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New Paper
01-06-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Lion City Sailors retain Singapore Cup to cement domestic dominance
Lion City Sailors completed a clean sweep of domestic titles with a fiercely contested 1-0 victory over BG Tampines Rovers in the Singapore Cup final at Jalan Besar Stadium on May 31. Adding the cup to their Community Shield and Singapore Premier League (SPL) triumphs, Sailors coach Aleksandar Rankovic described the club's first domestic treble as an "unbelievable achievement". "To win everything domestically and to play in the Asian Champions League Two final - winning it would have been a dream. But even without that, I think it's one of the best seasons in Singapore football," the Football Association of Singapore Coach of the Year nominee said. Fielding an unchanged side from their semi-final, second leg against Brunei DPMM, Rankovic opted for stability in what was his side's 58th match, including the 2-0 Community Shield win over Albirex Niigata last May. "I wanted stability in our play, and not to change a lot. We were much better in the first half and, if there was somebody who would score then, it would have been us... But credit to Tampines, they are a very good team, and they had a great season," the Serb said. Tampines coach Gavin Lee, also nominated for the SPL Coach of the Year gong, which will be presented at the SPL Awards Night at Orchard Hotel on June 1, conceded that his side were slow to settle in the game as they struggled to create chances early on. "In the first half, both sides were more cautious. It's something you see a lot in finals. We were overly protective in the first half. And in the second half, it was just reminding everybody that we're a very good team, we have good players. We trusted ourselves a little bit more," Lee said. With some Tampines players left in tears after the final whistle, he added that "we cannot allow one game to define our whole season". "Nights like this will hurt us, it stings us very badly. But the moment we have caught our breath, we get a few nights' sleep and get calmer, we will probably realise that this season we've done a lot of good stuff," Lee said, after leading his side to a runners-up finish in the SPL. Despite kick-off being delayed by 15 minutes due to the activation of the lightning warning system, the 2,766 fans were raring to go, drumming up a din. On the pitch, it was a more cagey affair, with neither side producing any clear-cut chances. The Sailors spent much of the first period camped in the opposition's half as Belgian winger Maxime Lestienne found joy on the right flank, linking up well with wingback Hami Syahin to craft a handful of left-footed efforts. However, those were easy pickings for the Stags' goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari, who was rarely troubled. At the other end, the Stags failed to create any openings, finishing the first half without a single attempt on goal as the teams went into the break deadlocked at 0-0. The Sailors drew first blood in the 49th minute when midfielder Song Ui-young pounced on a defensive error by fullback Milos Zlatkovic and played the ball out wide to Lestienne, who drove a low cross to the feet of attacking midfielder Bart Ramselaar. With his back to goal, the 28-year-old Dutchman swivelled and drilled his shot into the roof of the net for his sixth goal of the tournament, making him the joint-top scorer in the competition with Geylang International striker Tomoyuki Doi and Balestier Khalsa forward Kodai Tanaka. Toasting the goal, Ramselaar said: "It's quite special because I'm not a real striker, and to be in this list with a striker like Doi, it's really nice. But, in the end, it's about winning the trophy, and that was our goal. We made it happen, so we're happy with it." Tampines thought they had equalised in the 57th minute when forward Itsuki Enomoto tapped in a cross from playmaker Seia Kunori, but his effort was struck off for offside. A long ball in the 81st minute sent Ramselaar through on goal, but a heavy touch allowed Syazwan to rush out and smother the danger. With two minutes remaining, Tampines had another chance when a loose ball fell to Kunori, but his effort cannoned off the crossbar, leaving the Japanese to pound the ground in exasperation. "Really unlucky. I should have applied less power. Overall, it was a really tough game. A very short break since the semi-finals, but all of us gave our best," said the 24-year-old, who is in the running for the Young Player of the Year award on June 1. Tempers flared in stoppage time as a foul on Shah Shahiran by Ramselaar resulted in the Tampines midfielder headbutting the Dutchman in a fit of anger. The pair received warnings for their troubles but, after a video assistant referee check, Shah was given his marching orders, to end any hopes of a Stags comeback.
Malay Mail
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Malay Mail
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.
