Last season, the Lion City Sailors made Singapore football history in the inaugural Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Two by becoming the first local club to reach the final of a major Asian competition.

At the heart of that fairytale run was Shawal Anuar, whose eight goals in 13 appearances made him the tournament’s second-highest scorer – just one behind Shabab Al-Ahli’s ex-AS Roma star Sardar Azmoun.

The 34-year-old forward’s campaign began with a brilliant brace in a 3-1 away win against Port FC, before he struck in key matches against Persib Bandung, Muangthong United and Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

Having not scored in three previous continental campaigns, it is unsurprising that this achievement is one that Shawal treasures deeply.

“To finish as the second-highest scorer of the tournament wasn’t something I expected, so it’s definitely a huge honour. I have to credit my teammates, because without their hard work and eagerness to win, I wouldn’t have been able to score, especially that fastest goal in ACL Two history,” reflected the Singapore international.

“I’m just so happy for the team. We had a strong campaign together and created memories that Singapore football fans can cherish.”

Among his many goals, one of Shawal’s favourites is the strike away at Muangthong United, which came inside 18 seconds – the fastest in the competition’s history.

“It was an important game for us, and we needed a strong start in front of their fans. I made the pass to Max (Lestienne), and I knew he would find me once I made the run. To get ahead of the defender and nip it in was such a great moment,” he recalled.

But there are no prizes for guessing which goal tops his list.

‘“It has to be the goal I scored in Hiroshima. We were defending a corner, won the ball and broke on the counter, which is my speciality. I just kept running, and it was such a special moment to score against a big Japanese team in their own stadium,’ said Shawal.”

The Sailors’ dream run in the ACL Two ultimately ended in heartbreak, with a last-gasp defeat to Sharjah FC in the final at a packed Bishan Stadium. And Shawal, who went close to scoring twice that night, admitted it was a bitter pill to swallow.

“To be honest, the final is still in our heads even after a few months. But since we cannot turn back time, we have to let it go and move on,” he said.

“It was still a campaign everyone can be proud of, and we want to keep making history for Singapore football.”

This season’s ACL Two draw has placed the Sailors in an all-Southeast Asian Group G alongside Bangkok United, Selangor FC and Persib Bandung – something Shawal is relishing.

“It’s an interesting group where travel won’t be too heavy, and the teams know each other well. We’ve seen the Southeast Asian rivalry at international level, so I expect the same intensity in the ACL Two,” said Shawal, who is particularly looking forward to facing Singapore teammate Kyoga Nakamura who is now with Bangkok United.

First up for the Sailors is a reunion with Persib, who the Sailors drew 1-1 away and lost 3-2 at home to last year.

“We made a lot of mistakes in both games, especially at home where we were leading and conceded two late goals. Bandung will have a fantastic atmosphere, and we must be at our best to get the result,” he noted.

With the Sailors bolstering their squad with high-profile additions like Tsiy Ndenge and last season’s ACL Elite second-top scorer Anderson Lopes, the expectations on the team are higher than ever. But Shawal is determined to embrace the pressure.

“We’ll take one game at a time, just like last season when we treated every match like a final. That mentality carried us far,” he said.

“It’s important we show hunger from the very first game to prove we mean business again this season. We now have top players with big-game experience. I believe their quality and mentality will help push us further.

“Last season’s run gave us the belief that we can excel on the continental stage. We’re going to push hard as a team again, and hopefully create another memorable campaign for Singapore football fans.”