The Lion City Sailors Women’s Team suffered a setback in the 2024 Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title race on Sunday (8 September) night, as they were held to a 0-0 draw by a gritty Geylang International side at ITE College East. 

The result left them five points behind current leaders Albirex Niigata (S), who have already completed their season with 42 points. 

The Sailors Women remain in control of their own destiny, though – maximum points from their final two matches against BG Tampines Rovers on Wednesday (11 September) night and Still Aerion (date yet to be confirmed) will be enough to pip the White Swans to a third successive WPL title. 

Reflecting on the dropped points, Sailors Women Head Coach Daniel Ong said, “The girls did well in terms of our build-up play till the middle third. But during the last phase in the attacking third, we were too eager to play the ball forward and when we did get inside the box, we did not manage to convert those chances into goals.” 

Sailors winger Sarah Zu’risqha agreed, saying, “We tried to find the gaps in between the Geylang defence but they were compact enough to deny us space, and our finishing was just not as on point today as it usually would be. 

“This result is a disappointment, but it doesn’t change the equation – we just have to focus on winning our last two matches to get the title.” 

Going into the game, Geylang had been the only team to take points off the Sailors Women this campaign with a 2-1 win in June, and they once again proved a tough nut for Daniel’s charges to crack. 

The defending champions started the game brightly and could have scored after just four minutes, but Priscille Le Helloco saw her effort denied by the crossbar. 

Geylang kept the game tight thereafter, making it difficult for the Sailors Women to find space in the attacking third for much of the first half-hour. 

Daniel’s charges managed to carve out two promising opportunities in the 30th and 32nd minutes, but close-range efforts from Nurhidayu Naszri and Priscille were kept out by Geylang goalkeeper Nurul Illyanis. 

The Sailors Women then had a golden opportunity to go ahead on 38 minutes after Nurhidayu forced a handball by a Geylang defender, but the usually-reliable Syazwani Ruzi struck the resulting penalty against the post. 

Geylang could have punished the Sailors Women for their profligacy three minutes later when Farah Nurzahirah sneaked through on goal after a defensive error, but custodian Beatrice Tan proved equal to the task with a smart stop. 

Raeka Ee then spurned a one-on-one opportunity just before half time, as both teams went into the break goalless. 

Daniel brought Liyana Rickit and Dorcas Chu on to freshen up things around the hour mark as his side continued pushing forward in numbers, but the final product was often lacking. 

They came close to finding a breakthrough in the 79th minute when Raeka was brought down on the edge of the area, but substitute Josephine Ang curled the resulting free-kick just wide with her first touch of the game.

Josephine then saw a close-range shot blocked, leaving the Sailors Women to settle for a share of the spoils on a frustrating evening. 

There will be no margin for error going into their final two matches of the season, but Daniel wants his charges not to let the pressure get to them. 

“My message to the girls is to enjoy playing the football that we love and to cherish this moment of fighting for the title together as a team. As long as we stay united, the end result will be what we desire,” he said.

A defiant Sarah added: “I don’t think this result will affect our confidence at all. We play together as a unit, and this setback only serves to make us stronger. We’ll work hard in training to rectify our errors and put up good performances in the next two matches because we know what’s at stake.

“We want to win the league because we want to play in the AWCL (AFC Women’s Champions League) again next season.”