Category: News
Trudging off the pitch at the Bishan Stadium last Sunday (Nov 22), Saifullah Akbar was a picture of despondence, and for good reason.
The 21-year-old had given everything to help the Lion City Sailors get the three points that night, but still suffered a narrow 2-3 defeat to Albirex Niigata (S) in the Singapore Premier League (SPL). The home side had arguably played better football throughout, and had done enough to get the win, so to eventually come away with a defeat at the end of 90 minutes was a huge disappointment for the Singapore Under-22 international.
Nonetheless, Saifullah’s display for the Sailors was certainly encouraging – he was one of the standout performers against Albirex, covering every blade of grass and racking up the joint-highest number of shots in the team alongside Song Ui-Young.
Saifullah even went close to scoring in the 18th minute with his close-range snapshot looking destined to nestle in the bottom left corner of the net, but Albirex keeper Kei Okawa somehow managed to keep the ball out with a flying save.
To put it simply, Saifullah did almost everything right, apart from finding the back of the net. To compound matters, he received a yellow card late in the game – his fourth booking of the season – which meant he was suspended for the Sailors’ following fixture – a 3-0 win over Geylang International.
Reflecting on the Albirex result, Saifullah lamented: “Obviously that was such a frustrating night. Coach Aurelio (Vidmar) told us to bring our A-game and we did – from Hassan (Sunny) in goal to Shahril (Ishak) up front, we put up a good show and gave nothing less than 100 percent. But the result just didn’t go our way.
“Personally, for myself, I felt I played one of the best 90 minutes of my career. The intensity and pace of the game was on another level – it’s always like that against Albirex. I’m glad I was able to adapt and thrive in that game. I got to run all over the park, get shots on goal and contribute both in defence and attack.
“However, not getting the three points meant the good performance did not matter at all and I would not like to experience that again.”
Thankfully, such disappointments have not been a frequent occurrence for Saifullah since he joined the Sailors in the off-season. Having started in eight of the ten SPL games before his suspension against Geylang, the skilful playmaker has been a lynchpin in the centre of the park for the team, with his performances getting better with each passing week.
And Saifullah credits coach Aurelio’s advice, as well as being around quality players, for his rapid improvement.
“The areas that I feel I’ve improved the most in are getting shots and running into the box more,” said Saifullah, who has one goal and one assist so far this campaign. “Before the start of the season, Coach said that for me to take the step up to another level as a midfielder, I’ve to get into the box more; to get more shots away, and to capitalise from any rebounds that fall my way.
“So, after I make forward passes, I have to continue my runs into the box – like how I scored (in the 7-1 win) against Balestier. That is what Coach demands from me so that I can develop into an all-round midfielder. I’m really enjoying it so far, and I hope to get more goals and assists – that’s the target,” he said.
“Being at the Sailors is similar to what I experienced in my first professional season with Tampines (Rovers) in 2016. There are experienced national players as well as quality foreign players within the team.
“As a youngster, it’s a blessing for me to learn from seasoned pros like Song, Shahdan (Sulaiman) and Gabriel (Quak) every single day about what true professionalism is, on and off the pitch, and what it takes to succeed at the highest level. Being around so many good players also means that I’ve to be on top form in every training session to show that I deserve to be in the starting 11.”
The ambitious Saifullah has also set his sights high on making the breakthrough with the Singapore national team, although he is fully focused on his current mission with the Sailors.
“Of course, like any other player, I dream of playing for the Singapore national team. But first things first, I have to put in more consistent performances to convince the national coach (Tatsuma Yoshida) to call me up,” he said.
“Right now, though, my main focus is to help the Sailors win trophies, and I really want to help us qualify for the AFC Champions League (ACL) next season.”
Up next for Saifullah and the Sailors is a clash against his former club Young Lions at the Jurong West Stadium. It is a must-win game for the Sailors if they are to stay in the hunt for ACL qualification although they may well have to cope without top scorer Stipe Plazibat, who is still recovering from a niggling hamstring problem.
The Sailors are currently third in the table, four points off Tampines and a further two behind Albirex.
“Yes, Stipe could be a big loss for us (if he doesn’t play), but we have Shahril who has the experience to help us in the attacking third,” insisted Saifullah.
“From my time with the Young Lions, I know they can really put up a good fight on their day. They always play their hearts out with something to prove, and coach Nazri (Nasir) always pumps in a lot of energy into the team, so it may be a tricky game for us. Moreover, they’ve got Hami (Syahin) and Ilhan (Fandi) now back with the team, so they are a very different side from the one we beat (5-0 at the start of November).
“We’re not too worried about the top two (Albirex and Tampines) for now. We just have to focus on getting the full nine points from the remaining three games and see where that brings us. Football’s an interesting game and many things can change over a week.”
For close to 70 minutes last evening (Nov 25), the Lion City Sailors battered the Geylang International goal at Our Tampines Hub to no avail.
In footballing parlance, it was starting to look like ‘one of those days’, where the Sailors were doing everything right, except putting the ball in the net.
Then, in the 71st minute, with Geylang committing numbers up top for a corner, the Sailors launched a devastating counter-attack – starting all the way from goalkeeper Hassan Sunny – which ended in Adam Swandi delivering a peach of a cross for Song Ui-Young to tap home from close range.
It was just rewards for the Sailors’ tenacity, who went on to seal the victory through Gabriel Quak’s superb solo goal in the 86th minute, before defender Kaishu Yamazaki put the icing on the cake in stoppage time with an outstanding long-range strike.
The Sailors may have ended up 3-0 winners on the night, but the scoreline belied just how difficult it was to break down a determined Geylang side.
Speaking after the game, Sailors head coach Aurelio Vidmar praised his players for their “persistence”, which he believes was vital in helping them eventually break the deadlock.
“It should have been over in the first-half, because we had two to three very good chances that we should have put away,” said Aurelio. “I was still very confident (that we would get the goal), although the longer it went, the harder it was getting.
“But I think we showed a lot of persistence tonight, and that was definitely the key. We were a little bit more dogged in making sure that we found the winner, so that was very pleasing for me.”
Sailors midfielder Song Ui-Young highlighted how important it was for the team to secure the victory over Geylang, especially with the season coming to an end.
The 27-year-old said: “We’re treating every single match like a final. We had to win today, and we did, so we’re really happy with the three points. But now, we’ll need to focus and prepare for the next game (against the Young Lions).
“Fortunately, the team is going into every game with plenty of confidence at the moment. We’ve got good guidance from Coach Aurelio, and all the players are on the same page with a good understanding with one another. That’s why we are able to work so well together on the pitch.”
Unfortunately, the Sailors’ win was marred by what appeared to be a recurrence of the hamstring injury that striker Stipe Plazibat picked up in the 3-1 win over Hougang United last week.
The Croatian hotshot came on as a substitute in the 73rd minute for Shahril Ishak, but had to be replaced barely five minutes later by captain Izzdin Shafiq.
Explaining the decision to play Stipe, Aurelio said: “Look, we took a little bit of a risk to try and give him a bit of game time. But obviously he’s still not quite ready, so that (injury) might put him back another four, five days, so we’ll have to wait and see.”
Aurelio, however, is confident that the rest of the team will be able to cope in the absence of Stipe for the remaining three games of the season.
“We have plenty of players in the squad, and I think everyone is capable of playing in the first team. But of course, we can only choose 11 at the end of the day,” said Aurelio.
“We’ve won without Song before, we’ve won without Gabriel, and we won without Stipe tonight. And to be honest, we should have also beaten Albirex in the last game without him (Stipe).
“So, what we’re building here is a team that doesn’t just rely on the main guys, but is resilient across the board.”
The Sailors are set to play their remaining three games in the span of one week, starting with a clash against the Young Lions this Sunday (Nov 29), 5.30pm, at the Jurong West Stadium.
Aurelio, however, was coy when asked about whether he would rotate for the match against the Young Lions to keep his players fresh for the season run-in.
“It’s getting harder but as I said, we’re a fit team, and we recover really well,” said Aurelio. “The medical staff are doing an enormous job in getting the players ready for the following games, so we’ll just have to wait and see over the next couple of days what we’ll do (for the Young Lions game).”
The Lion City Sailors’ 2-3 defeat to Albirex Niigata (S) on Sunday night was undoubtedly a painful one to endure, but the Sailors can ill-afford to cry over spilt milk.
They will now have to turn their attention to their remaining four Singapore Premier League (SPL) fixtures that will be coming up in the short span of 11 days.
First up is a tricky away game against fourth-placed Geylang International – who are just one point off the Sailors in the table – on Wednesday night (Nov 25). The Sailors will be missing Saifullah Akbar due to suspension, but could welcome striker Stipe Plazibat back into the fold after the Croatian missed the Albirex game as a precautionary measure after hurting his hamstring in the previous match against Hougang United.
In order to get all three points against Geylang, Sailors midfielder Shahdan Sulaiman believes all the players will need to work hard and show their mettle again.
“The Albirex defeat was such a disappointing night for us. We really wanted to win that game and we showed that in our performance,” reflected Shahdan, who had set up Tajeli Salamat to nod home the Sailors’ second equaliser on the night.
“We created many chances and felt a draw is a fairer result, but this is football and there’s no time to brood over what’s over.”
“We’ve another game coming up so shortly, so this is a chance for all of us to prove ourselves and show our desire again. We’ve to get back to what we do best to win the remaining matches.”
The Albirex loss may have put a stop to the Sailors’ five-match unbeaten run which yielded four wins, but the Sailors have improved spectacularly after a slow start, having scored 30 goals in eight matches since the league restarted in mid-October.
Young players like Saifullah, Haiqal Pashia and Naqiuddin Eunos have dovetailed well with their more senior teammates, and that has resulted in the Sailors playing some superb football at times.
And Shahdan is pleased to witness the team’s growth under renowned Australian coach Aurelio Vidmar.
“As you can see, we’re growing with every match together,” said the 32-year-old, who joined the Sailors in the off-season after spending a total of 10 years with Tampines Rovers across four different spells.
“Every individual has improved in some way under Coach Aurelio and that speaks a lot about him as a coach. His positivity rubs off not just on us players, but also on the whole club. He’s very approachable and is open to having any discussions or listening to whatever worries the players might have.”
As one of the most experienced players in the squad, Shahdan revealed he has taken on the responsibility of trying to help the younger Sailors in any way he can.
“I try to impart my knowledge and whatever experience I had over the years to them,” said Shahdan, who is now into his 15th professional season after debuting in the SPL (then known as the S.League) back in 2006.
“I’ve learned from many classy midfielders in the past and now that I’m older, it’s my responsibility to help the young ones reach their potential. For example, we can see Saifullah maturing into a strong attacking midfielder, and I believe he can be a regular in the national team in the near future.”
A key part of the younger players’ developmental pathway is to test themselves against stronger teams. To that end, Shahdan has set a target for the Sailors to qualify for the 2021 AFC Champions League (ACL) group stages – something that they will be able to achieve if they either win the SPL title or finish as the best-ranked local team this season.
The Sailors, currently third in the table, trail behind Tampines and Albirex by four and six points respectively.
“Like any other player, I dream of playing in the ACL and we really want to achieve this target as a team,” said Shahdan, who has numerous appearances for Tampines in the second-tier AFC Cup under his belt.
“Playing in the AFC Cup has been great for me personally and the level’s been competitive, but as players we can only get better by playing in Asia’s biggest club competition.
“I know people’s been saying it’s hard for us to win the title now, but there’s still plenty to play for till the end of the season. We just have to do our job for these final few games and hope other results go our way for us to finish second or first.”
The Sailors’ match against Geylang is set to take place this Wednesday (Nov 25), 7.45pm, at Our Tampines Hub.
The look on the faces of our Lion City Sailors players when the final whistle blew at the Bishan Stadium last evening (Nov 22) to confirm their 2-3 loss to Albirex Niigata (S) in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) said it all.
This defeat hurt. Badly.
After all, each and every of our Sailors had given their all on the pitch, and had probably done more than enough to secure all three points against Albirex.
Twice Albirex took the lead last night – first, through Tomoyuki Doi (13’), then through Fairoz Hasan (34’) – but each time, our Sailors fought back to level the score, with both Song Ui-Young (22’) and Tajeli Salamat (45’) getting on the scoresheet.
But the visitors took the lead for the third time in the 77th minute courtesy of Yasuhiro Hanada’s strike. And that, unfortunately, proved just a bridge too far for our Sailors – who had arguably played the better football on the night. Not that we did not try, with the likes of the impressive Saifullah Akbar and Song Ui-Young both coming close to drawing us level in the final stages of the game.
Speaking after the match, head coach Aurelio Vidmar said he was still pleased with the commitment shown by his charges despite the defeat.
“I thought we had a very good first-half, and certainly in the first 15 minutes of that second half, we had a lot of control, and played some really good football,” Aurelio reflected. “But conceding too easily put us on the back foot, so we had to chase (for the win). We’ve chased a couple of times already this year, and we’ve shown that we can do that, but it makes it harder.
“What I saw from the players was their courage and belief. Yes, the result didn’t go our way today, but they showed a lot of commitment, as they always do. We played some nice little combinations in the midfield, and we continued to play our style. It’s just one of those games today.
“Now, we just have to review the game and see where we can continue to work on our weaknesses and strengths. But it’s very hard when the next game is in three days’ time.”
More than the defeat itself, the result was particularly galling because it saw the Sailors’ SPL title hopes dwindle further – we are currently six points behind league leaders Albirex with just four more games to go this season, and while we are mathematically still able to win the SPL, our fate in the title race is no longer in our hands.
While Aurelio was just as upset with the defeat as any, he wants his players to recover from this disappointment quickly, and instead focus on ending the season on a high.
“They’d have to pick themselves up… and as hard as that pill is to swallow tonight, it is one of those things we’ll have to do,” said Aurelio. “This result makes it difficult for (us to win the title) in the last four games, but I still believe there’s a lot to play for, you never know what could happen.
“We can’t all of a sudden think about throwing the towel in, just because of this defeat. We’ve done so many good things over the last couple of months, so we need to be fired up for the last four games and finish (the season) strongly.”
Our Sailors will be in action again in the SPL this Wednesday (Nov 25), 7.45pm, when they take on Geylang International at Our Tampines Hub.
It was in the 56th minute of the Lion City Sailors’ Singapore Premier League (SPL) match at Hougang United last Wednesday (Nov 17), when Gabriel Quak received a loose ball just outside the penalty area.
Almost instinctively, Aqhari Abdullah raced into the box from the right in anticipation of a through pass from Gabriel, who did not disappoint with an inch-perfect ball for the Sailors right-back.
Aqhari knew exactly what he had to do once the ball reached his feet – whip in a dangerous first-time cross across the six-yard box, where he was confident one of his team-mates would pop up to divert the ball towards goal.
As it turns out, that team-mate was Hafiz Nor, who simply tapped the ball into the back of the net for his first goal of the season – his team’s second goal of the night – as the Sailors went on to win the match 3-1.
That assist by Aqhari was an exact replica of what he did to set up Shahril Ishak for the final goal in the Sailors’ 4-0 victory over Geylang International a month ago.
Those two moments encapsulated the evolution of Aqhari into a modern-day full-back who is not just strong defensively, but also adept in the attacking third.
While widely regarded as one of the most committed right-backs in the league over the past few years, the 29-year-old’s attacking qualities have never been as evident as this season under Coach Aurelio Vidmar.
In fact, Aqhari has already equaled his 2019 tally of two assists. And with five more matches to go, there is every chance that he will be able to add to that count before the season ends.
“My role in this team is a bit different (as compared to last time) – defending is still my priority, but I’m now expected to contribute a lot more in attacking,” explained Aqhari. “For this, I really have to thank Coach Aurelio because he has taught me how to attack from another perspective, and how to see the game from another angle.
“My game has changed a lot and I’ve improved immensely under him. Hopefully I can continue to develop further and get more assists to help the team.”
This year has been quite the ride for Aqhari, who reclaimed his spot in the starting-11 through sheer hard work after not being selected in the squad for the Sailors’ first two outings back in March. He has since started in six of the seven matches since the SPL restarted in mid-October, missing only the 5-0 win over the Young Lions as he was rested on the bench.
“It’s normal for any player who is not selected amongst the matchday 18 to be disappointed – and the same goes for me,” he admitted. “The (COVID-19) pandemic then came and everyone was unsure whether the league is going to restart, but I just kept myself positive.
“I had a chat with Coach and he told me I really have to work hard to get my position back. So, I did just that once training resumed (in mid-June) to convince him – whatever he wants me to execute, I’ll do it. And once I got the position in the first-team back, I just played my best in every game, and gave my 100 per cent without holding back.”
Aqhari’s professionalism and unwavering commitment are attributes which the club clearly values. It explains why he has stayed on at the Bishan Stadium since joining the club – then known as Home United – in 2016. From the current group of players, only Abdil Qaiyyim, who signed for the club a year earlier, has stayed on longer.
Having been an integral part of the Home United teams that reached the AFC Cup zonal final in 2017 and 2018, he is now seen as a senior figure in the Lion City Sailors – a role which he clearly relishes.
“It has been an enjoyable five seasons, four with Home United and this year in this new journey with the Sailors,” said Aqhari, who has made 73 league appearances (114 in all competitions) with the club across both entities. “The management takes care of me on and off the field, and as a professional player, I make sure I don’t give them any problems.
“Now that I’m one of the older players in the team, it’s important for me to share my knowledge and experience to help the younger players – especially when they come to me personally for advice.”
After an uncertain start to the campaign, the Sailors appear to be finally hitting top gear, having recorded three straight victories – while scoring an impressive 16 goals in total – over the past two weeks.
“It’s been enjoyable to see this team showing the progress that we’ve made,” commented Aqhari. “The team has gelled together really well because we worked really hard in training and we tried everything that Coach wants us to do in every game.”
The Sailors’ recent results set them up nicely for a rematch against current league leaders Albirex Niigata (S) on Sunday (Nov 22) in a crucial six-pointer that could potentially decide the winners of the SPL title. Aurelio’s side are now just three points off the White Swans and Tampines Rovers in the table.
The Sailors went down to a contentious 3-2 defeat when both sides met at Jurong East nearly a month ago, with Albirex’s 94th-minute winner allowed to stand despite a handball in the build-up.
“That was quite a tough one to take because from what I saw, it was a definite handball,” Aqhari lamented.
“If that game had ended in a draw, that one point would have meant a lot to us (in the title challenge). But it’s over now and we just have to focus on each game as it comes. Now that we’re chasing Albirex, it’s good that we get to play them, because then we can do something about it.”
Albirex are in similarly good form, having also won three matches in a row, with Aqhari emphasising that the Sailors will likely have to toil to claim the three points on Sunday.
“They’re technically very good, disciplined and work very hard. So, the key is to work harder than them and overpower them,” he said.
“Usually the game is lost from our own errors, so we have to cut down on as many mistakes as we can and try to capitalise with the experienced players on our side.”
Just two weeks ago at the Bishan Stadium, the Lion City Sailors were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) by a resolute Hougang United side.
But the Sailors made amends for that last evening (Nov 17), overcoming the Cheetahs 3-1 in a battling display at the Hougang Stadium.
Similar to the reverse fixture at Bishan, the Sailors were once again the dominant team in possession yesterday, while Hougang set themselves up in a deep block and looked to hit back on the break.
This time, though, we were able to take the lead early, with Gabriel Quak breaking the deadlock in the 12th minute with a sublime free-kick.
Speedy winger Hafiz Nor then doubled our lead in the 57th minute with his first goal of the season, before Shahdan Sulaiman put the result beyond any doubt four minutes from time with our third goal of the night.
Hougang scored a consolation in the third minute of added time through a Charlie Machell penalty, but that did little to mar an otherwise splendid performance and win for the Sailors.
Indeed, head coach Aurelio Vidmar was effusive in his praise for the players after the game, as he labelled the victory as one of the ‘most impressive’ since he took over the club earlier this year.
“I thought it was a super performance tonight, we showed a lot of toughness and character in difficult circumstances – I think this was one of our most impressive wins of the season,” gushed Aurelio.
“We didn’t do much differently from the previous game. We played very similar, as they did, but I think we executed our shots on target a lot better than we did previously. We’ve been building on that (aspect) the last couple of weeks.”
The only downside from last evening’s game was an injury to our in-form Croatian striker Stipe Plazibat, who had to come off the pitch in the 40th minute due to a hamstring problem.
While the extent of Stipe’s injury is still unknown, the prospect of losing him at this crucial stage of the season – with just five more SPL games to go – would be a huge blow.
Nonetheless, Aurelio is confident that the rest of his players, including a refreshed and recharged Shahril Ishak, has the ability to fill in capably for Stipe if needed.
“It’s going to be a loss if he (Stipe) doesn’t play,” Aurelio admitted. “But I think we showed tonight that we’ve got some flexibility in that (striker) position as well. We have Shahril back…Gabriel’s played there as well, we can put Adam or Hafiz there too, so we have a number of options.
“But let’s just wait and see because it’s still too early to say (how long Stipe could be out for). He’ll see a physio, get a scan and we’ll assess it from there.”
The Sailors’ win over Hougang means we have now won three consecutive SPL games, and are unbeaten in our last five overall. This good run of form has seen us jump up to third in the table, just three points behind joint-league leaders Albirex Niigata (S) and Tampines Rovers.
Up next for the Sailors will arguably be one of our toughest and most important matches of the season – a potential title-deciding clash against Albirex on Sunday (Nov 22), 5.30pm, at the Bishan Stadium.
And although Albirex were able to beat the Sailors 3-2 somewhat controversially the last time we met them at the Jurong East Stadium, Aurelio is confident that the momentum generated from the past few games will help see the team through this time around.
“Obviously, there’s a big game on Sunday…Albirex have been very consistent and very strong this year, it’s certainly a defining moment in the season for both clubs,” said Aurelio. “But the boys have been fantastic the last few weeks, and have really worked extremely hard to get the results that they have.
“I’m very happy with the three wins on the trot, so let’s see (what happens on Sunday). I can’t think too much ahead because we’re just coming off the win tonight, so we’ll just enjoy that now, because the players deserve that,” added Aurelio.
“We’ll take the next couple of days to recover and relax, and then get ourselves prepared for Albirex.”
The Lion City Sailors are stepping into gear in the Singapore Premier League (SPL), following up on their 7-1 victory over Balestier Khalsa on Nov 7, with another high-scoring 6-1 win over Tanjong Pagar United on Friday (Nov 13).
The Sailors looked like they were scoring for fun at the Bishan Stadium, racing to a 4-0 half-time lead with a brace from Stipe Plazibat and a goal each from Kaishu Yamazaki and Song Ui-Young.
In a tighter second half, Tanjong Pagar’s Suhairi Sabri scored with a well-taken shot in the 52nd minute, but any hope of a comeback was quashed by substitute Adam Swandi, who found the back of the net twice in the final seven minutes of the match.
Aurelio Vidmar’s charges are now third in the eight-team standings on 14 points, just three adrift of both Albirex Niigata and Tampines Rovers.
The Sailors are playing flowing football and scoring with exhilarating regularity, and while both performances and results have brought a smile to his face, Aurelio is taking nothing for granted.
“The team is progressing well – there’s a vast difference from where we first started to where we are now, and everyone’s understanding one another better. I was really pleased with the first half performance: we played some great football, and scored some really nice goals,” said the former Australia captain, who also noted his team’s ability to switch gears.
He said: “We had to be a bit more patient and accelerate our tempo when we got closer to the front third of the pitch. But at 4-0 up at half-time, sometimes you take your foot off the pedal and that’s probably what we did. In saying that, we reacted much better in the second part of the second half.
“But I think we still have a lot of improvement to make, and in time we’ll get there.”
Sailors’ skipper Izzdin Shafiq was pleased with how well the team has progressed over the course of this season – something that he puts down to work on the training ground.
“We always try to improve after every game, and the team looks more positive now than we were at the restart of the league,” said the midfielder. “There really isn’t any secret behind all that. If there is a secret, it’s the hard work, discipline and commitment from every single Sailor.”
Izzdin is under no illusions as to the size of the task ahead of his team, if they are to push for the SPL title, but he is confident in the ability of his team to step up to the plate.
“There will be tough matches ahead of us, but if we want to win the title, we must put in similar performances and show the same fighting spirit,” said Izzdin.
The Sailors’ ruthless efficiency in front of goal and patience in the face of a resolute Tanjong Pagar defence augurs well for their next fixture – against Hougang United on Tuesday (17 Nov) at the Hougang Stadium.
The last time these two teams locked horns, the Sailors struggled to break down a compact Cheetahs’ side in a 1-1 draw at the Bishan Stadium in early November.
“We know what a tough nut they were to break down, and this match will potentially be very similar to that (1-1 draw) – it’s going to be a challenge for us,” said Aurelio, who was acutely aware that Hougang are not the only obstacle his team needs to overcome.
“We’ve got a game every three and a half days, so there’s not a lot of training we can do. We must focus on recovery and getting the players fresh for upcoming games,” said Aurelio.
“It’s freshness, freshness, freshness.”
Footballing women, we want you!
The return of the Singapore Premier League has generated much excitement in the football fraternity here, and while we’re enjoying the quality football that coach Aurelio Vidmar and his charges are putting on show, the club is not resting on its laurels.
In preparation for the much-anticipated return of football beyond the SPL, the club is implementing a plan for our Women’s team, and we’d like you to come on board!
The club is moving to implement a broad plan to boost the level of our Women’s team, including revamping our game model and putting in place the Sailors’ style of football that we are already starting to be familiar with.
Open Trials
The Women’s team is opening our doors to women players across the country as we look to expand our playing roster to form two competitive squads of up to 25 players each.
Open trials for all interested female players born before January 2004 (aged 16 and above), including Permanent Residents and foreigners, will be held on 22nd November between 3pm – 4.45pm, at 8 Mattar Road.
Fitness levels, individual technical ability and tactical knowledge are some key aspects that coaches will look for in trialists.
Safety Measures at trials
Safety measures in accordance with the Football of Singapore (FAS) policies and Sport Singapore (SportSG) directives will be implemented at these trials, including strict adherence to separated grids on the pitch, keeping to groups of five, and no intermingling between groups.
These measures will also be implemented in the closed trials that the club will conduct for existing players as we look to put in place squads with an ideal player composition within the squads in the club.
Closed Selection for all current LCS women’s team players will be held on 15th November from 3pm – 4.30pm, at 8 Mattar Road.
To facilitate the strict organisation of what is an unusual trial modality, we request that all interested trialists fill up this form (https://forms.gle/r1aoqpTkACSPArYo9) to secure trial time slots as we seek to implement the required measures to keep Singapore safe.
Come and join the Sailors!
Trial details
- Open trials
- 22nd November, 3pm – 4.45pm
- 8 Mattar Road
- For women players born before January 2004 (aged 16 and above), including PRs and foreigners
- Closed selection
- 15th November, 3pm – 4.30pm
- 8 Mattar Road
Many had expected the Lion City Sailors’ Singapore Premier League (SPL) clash against an in-form Balestier Khalsa side, who were unbeaten in their last five matches, to be a closely fought encounter.
The Sailors had other ideas, as they turned on the style at the Bishan Stadium yesterday evening (Nov 7) and romped to a convincing 7-1 victory over the Tigers.
Indeed, such was the Sailors’ dominance yesterday that the match was effectively over by half-time, with Aurelio Vidmar’s men holding a 5-0 lead at the break courtesy of a Stipe Plazibat hat-trick as well as goals from Song Ui-Young and Saifullah Akbar.
Defender Tajeli Salamat and substitute Adam Swandi completed the rout for the Sailors in the second half, with Balestier scoring their consolation goal through Croatian striker Kristijan Krajcek.
The result represents the biggest win in the SPL this season, and caps off a tiring but encouraging week for the Sailors who bagged seven points out of the nine points on offer.
While pleased with the victory and the performance that went along with it, Sailors midfielder and captain for the night, Shahdan Sulaiman, insists the team will not read too much into the scoreline as they keep their sights simply on winning the next game.
“This result definitely gives the team a huge confidence boost, but at the same time, we know we need to take it one game at a time,” said Shahdan, who ended the match with two assists.
“Due to the early goal we had today, the match opened up, played to our advantage, and we were clinical enough to turn our chances into goals. We are also getting more familiar with how coach (Aurelio) wants us to play, and hopefully we will keep improving from here on out.”
Coach Aurelio also agreed that it was important for the Sailors to take it “one match at a time”.
He explained: “I just focus on the process, and the process is of trying to play a particular brand of football. We’re trying to get everyone up to speed to do that, and I know that when that’s done well, then the results will come.
“I’m not too fussed with what’s happening right now. We’ve won, but generally I don’t look forward too much…we’ve only got a couple of rounds (this season), so we need to focus on one match at a time, and that’s what we’ve done over these (last) seven days.”
Ominously for the rest of the teams in the league, coach Aurelio believes that this is still not the best the Sailors are capable of playing.
“We’re getting better. As I said last week, we need to keep doing the things that we’re doing, and continue to do that better and for longer periods,” Aurelio explained. “And I think we saw that as well tonight, there was some great football played in the first-half, some great goals, and it’s just the start because I think we’ve still got so much upside.
“I think there’s still a lot of improvement to go, not just on the type of football that we play, but in terms of our physical conditioning, as well as tactically and technically. Whether we’re going to get that this year, I’m not sure, but we’re taking it step by step.”
One of the things that has set the Sailors apart this season is their strength in depth, and Aurelio praised his players for rising to the challenge whenever they were called upon.
“What’s been more pleasing is that when we’re missing players – like Song on Wednesday (Nov 4) – players come in and do a great job for us. Tonight, we lost Hassan (to a finger injury), but Rudy came in and did a magnificent job,”he said.
“That’s a sign of a good team – a team that’s confident, a team that understands what’s happening, and with everyone believing in each other.”
With current league leaders Tampines Rovers dropping points following their 1-1 draw with Geylang International in Saturday’s (Nov 7) Eastern derby, the Sailors are now just five points behind the Stags at the halfway mark of the season.
While acknowledging that this was good news for the Sailors in their chase for the SPL title, Shahdan claims that the team are firmly focused on their own results.
“Of course, the leaders dropping points is good, not only for us but the rest of the league,” said the 32-year-old. “But we need to take a match at a time – first be consistent with our own results and not look too far ahead.”
Hafiz Nor enjoyed his most productive season in 2019, recording nine goals and two assists in all competitions with Home United. That form earned him a recall into the Singapore national team, and he went on to score a memorable winning goal in the Lions’ surprise 2-1 away win against Yemen last November.
Starting the new campaign with the Lion City Sailors, Hafiz was looking to carry on where he left off, but saw his momentum disrupted as the Singapore Premier League (SPL) was halted for nearly seven months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nonetheless, the nippy winger has toiled hard in all six of the Sailors’ SPL games this season, and has impressed with his work rate and tireless running down the flanks.
The only thing missing from his game at the moment? Goals.
But the lack of output in the final third has done little to dampen Hafiz’s confidence, and he is determined to rediscover his best form sooner rather than later.
“I know I’ve not been very consistent in the past few games and there’s definitely room for improvement,” said Hafiz, who has made five starts and one substitute appearance for the Sailors this year.
“I have to work it out with the midfielders and be more successful in my penetrative runs to contribute more to the team. But I’m not panicking because that’ll only affect my performances even more. I’m taking it one game at a time; I’ve faith that I will get momentum if I keep trying to make things happen.”
At 32 years of age, Hafiz is one of the most experienced Sailors in the squad alongside the likes of Shahril Ishak, Hassan Sunny and Shahdan Sulaiman. And he is relishing the role of playing mentor to the team’s young wingers in Haiqal Pashia and Arshad Shamim – because he believes they will both go on to carve out great footballing careers.
“They are players with great potential and it’s a pleasure for me to see them progressing well with each training session,” he said. “Haiqal is great with both feet and Arshad’s a bit similar to me with his speed.
“They just need more exposure at this level and I’m happy to share some bits of advice based on my experience for them to improve in certain areas. I’m sure in years to come, we’ll see them called up to the national team.”
So far, it has been a mixed bag of results for the Sailors since the league restarted three weeks ago, with two wins, one draw and one defeat under their belt. Aurelio Vidmar’s charges are now seven points adrift of pacesetters Tampines Rovers, but Hafiz is adamant that the title is still within their grasp.
“There’s still more than half of the season to go, and several points up for grabs,” said the veteran who is now into his 10th professional season after making his league bow with Tanjong Pagar United in 2011.
“Of course, it’s not easy because every team that plays against us treats it like a final. They really want to beat us because we’re one of the top teams in Singapore. But we just have to give our 100 percent, follow Coach Aurelio’s game plan, and I’m sure we’ll string together a good run of results to challenge for the title.”
Up next for the Sailors is a tricky game against a high-flying Balestier Khalsa side on Saturday evening (Nov 7), which sets up an interesting duel between Hafiz and his cousin Zaiful Nizam, Balestier’s goalkeeper and captain. Marko Kraljevic’s side are currently third in the table after achieving two straight wins since the restart.
Previously as Home United, the team won just one of their last seven encounters against Balestier in all competitions. That came in a 4-2 comeback win last May, in which Hafiz played an integral role with two goals and an assist.
“That was a really memorable game for us and for me personally,” he recalled. “If we play with that kind of never-say-die attitude, we will surely be able to beat them on Saturday.
“Balestier is a team which tends to be more on the aggressive side and that is perhaps why they’re pretty tough to beat. But Coach Aurelio has a game plan – we just have to go out there to execute it and get the three points to climb up the table.”
