The Lion City Sailors fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat to Công An Hà Nội (CAHN) FC in their opening Group B match of the 2026/27 ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday (8 October) night.
Leo Artur’s goal in first-half stoppage time proved decisive for the reigning V.League 1 champions, as the Sailors were left to rue missed opportunities on their return to action following an extended international window.
“We’re extremely disappointed with the outcome. We wanted to go on the attack and get the three points at home. We have to learn quickly and adapt to my expectations, although I did see some improvement today,” said Sailors Head Coach Mark Jackson at the post-match press conference.
Both sides threatened in a lively opening, with Diogo Costa dragging his effort wide in the eighth minute before Artur did likewise two minutes later.
CAHN’s Brazilian forward then registered the game’s first notable effort on target in the 18th minute, as he forced Sailors custodian Victor Aznar to palm his shot away.
The Sailors responded with opportunities of their own. Giovanni Haag’s free-kick drifted wide in the 26th minute, before Matthias Phaëton broke behind the CAHN defence and had his close-range effort gathered by Filip Nguyen, although the winger was subsequently flagged offside.
Antonio Mance became increasingly involved as the half progressed, firing over from distance in the 40th minute before a promising opening fell his way two minutes later.
With the ball at his feet inside the box, the Croatian attempted to pick out Song Uiyoung across the face of goal, but his pass was overhit, much to the frustration of the home supporters among the 1,897 spectators.
And the Sailors were made to rue their missed chances as the visitors eventually broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time when Brayan Perea drove forward before setting up Artur with a backheel, leaving the Brazilian to tap into an empty net.
“A momentary lapse in concentration just before half-time cost us. Overall, I think we dominated the game. We played relatively well but lacked that extra bit to make the difference,” said Sailors captain Hariss Harun.
Jackson introduced Bart Ramselaar for the second half as the Sailors sought an equaliser, while his counterpart Mano Pölking also made changes, bringing on Nguyễn Quang Hải and Jason Quang-Vinh Pendant.
Artur, however, continued to threaten the Sailors goal. His shot on the hour mark was saved by Victor, before Stefan Mauk sent the rebound over. A minute later, the Sailors goalkeeper produced another excellent stop, spreading himself to deny Quang Vinh from point-blank range.
At the other end, Song was unable to test Nguyen from a tight angle after meeting Ryhan Stewart’s lofted cross in the 66th minute.
Bart then picked out Kyoga Nakamura, whose effort was deflected behind for a corner in the 71st minute. The Dutchman had an opportunity of his own six minutes later, but could not keep his attempt on target after a move involving Diogo and Ilhan Fandi.
CAHN also had chances to extend their advantage, with Nguyễn Đình Bắc and Lê Phạm Thành Long unable to capitalise in the closing stages.
The Sailors’ final opportunity arrived in the 96th minute, when Toni Datković found substitute Abdul Rasaq Akeem, but the forward was unable to hit the target with a chance that could have salvaged a point.
“It’s good that we’re creating chances, but in close games like this, taking one or two can make all the difference. Today wasn’t to be for us because we weren’t clinical enough,” said Hariss.
Elsewhere in Group B, Thailand’s Port FC lost 3-1 at home to Indonesia’s Persib Bandung, while Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim defeated Cambodia’s PKR Svay Rieng FC 6-0.
Despite the disappointment, Jackson stressed the importance of focusing on the improvements needed as the Sailors look to build momentum early in the campaign.
“We will continue working. If you get transfixed on the outcome, it can be a negative thing. Sometimes you might play really well and lose, and sometimes you might not play so well and still win,” he said.
“We’ll identify the areas where we need to be better, and it’s my job to address those as quickly as possible.”
With most of the Sailors’ local players away on national team duty at the recently concluded FIFA ASEAN Cup, Jackson has had limited time to work with his squad since taking charge.
The Englishman will continue implementing his playing philosophy as the Sailors turn their attention to Sunday’s (11 October) Singapore Premier League (SPL) clash against the Young Lions.
He also paid tribute to the home supporters, who continued to urge the team forward as they searched for a late equaliser.
“The fans were fantastic tonight, pushing us on right until the end. We couldn’t get the result for them, but we’re appreciative of their support,” said Jackson.
“We need them to come and get behind the team again on Sunday when we’re back in league action. We need to dust ourselves off quickly, prepare for the next game and aim for the three points again.”
