The Lion City Sailors Women delivered a resounding 13-0 victory over BG Tampines Rovers in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) on Saturday (9 May) evening to keep the pressure firmly on leaders Albirex Jurong, while hitting double figures for the seventh time in 12 matches.

With Albirex in action against Tanjong Pagar United at the Bukit Gombak Stadium concurrently, there was added intrigue across both fixtures, with goal difference looming as a potentially decisive factor in the title race.

And the Sailors rose to the occasion emphatically.

Head Coach Daniel Ong praised the squad’s cohesion, regardless of selection.

“The lineup wasn’t intentional, it’s based on performance in training, their condition and ability, and also what we want to achieve in gameplay. Every player is fighting for their spot, and there’s healthy competition within the team,” he explained.

“Today, the combination play and movement were definitely among our strengths, and we’ve been working on that week after week. It doesn’t matter who I start, I know whoever is called upon will show great chemistry.”

Captain Umairah Hamdan echoed those sentiments.

“Whoever starts follows the coach’s game plan. Some players carry momentum as starters, while others come on as finishers to lift intensity and spirit. That’s how we sustain our level for 90 minutes,” she said.

Entering the weekend three points behind Albirex with a crucial head-to-head clash still to come in June, the Sailors not only secured another vital win, but also maintained their goal difference advantage with a ruthless attacking display.

While Albirex defeated the Jaguars 16-0, the Sailors lead on goal difference with a +120 differential to the White Swans’ +115. 

Farah Nurzahirah set the tone early with a brace, while Ami Takeuchi and Eri Kitagawa each netted four. Ami Kawase, Nur Ain Salleh and Venetia Lim also got on the scoresheet.

The goals took Farah to 14 for the season, making her the league’s top local scorer, while Takeuchi leads the overall charts with a remarkable 44 — keeping her four goals ahead of Albirex’s Ruriko Takashima. 

Despite the stakes, the Sailors played with composure and clarity.

“There was no pressure. We focused on our game and what we could control, which was beating Tampines,” said Umairah.

And the Sailors’ breakthrough came just two minutes in, when Dhaniyah Qasimah slipped a pass through to Farah, who spun away from her marker and finished calmly. Farah doubled the lead 10 minutes later with Eri’s involvement, before Eri added a third in the 16th minute with a sharp turn and finish.

Takeuchi made it four just before the half-hour mark with a composed strike, before combining with Eri to make it 5-0 — capping a dominant first half.

The pair picked up where they left off after the break, with Eri completing her hat-trick in the 54th minute. Kawase added a seventh four minutes later to bring up her 10th goal of the season in an impressive debut campaign.

Substitute Nur Ain Salleh made an immediate impact in the 64th minute, finishing off another incisive Takeuchi assist for her eighth of the campaign, while Izzati Rosni also made her mark shortly after coming on — setting up Takeuchi for her second before the Japanese forward completed her hat-trick in the 76th minute.

Venetia Lim added her name to the scoresheet with a long-range lob, before Eri grabbed her fourth of the night in the 80th minute with her 24th goal of the season. Takeuchi then wrapped up the scoring with a fourth of her own late on. 

Despite the emphatic win, the Sailors remain focused on improving for the coming games.

“We can see the team’s hunger to win the league and fight for goal difference, it’s very positive,” said Daniel.

“But we can still improve in holding the ball with confidence and in our final passes. Finishing is something we continue to work on, though the girls have shown great progression.”

Umairah added, “The team is very determined and has great character. Everyone kept going and applying what we worked on in training. We train the way we want to play, so the intensity comes naturally in matches.”

The Sailors will next turn their attention to an in-form Geylang International side, with the clash set for Friday (15 May) at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium.