Lion City Sailors miss out on continental glory after last-gasp defeat to UAE's Sharjah in Bishan final
SINGAPORE, May 18 – The Lion City Sailors fell just short of making history yesterday after losing 2-1 to United Arab Emirates side Sharjah in the AFC Champions League Two final at Bishan Stadium.
Marcus Meloni's dramatic goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time clinched the win for Sharjah, denying the Sailors a chance to become the first Singapore club to win a continental title.
'Our guys did a tremendous job, especially after going 1-0 down. It was a shame that we [conceded] a very late 2-1 goal, but I have nothing to say except that I am very, very proud of my boys,' Sailors head coach Aleksandar Rankovic was quoted telling CNA.
The Sailors had reached the final after defeating Sydney FC 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals and overcoming Japan's Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the quarter-finals, thanks to a ruling that overturned their first-leg loss.
Firas Ben Larbi gave the visitors the lead in the 74th minute before Maxime Lestienne equalised in stoppage time, sending the home crowd of 9,737 into raptures.
Despite dominating possession, Sharjah had two early goals ruled out for offside, while the Sailors came close through Diogo Costa, who struck the post in the first half.
Sharjah, who are currently second in the UAE Pro League, secured their spot in the final after edging Saudi Arabia's Al-Taawoun 2-1 on aggregate.
Originally slated for Jalan Besar Stadium, the final was moved to Bishan Stadium after Sharjah raised concerns about the venue, prompting capacity upgrades to accommodate around 10,000 fans.
The prestigious match could not be hosted in the National Stadium, as it was already booked for Lady Gaga's Asian exclusive tour.
The Sailors' run marked the furthest any Singaporean club has progressed since 2018, when Home United, their predecessor, reached the inter-zone semi-finals of the AFC Cup.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
6 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Venezuela edge closer to historic World Cup berth with 2-0 win over Bolivia
MONTEVIDEO, June 7 — Venezuela boosted their chances of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in their history, beating Bolivia 2-0 yesterday, while faltering rivals Colombia were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Peru. A calamitous fifth-minute own goal from Hector Cuellar and a 30th-minute strike from veteran forward Salomon Rondon ensured the three points for the Vinotinto in Maturin. The victory, which came after a frustrating night for Colombia, left Venezuela in seventh place on 18 points - three points behind Colombia and Uruguay. Venezuela travel to Uruguay on Tuesday knowing a win would put them in real contention for a top six spot and an automatic place in next year's tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The final two games for Uruguay come in September when they are away to already qualified Argentina before a potentially crucial last match at home to Colombia on September 6. The top six teams in South America qualify directly for the World Cup with the seventh placed country entering the inter-confederation playoffs. Bolivia gifted the home side the lead when Cuellar played a gentle back pass towards his goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra who somehow failed to control the ball which passed through his legs and into the net. The much-travelled Rondon, Venezuela's all-time top scorer, doubled the lead on the half hour when he brought down a cross from the right and under pressure buried the ball in the corner with his left foot. Jon Aramburu should have made it 3-0 in the 68th minute when he was set up by Rondon but side-footed wide. Eighth-placed Bolivia, who now fall four points behind Venezuela, went close to pulling a goal back in the 75th minute when Lucas Chavez's effort grazed the outside of the post. Colombia, runners-up in the Copa America last year, are making life difficult for themselves after being held by second to last Peru in Barranquilla, extending their winless run in the CONMEBOL qualifiers to five games. Missing the suspended Liverpool winger Luis Diaz, Colombia lacked creativity in attack against a resilient Peru back line and they were booed off the field at the final whistle. 'Two fundamental things were missing to win the game, which was the final third and precision. And I think Peru defended very well. They made it difficult for us in that sense,' said Colombia's Argentine coach Nestor Lorenzo. Colombia face Argentina in Buenos Aires on Tuesday. Argentina, who are on 34 points, are assured of top spot in the group while Ecuador and Paraguay are on 24 points ahead of Brazil on 22. Just six points separate second-placed Ecuador from seventh-placed Venezuela with three rounds of games remaining. — AFP
Malay Mail
7 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Xisco Munoz is JDT's new head coach
JOHOR BARU, June 7 — Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) Football Club have appointed Spaniard Xisco Munoz as their new head coach. The appointment was announced via an official statement by JDT on the club's social media platforms last night. A video showing Munoz at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium was also uploaded with the statement. 'LaLiga winner and former Watford manager Xisco Munoz joins Johor Darul Ta'zim FC as head coach,' it said. Hector Bidoglio had been JDT's head coach since 2022. — Bernama
Malay Mail
9 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Breaking down the 2026 World Cup: A record-breaking tournament with political tensions
LOS ANGELES, June 6 — The largest and most complex World Cup in history kicks off in just over a year's time, with the United States, Canada and Mexico co-hosting the football extravaganza against a backdrop of political tension triggered by Donald Trump. Forty-eight teams and millions of fans are set to descend on North America for the first ever World Cup shared by three nations, with the tournament getting under way on June 11 next year. In theory, the 23rd edition of the most popular sporting spectacle on the planet has all the makings of a successful tournament. An array of venues ranging from Mexico's iconic Estadio Azteca to the glittering $5 billion SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles will play host to 104 games spread over nearly six weeks. The United States will host the bulk of those fixtures -- 78 -- with Canada and Mexico staging 13 each. All games from the quarter-finals onwards will be held in the United States, with the tournament culminating in the final at New Jersey's 82,500-seater MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026. 'Like 104 Super Bowls' American officials believe the return of the World Cup to the country -- 32 years after the United States hosted the 1994 finals—could represent a watershed moment for football in the country. 'The World Cup is going to raise the attention of the sport in ways that nobody ever dreamed of,' said Don Garber, the commissioner of Major League Soccer. FIFA's President Gianni Infantino meanwhile has been hyping next year's finals as the equivalent of '104 Super Bowls', contrasting the World Cup's estimated six billion viewers to the 120 million or so who tune in for the climax of the NFL season. There are historical precedents which suggest the hype might be justified. The 1994 World Cup in the United States remains the best attended World Cup in history, with an average of 68,600 fans flocking to each game. Yet while organisers eagerly anticipate a commercial success, with one FIFA estimate suggesting it could generate a mammoth $11 billion in revenues, questions over other aspects of the tournament remain. The 48 teams—up from 32 in 2022 -- will be spread into 12 groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the knockout rounds, and the eight best third-placed teams joining them to make up a last 32. That expansion is likely to reduce the sense of jeopardy in the first round, a problem seen in other major championships which have increased in size in recent years. Visa backlog There is also the question of how the polarising policies of US President Trump may impact the tournament. Since taking office, Trump has launched a global trade war, repeatedly threatened to annex World Cup co-host Canada and launched an immigration crackdown at US borders which has seen overseas visitors from countries like France, Britain, Germany and Australia either detained or denied entry in recent months. Trump this week signed a travel ban on 12 countries including Iran, who have qualified for the World Cup, but the ban will not apply to players taking part in the tournament. Trump, who is chairman of a White House task force overseeing preparations for the World Cup, says overseas fans travelling to the tournament have nothing to fear. 'Every part of the US government will be working to ensure that these events are safe and successful, and those traveling to America to watch the competition have a seamless experience during every part of their visit,' Trump said last month. FIFA chief Infantino, who has forged a close relationship with Trump, echoed that point, insisting that America was ready to 'welcome the world.' 'Everyone who wants to come here to enjoy, to have fun, to celebrate the game will be able to do that,' Infantino said. With one year to go however, it is by no means clear that Infantino's pledge will hold up. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month that some embassy staff may be required to work double-shifts to expedite visa processing, citing the example of Colombia, where US visa wait times are currently 15 months. 'If you haven't applied for a visa from Colombia already, you probably won't get here in time for the World Cup unless we go to double shifts,' Rubio told lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Those fans who do make the trip to North America may also find themselves having to fork out a small fortune due to FIFA's reported decision to use dynamic pricing to determine ticket prices. That system, where prices on ticketing websites fluctuate according to demand, may well force fans to shell out thousands of dollars to obtain tickets for the highest profile games. 'Dynamic pricing does not belong in football because it is an exploitation of fans' loyalty,' Ronan Evain, the executive director of the Football Supporters Europe fan group told The Times. 'It would be a fiasco for FIFA to use it for the World Cup.' — AFP
