The Lion City Sailors came from behind to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory over an in-form Geylang International at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Sunday (26 January), with the win sending them six points clear at the top of the Singapore Premier League (SPL) table, with a game in hand.

Taking on the league’s leading scorers — who had won six of their last seven games — was always going to be a challenge. However, goals from Toni Datković and Shawal Anuar overturned Vincent Bezecourt’s early strike to seal all three points for the Sailors.

After being held to draws in their previous two league meetings, the Sailors showed tremendous fighting spirit and resilience to claim their first win over the Eagles this season. The result also marked their fourth consecutive league victory, and reinforced their strong push for the title.

“Today’s win was very important,” said Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković after the match. “I knew it was going to be a tough game, especially with the short recovery time from Thursday’s fixture. But most importantly, my team showed tremendous character, and that made all the difference in securing the three points.”

With this game coming just three days after the Sailors’ hard-fought ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup draw with Buriram United, it was Geylang who started brighter at Jalan Besar.

And it was the Eagles who took the lead in the 12th minute, with Bezecourt unleashing a stunning shot from the edge of the box that nestled into the top corner of Izwan Mahbud’s goal.

Despite the early setback, the Sailors remained composed and nearly found an immediate response, with Shawal’s header in the 19th minute grazing the post.

The Sailors’ determination and persistence to get the equaliser finally paid off in the 28th minute when centre-back Toni rose highest to head home Maxime Lestienne’s corner for his fourth goal in the club’s colours.

Buoyed by the goal, the Sailors pushed forward relentlessly and came close to taking the lead minutes later – Maxime’s precise cross found Song Uiyoung in the box, but the 31-year-old’s header flew just wide of the target.

Anumanthan Kumar – starting his third consecutive game in place of the injured Rui Pires – also came close to giving the Sailors the lead, with his effort in the 43rd minute forcing a sharp save from Geylang goalkeeper Rudy Khairullah, who managed to parry the shot away.

“We didn’t start well in the first half, but credit must go to the opponent for making it difficult for us,” explained Ranko. “That said, we were also quite unlucky — we hit the bar a few times and created other chances that we just couldn’t convert.”

Shawal, who has been in red-hot form coming into this game, was unsurprisingly at the heart of the action in the second half, as he repeatedly found himself in dangerous positions.

Not long after the restart, Shawal looked certain to add to his goal tally, but the forward saw not one, but two efforts crash against the post within the span of a minute — leaving the crowd in disbelief.

But the 33-year-old’s persistence eventually paid off in the 56th minute, as he latched onto a deft flick-on from Lennart Thy and coolly poked the ball past Rudy to finally put the Sailors in the driving seat.

“We were up against a strong opponent, but we stuck to the coaches’ plan and gave our best,” said Shawal. “Most importantly, the combination and understanding we’ve developed as a team helped us secure the win today.”

Geylang came alive late in the second half, but Izwan was instrumental in preserving the Sailors’ lead. The Sailors no. 1 was called into action in the 82nd minute to deny a long-range effort from Ryoya Taniguchi, and just a minute later, he made another crucial save, pushing away a fierce drive from Shakir Hamzah.

“Once again, we won this game on character, staying mentally sharp even after conceding the first goal,” reflected Ranko. “Last season, we struggled to recover when we fell behind, but now we’re able to stay calm and turn games around.”

He added, “Everyone on the team, including the substitutes, gave their all, and that collective effort allowed us to overcome the challenge today.”

The victory once again underscored the depth of the Sailors’ squad.

New signing Diogo Costa impressed on his debut with his technical ability and relentless runs down the left flank, while Anu showcased his quality in midfield. Tasked with anchoring the Sailors’ defense, the latter played a pivotal role in neutralising the league’s top scorer, Tomoyuki Doi, who had found the net in nine of his last 10 games.

But while the Sailors currently sit firmly atop the SPL table, Ranko is keen to remain grounded, and has already turned his attention to the demanding schedule ahead in February.

The month kicks off with a trip to face Kaya FC–Iloilo in the final ACC Shopee Cup group match, followed by a league clash against Tanjong Pagar United three days later.

“I’m happy that we’ve managed to defend our position at the top, but it’s still very early, and we’re just getting started,” said the Sailors tactician. “For now, it’s time to use the break to recharge before we head into what will be a hectic February.”