A historic first continental title beckons as the Lion City Sailors lock horns with United Arab Emirates (UAE) heavyweights Sharjah FC in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Two Final 2025 at the Bishan Stadium this Sunday, 18 May.
A sleeping giant
Touted as one of the biggest matches in the Sailors’ short but ambitious five-year history, this final is a golden opportunity for the newly-crowned Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions to carve their name into Asian football folklore.
Victory would not only mark the club’s first major continental title but also a landmark moment for Singapore football.
Standing in their path, however, is a formidable Sharjah side that is equally eager to make history. The final will be the Sailors’ first encounter this season with a West Asian opponent – a new and daunting challenge.
Sharjah’s pedigree is well-established. Once a dominant force in Emirati football, they clinched five UAE Pro League titles and finished runners-up six times between 1973 and 1998. However, success has been harder to come by in recent years, with just one league triumph in the 2018/19 season.
Nevertheless, the club enjoyed a trophy-laden 2022/23 campaign, as they won the UAE Super Cup, League Cup, and President’s Cup to underline their status as a regional powerhouse on the rise.
Now sitting second in the UAE Pro League, Sharjah trail champions Shabab Al-Ahli by 12 points — a gap made all the more painful after losing to the same side in the UAE President’s Cup final on 9 May.
View this post on Instagram
Sharjah had looked title contenders earlier in the season, racking up 13 wins in their first 14 league games. But a sharp dip in form — with just two victories in their next 10 outings — saw them fall out of the title race. Indeed, they arrive in Singapore on the back of three consecutive league defeats, including back-to-back 3-0 losses to Al Wahda and Al Ain.
However, their continental campaign tells a different story.
In the ACL Two, Sharjah have been a different beast. They topped a tough group featuring Jordanian giants Al-Wehdat and Iran’s Sepahan with four wins from six matches. In the knockout rounds, they edged out Jordan’s Al Hussein and domestic rivals Shabab Al-Ahli — both via penalties — before booking their place in the final with a dramatic 2-1 aggregate win over Saudi Arabia’s Al-Taawoun, courtesy of two stoppage-time goals in the semi-final second leg.
For Sailors head coach Aleksandar Ranković, the final against Sharjah represents the ultimate test of his side’s continental credentials — but it is a challenge they are relishing.
“Sharjah are a team with not just quality on the pitch, but also a strong winning mentality,” said Ranko. “They’ve shown time and again they can grind out results, with late goals and penalty shootouts.
“They’re a physical side, no doubt, but we’ve faced many teams like that in this competition, so we’re ready. We know it’ll be a tough battle, but we are prepared for anyone.”
In the opposition dugout stands Romanian tactician Cosmin Olăroiu, who is widely regarded as one of the Gulf region’s most respected coaching figures. With a glittering résumé, Olăroiu has led some of the UAE’s biggest clubs to glory, including four league titles with Al Ain and Al Ahli.
His trophy haul also boasts five UAE Super Cups, two League Cups, and two President’s Cups, alongside top-flight league triumphs in Romania, China, and Saudi Arabia.
Under his guidance, Sharjah have lost just twice in 12 ACL Two outings — a testament to Olăroiu’s knack for navigating high-stakes continental competitions.
With all that experience in the opposing camp, Sailors captain Hariss Harun knows his side cannot afford any complacency.
“When it comes to finals, form goes out of the window,” said Hariss. “We can talk about how well they’ve played, or how well we’ve played, but it doesn’t matter. In games like this, there are no favourites. It all comes down to who wants it more on the day.”
Blend of quality and experience
With this match set to be Olăroiu’s final bow as Sharjah head coach before he takes over the UAE national team, the 55-year-old will be determined to end his tenure on a high. Aiding his quest is a star-studded squad valued at €43.63 million (Transfermarkt) — more than eight times the Sailors’ squad value.
Among his marquee names is former Moroccan international Adel Taarabt, who is fondly remembered as one of the most technically gifted players to grace English football. The 35-year-old playmaker has turned out for the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan, and Benfica, and even featured in a UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool in 2022.
View this post on Instagram
Despite being in the twilight of his career, Taarabt remains as influential as ever, and his flair and vision continue to make him a key threat. He has hit double figures in goal contributions every season since his move to the UAE, and has already chalked up nine goals and five assists in all competitions this term.
Leading Sharjah’s attacking line is talismanic forward Caio Lucas. The former Benfica man is the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 75 goals in 176 appearances. This season, the 31-year-old has netted 18 goals domestically and added five goals and three assists in 11 ACL Two appearances. Having featured in every edition of the ACL since 2014, Caio’s vast experience will be pivotal in the final.
Olăroiu’s attacking arsenal also boasts talents like left winger Luan Pereira (Luanzinho), who notched five goals and two assists in the ACL Two group stage, and versatile forward Ousmane Camara. Tunisian international Firas Ben Larbi and Brazil youth international Guilherme Biro add further firepower to Sharjah’s formidable frontline.
View this post on Instagram
Defensively, Sharjah are anchored by South Korean international Cho Yu-min, who memorably registered an assist in a 7-0 victory over Singapore in 2024. Complementing him is Serbian left-back David Petrovic, a tireless 22-year-old who has clocked the most minutes of any outfield player for Sharjah this season.
Their squad depth is further bolstered by six active UAE national team players, including seasoned right-back Khaled Ebraheim and defensive midfielder Majid Rashid — underlining the quality and experience throughout the side.
Embracing the occasion
Even with the obvious quality of their opponents, the Sailors have repeatedly shown they are capable of defying the odds throughout their ACL Two campaign.
Memorable triumphs over Japanese powerhouses Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the quarter-finals and Australian giants Sydney FC in the semi-finals stand as proof. The Sailors have won five of their last seven matches in the competition, a remarkable run that has carried them to the cusp of their greatest achievement since the club’s formation five years ago.
For Ranko, however, this final is not a moment of pressure, but one of opportunity. The Serbian cut a relaxed figure on the eve of the match, as he urged his charges to embrace the occasion and turn belief into performance.
“There is no pressure on the team at all,” said Ranko. “We’ve already made history several times this season, so this is just another chance to prove ourselves, and there’s no better stage than a final.
“Everybody is prepared and focused on getting the win. We’re going to give our best in front of our home crowd tomorrow.”
With a sold-out Bishan Stadium set to transform into a cauldron of noise and colour, Hariss has called on the Sailors faithful to once again make their presence felt.
“Our fans have been a huge part of this campaign,” said the Singapore international. “They’ve followed us home and away, and their support means everything to us. With Bishan’s expanded capacity and the close proximity between players and fans, I’m sure their energy will give us that extra boost tomorrow.”
