, so they fit in seamlessly today. We were always pretty confident with them (in the team), and I thought they had solid debuts.”
The level of maturity Aniq and Glenn showed was remarkable, especially considering neither had played many 11-aside games in a year hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In addition, the two players were only drafted back into first-team training towards the end of last week, and Aniq – a centre-back by trade – was deployed in a somewhat unfamiliar position at right-back.
“I told them early on that they were going to play, and overall, I think they both handled it very well,” said Aurelio. “Aniq has a lot of athletic attributes and did a very serviceable job there at right-back, while Glenn, a central midfielder, is a good passer of the ball.
“They both are obviously inexperienced, and they hadn’t played too many competitive games this past year due to Covid-19, so it was quite normal they were going to get fatigued at some stage in the second half.”
When asked whether Aniq and Glenn were in line for more first-team outings this season, Aurelio simply replied with an emphatic: “Yes, that would be an affirmative.”
While both Aniq and Glenn impressed in their debuts, it was left to the senior players to lead the way against Balestier, as goals from Gabriel Quak (6’), Shahdan Sulaiman (18’), Stipe Plazibat (47’) and Saifullah Akbar (51’) set the home side on their way to a crucial three points.
It was yet another imposing performance from the Sailors, who restricted Balestier to just two shots on target while they managed 10 of their own.
“We focused on making sure that we controlled the game and the tempo. We did that for the first 24 minutes, and then they got a goal against the run of play. “But we kept our heads, kept cool, and continued the same in the second half and scored some fantastic goals, some great team goals, so that was very pleasing,” said Aurelio reflecting on the Sailors’ approach to the match.
“It was always going to be a tricky game against Balestier. They’re a tough opponent and relatively different to most of the other teams. They’ve got some very handy players, but I think we managed the game well.”
With the win, the Sailors move up to second in the table on 14 points, just three behind current league leaders Albirex Niigata (S).
The Sailors are unbeaten in four matches – including a memorable 8-0 victory over Geylang International last weekend – since the international break in March.
This is in stark contrast to the Sailors’ first three matches of the season, which saw them win once, draw once, and lose once – a 3-1 defeat to Hougang United.
But the Sailors will get a chance to make amends for that result when they face the Cheetahs this Saturday, 8.30pm, at the Hougang Stadium.
“They’ve (Hougang) had a very strong season to start and we had a difficult time against them last month,” Aurelio mused. “You can talk about revenge but for me, it’s not that. We’re going to go out there and treat it like just any other fixture where all we want is to try and get maximum points.”
It may have taken six Singapore Premier League (SPL) games for Diego Lopes to open his account for the Lion City Sailors, but the Brazilian made sure it was all worth the wait as he scored a well-taken hat-trick to help his team to an 8-0 Singapore Premier League (SPL) win over Geylang International yesterday.
Inventive, sprightly, and full of drive, it was a well-rounded performance that showcased just why the Sailors opted to make him Singapore’s first multi-million dollar footballer in January this year.
It is still early days for Diego in his voyage with the Sailors and Singapore football, but if he wants to establish himself as among the best foreign players to play in the SPL, then he need only look to his Sailors teammate Stipe Plazibat for inspiration.
Since making his debut in the SPL – then known as the S.League – in 2016, Stipe has grown from strength to strength and is now regarded by his peers and fans alike as one of the most potent strikers in the league.
Following his two goals against Geylang last evening, Stipe’s goal tally in the league now stands at 70 – a fantastic return, considering the Croatian is now only into his fifth SPL campaign.
But the 31-year-old, who won the SPL Top Scorer award last season, is not about to rest on his laurels any time soon. The ambitious Stipe revealed he has set his sights on hitting the 100-goal mark in the SPL.
“It feels good to hit the 70-goal mark, but I’ve actually set 100 goals (in the SPL) as one of my career targets,” said Stipe. “My two goals (against Geylang) brought me closer to that figure, but I still have to grind and continue working hard.
“For now, though, I’m quite happy with my (goal) figures, especially considering that I didn’t always play as a striker in the SPL. More importantly for me is that I can ultimately help the Sailors win silverware.”
Stipe’s dream of helping the Sailors win silverware could well be realised sooner rather than later if the team continues to play the way they did against Geylang.
Ruthless, disciplined, and efficient in possession, the Sailors overwhelmed the Eagles with goals from Diego (3), Stipe (2), Gabriel Quak (2) and Saifullah Akbar doing the damage.
After a mixed start to the season – which saw the Sailors win twice, draw twice and lose once in their first five games – Stipe is confident that this huge victory will galvanise the team as they look to mount a sustained challenge for the SPL title.
“To be honest, we needed a result like this,” admitted Stipe. “This will have a positive impact on the team for sure, and be a huge boost in terms of team chemistry and confidence.
“We also played well in previous games, but today, everything just went our way. That’s why the result is so impressive.”
Stipe also reserved words of praise for hat-trick hero Diego. Said Stipe: “The whole team and I are happy that he scored today. People expect a lot of him and he is under huge pressure, so it’s great that he got the goals.
“On a personal level, it’s a joy to link up with him because he sees and understands my runs, which is a dream for any striker.”
The Sailors will next take on Balestier Khalsa this Sunday, 8.30pm, at the Jalan Besar Stadium. While Stipe believes the Tigers will be a tough test, he knows it is imperative that the Sailors get another win.
“They are a solid team, and never easy to go up against,” Stipe mused. “Still, anything less than three points against would be a failure for us, because it’s important that we build up some momentum after our Geylang win.”
A new date has been set for the Lion City Sailors’ Singapore Premier League (SPL) away clash against Hougang United.
The match, which was initially pencilled in for May 19, has now been rescheduled to April 24 (Saturday), 8.30pm.
The Sailors and Hougang both agreed to the rescheduling that was made to allow the Singapore National Team more time to prepare for the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023.
You can view the Sailors’ updated fixture list here.
