Lion City Sailors denied at final hurdle as Sharjah FC clinch AFC Champions League Two title

New Paper

18-05-2025

For six electrifying minutes on May 18, the air of excitement inside the Bishan Stadium was palpable as the majority of the 9,737 capacity crowd was suddenly charged by hope in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Two final.
The hosts, Singapore's Lion City Sailors, had just clawed their way back with Maxime Lestienne's equaliser in the first of 11 minutes of stoppage time against United Arab Emirates' Sharjah FC, who had taken a 74th-minute lead.
But the Sailors supporters' hearts were shattered in the seventh minute of stoppage time, as Sharjah midfielder Marcus Meloni silenced the stadium with a clinical winner, dashing the Sailors' bid to become the first club from Singapore to win a continental title as they won 2-1.
At the final whistle, the Sailors slumped to the ground while a long night of celebrations was just getting started for Sharjah and their 500 travelling fans.
Sailors captain Hariss Harun was crestfallen after the late defeat.
"For a moment, when we got the goal back, we had the belief to try to go and win the game. But of course, it's risk and reward. They got a second goal and we ran out of time. We are disappointed," said the Singapore skipper, 34.
"It's been historic for us as a club to come this far. Obviously, when we get to the final, we want to win it as well. But today showed that it wasn't meant to be."
The tight encounter saw the Sailors enjoy most of the chances, but it was Sharjah who made the breakthrough in the 74th minute.
Brazil-born attacker Caio Lucas was afforded time to pick out the overlapping Khaled Ibrahim at the far post. He then pulled the ball back for Tunisian international Firas Ben Larbi to finish past Izwan Mahbud.
There was a glimmer of hope yet when the fourth official signalled 11 minutes of added time, a just reward for the Sailors who were often frustrated by Sharjah players going down to receive treatment.
Just a minute into stoppage time, Lestienne looked to have sent the game into extra time. The Belgian expertly guided Diogo Costa's low cross into the bottom corner of the net.
But Sharjah restored their advantage six minutes later when Meloni, who was born in Brazil but represents the UAE internationally, found space just inside the left side of the box and found the far corner of Izwan's net, as the travelling fans erupted in sheer delirium.
The hosts went close twice in search of another equaliser, first a scramble in the box in the ninth minute of added time from a Lestienne cross and then substitute Shawal Anuar went close minutes later but could not connect with the ball as Sharjah saw out the game to bag the US$2.5 million (S$3.2 million) prize money, with the Sailors receiving US$1 million.
Lion City Sailors' goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud in action during the match. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
While it will count as consolation, the Sailors, who became Singapore's first privatised football team in 2020, had already made history by being the first team from the Republic to feature in a continental final.
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the guest of honour who handed out medals to both the winners and runners-up, said in a Facebook post later: "The players and their coaches and trainers did give it their all, eventually going down 2-1 in a close-fought match.
"It will always be tough competing internationally. But there's something to the spirit of a small country."
The point of pride is one that Sailors coach Aleksandar Rankovic made in his post-match conference.
The Serb said: "The No. 1 lesson (from our campaign), is that you should never stop dreaming and believing. Every game we played in this campaign, we were the underdog and rightfully so because we come from Singapore. This year showed me that if you believe it... if you have a group of players that I have, you can go so far.
"Is that going to be the case next year? I don't know, but if we can repeat at least half of what we did this year, especially in the Champions League, I will be very satisfied."
His counterpart, Romanian Cosmin Olaroiu, who will be taking over as UAE coach, said: "My dream was to win a continental trophy... and finally, I did this. And of course, I have the dream to participate in the World Cup and I will do my best to reach this one. And I think this fantastic nation deserves that."
ACL2 Champions Sharjah FC, lifting the trophy after beating Lion City Sailors, at Bishan Stadium. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
The Sailors' unprecedented voyage to the final started with them topping Group F ahead of 2023 Chinese Super League second runners-up Zhejiang Professional, Thai League 1's third-placed Port FC and Indonesia Liga 1 champions Persib Bandung.
In the knockout rounds, there was a convincing aggregate win over Muangthong United from Thailand in the round of 16 before lady luck shone on them, as they were able to turn a 6-1 quarter-final, first-leg loss to Sanfrecce Hiroshima into a 3-0 win after the Japanese side fielded an ineligible player. They then held the Japanese side to a brave 1-1 draw at home.
In the semi-finals, the Sailors came through with a 2-1 aggregate win over Australia's Sydney FC.
Having clinched the 2024-25 Singapore Premier League title on May 10, the Sailors are still on course for a double, though. They will face Brunei DPMM in a two-legged Singapore Cup semi-final on May 21 and 27.
Will the Sailors enjoy such support again when they return to domestic competition? That was on the mind of several local football supporters after the match.
One of them, Nicole Yang, who works in the banking industry, was in the South Stand, where she said fellow home supporters barely sat down during the match.
"It was electrifying when the Sailors equalised, but heartbreaking when Sharjah got the late winner," said the 26-year-old. "It would be great for Singapore football if this level of support can be translated to the Singapore Premier League."