The Lion City Sailors laid down a serious marker in their quest to win the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title this season, as they overcame Hougang United 6-0 last evening (June 18) at the Yishun Stadium.

Forwards Lila Tan and Dorcas Chu both snagged themselves a brace, while Khairunnisa Anwar and Madison Telmer also got on the scoresheet for the Sailors.

The margin of victory is the largest in the WPL so far this season, with four rounds of matches having already been played.

Sailors assistant coach Adelina Gomez – standing in for head coach Yeong Sheau Shyan, who is currently overseeing the Singapore Women’s Under-16 national side’s training camp in Thailand – hailed her charges for putting in such a dominant performance.

She said: “The game wasn’t easy considering the condition of the pitch but the girls made it look plain sailing. Our combinations and support plays were fantastic. It was a superb game, and they should be so proud of their performance.

“We met our objectives and stuck to the game plan. I think getting the three points and a clean sheet is already a display of how well they’ve performed.”

Two-goal hero Lila added: “It was a huge challenge to play on the field after it rained. At times, it felt like playing beach football, as the field was all muddy and wet. Nonetheless, I believe we tried our very best despite the slips and falls.”

Lila, who was among the 12 Sailors called up the Lionesses’ provisional 29-player squad ahead of the upcoming ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Women’s Championship, was also pleased to have got off the mark in her debut for the club.

“Its a thrilling feeling to be able to score on my debut! I am just happy I gave it my all on the field and played with no regrets,” said Lila. “It’s important to be able to consistently perform on the field and fully demonstrate your potential as an athlete, especially leading up to the upcoming AFF championship.”

Adelina was particularly pleased with her side’s movement and penetration in the final third.

“We were really comfortable in playing those crucial balls into space and it caused a lot of issues for the opponent,” Adelina elaborated. “We also worked well together in combining passes and runs for goal scoring opportunities.”

While Lila and Dorcas both garnered plaudits for their goalscoring exploits, it was the performance of midfielder Venetia Lim – making her debut for the Sailors – who caught the eye of Adelina.

“I’d say every player played their heart out last night. But Venetia was the one who stood out for me,” Adelina mused.

“Her football intelligence is phenomenal, and she read the game superbly. She was so composed and calm on the ball, her decision making was spot on, and she played brilliantly despite returning from an injury.”

With the win, the Sailors, who beat Albirex Niigata (S) 4-1 in their first match of the season two weeks ago, find themselves third in the table on six points – three points behind current league leaders Tanjong Pagar United, who have played two games more.

The Sailors will next take on Still Aerion FC at the Yishun Stadium on July 16.