It was a goal that received the biggest cheer on Saturday (27 July) evening at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium, and one that scorer Madison Telmer will remember for a long time to come. 

After all, Madison’s goal will likely be her last for the Lion City Sailors Women’s Team, at least for the foreseeable future. It marked a fairytale ending to the Canadian midfielder’s time with the Sailors, as the 20-year-old left Singapore that same night to travel to the United States to further her studies.

Significantly, her goal — a header from Sarah Zu’risqha’s corner in the 87th minute — came at a crucial time in the game, and helped the Sailors secure a 3-0 victory over Hougang United in the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL).

Unsurprisingly, Madison was delighted to have signed off from the Sailors in such a memorable way.

“It felt amazing to end on a high. From the start of the game, I hoped I could score one last goal and help secure a win for our team. Coach Daniel (Ong) even told me to get a goal as a farewell gift. We had our struggles initially, but to cap off a hard-fought victory with a goal was an incredible feeling,” Madison said with a wide grin.

Indeed, Madison leaves the Sailors not only with a victory but also with the knowledge that the team remains top of the WPL table – three points ahead of their title rivals, Albirex Niigata (S), who thrashed Tiong Bahru 13-0 later that night.

Tightly-contested affair

However, Madison’s fairytale ending did not come easy.

For large parts of the game, the Sailors were left frustrated by a resilient and disciplined Hougang side, with their best chances in the first half coming from Umairah Hamdan’s long-range efforts.

The Cheetahs also posed a threat on the counter through Singapore internationals Nicole Lim and Raudhah Kamis, but the Sailors’ backline were able to effectively keep them at bay.

Following a goalless first half, the Sailors knew they had to step up in the second 45 minutes to secure the three points.

“We realised that we were playing to their (Hougang’s) pace and that limited movement in the middle was restricting our gameplay,” shared Sailors full-back Nur Syazwani Ruzi. “We knew we were capable of keeping and moving the ball forward more, so we had to do it.”

Substitutes make the difference

Daniel rang the changes after the break, bringing on Josephine Ang and Nurhidayu Naszri to inject much-needed energy into the Sailors.

The changes paid off, as in the 68th minute, the Sailors opened the scoring through Wani, who volleyed home emphatically after pouncing on a loose ball.

“I was at the right place at the right time… We were trying hard to score and just couldn’t convert our chances, so it was important that we got the opening goal,” said Wani. “This game definitely taught us the importance of patience and teamwork.”

With a slender one-goal lead, the Sailors were always in danger of conceding an equaliser.

That was until Madison put the game to bed with her goal to secure the victory, before the Sailors added the icing on the cake with a third through an own goal in added time.

Job’s not finished

Daniel credited his side for fighting for the win till the end, but acknowledged they had more to work on in their ongoing preparations for the upcoming Asian Football Confederation Women’s Champions League (AWCL) qualifiers.

“Hougang played a very defensive game which made it hard for us to break through. On our part, when we had possession, we were either a bit slow in terms of our combination play or we rushed it at times. We got the three points, but we know that we have a lot more to work on if we want to do well in the AWCL next month.”

An emotional farewell 

With seven goals across 11 WPL games this season, Madison – a member of the 2022 and 2023 WPL title-winning teams – has consistently demonstrated her influence in the Sailors engine room.

Daniel praised the 19-year-old for her dedication and professionalism, as he said, “Madi’s commitment and attitude have been outstanding throughout her time here. She is always willing to learn and improve herself, and she never fails to deliver for us. It’s a real honour to coach a player like her. I wish nothing but the best for Madi in her new journey, and the Sailors will always welcome her back.”

A teary-eyed Madison admitted she will miss the Sailors family, as she said, “This team is like a family to me and training is the best part of my day. I will miss them so much – all my teammates, coaches, backroom staff, physios, the fans… everyone. I will always be rooting for them, even if I’m at the other side of the world. ” 

The Sailors will take on Tanjong Pagar United next in the WPL next Saturday (3 August), while simultaneously preparing for the AWCL as they look to carry their winning momentum into their first-ever regional competition next month.