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New Paper
17-05-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
ACL2 trophy is 'something beautiful to fight for', says Lion City Sailors' Hariss Harun
Bishan Stadium holds a special place in Hariss Harun's heart. It was here, as a 10-year-old with the Home United youth team, that the Lion City Sailors skipper played in his first tournament. More than two decades later, the midfielder, now 34, has the chance to scale the pinnacle of his career at the same venue. On May 18, Hariss will lead the Sailors in their quest for the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) title against the United Arab Emirates' Sharjah FC. He said: "Bishan is the first stadium I played in as a boy. So even in my wildest dreams, I would not have thought that this is where I would be playing for a continental title one day. "With especially how it looks ahead of the final, it is surreal." With the Sailors' home stadium at Jalan Besar for six ACL2 games deemed unsuitable for the final and the 55,000-seater National Stadium unavailable due to a concert, significant works have been done at Bishan ahead of the final. They include the installation of three new spectator stands to increase the capacity from around 3,000 to 10,000. A raucous atmosphere is expected as the newly crowned Singapore Premier League champions aim to notch another milestone by becoming the first Singaporean club to win a continental title. For Hariss, this will not be his first rodeo in an AFC club competition final. A decade ago, the veteran player won the 2015 AFC Cup - the previous iteration of the ACL2 - with Malaysian team Johor Darul Takzim, who secured a 1-0 win over Tajikistan side FC Istiklol in Dushanbe. A win with the Sailors will eclipse that 2015 moment as his career highlight, said Hariss. This time, he is playing with a Singapore club alongside long-time friends such as Izwan Mahbud, Hafiz Nor and Shawal Anuar, and it will also be in front of his family and friends. He added: "Of course, that 2015 win was really special, because that meant that I was the first Singaporean to have won the tournament. Now 10 years on, I wouldn't have imagined that I would have made it to another final, let alone with a club from my home country. "I am not downplaying 2015 because to win any title is special but this will be even sweeter as it is being played on home soil, in front of family and with some friends who I have been playing with almost the entirety of my career. "We have something really beautiful, something really prestigious to fight for on Sunday, and we should do no less than we have done so far and give it our all in front of our fans." The Sailors' journey to the final has been a roller-coaster ride. While they topped 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, they suffered group stage losses to Zhejiang and Persib after throwing a two-goal lead twice. There was a convincing aggregate win over Muangthong United 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. In the semi-finals, the Sailors came through with a 2-1 aggregate win over Australia's Sydney FC. Sailors' Australian centre-back Bailey Wright, 32, has had his fair share of high-stake matches. They include several League One play-off games when he was with England's Sunderland and Preston North End, as well as World Cup qualification play-offs with the Australian national team. He stressed that the final will be special as the Sailors have an opportunity to "do something that no team has ever dreamt of doing in Singapore". Lion City Sailors captain Hariss Harun and centre-back Bailey Wright at a training session on May 17. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG Wright, whose family and friends have flown in for the final, said: "We're kind of the pioneers of this journey and we know what that can do for future generations. "We've all grown up as kids and had our idols and, if it's a local team, it's even more special. This is a chance to go down in the history books and be remembered for a long time." Echoing those sentiments at the pre-match press conference on May 17, Hariss said: "For the longest time, there have been ups and downs, more down than up (in Singapore football). This is a huge chance for us as a club side to show the way forward for Singapore football. "It's definitely going to inspire those not just within our club... everyone else watching, that this is the way forward, and hopefully this will be a kind of launch pad for our football." Sailors head coach Aleksandar Rankovic and captain Hariss Harun at the pre-match press conference on May 17. ST PHOTO: DEEPANRAJ GANESAN Sailors coach Aleksandar Rankovic said: "It is going to be a 50-50 game. I don't see us as an underdog. I don't see them as the favourites, (just) as I don't see us as favourites. "It's one match, it's a final, and we will see who wants it more and I hope it is going to be us." The ACL2 winners will earn a play-off slot in the ACL Elite for 2025-26 and pocket US$2.5 million (S$3.2 million) in prize money.
Straits Times
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
ACL2 trophy is ‘something beautiful to fight for', says Lion City Sailors' Hariss Harun
Hariss Harun will lead the Sailors in their quest for the ACL2 title against the United Arab Emirates' Sharjah FC on May 18. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG SINGAPORE – Bishan Stadium holds a special place in Hariss Harun's heart. It was here, as a 10-year-old representing the Home United youth team, that the Lion City Sailors skipper played in his first tournament. More than two decades later, the 34-year-old central midfielder has an opportunity to score the best moment of his career at the same venue. On May 18, Hariss will lead the Sailors in their quest for the AFC Champions League 2 title against the United Arab Emirates' Sharjah FC. He said: 'Bishan is the first stadium I played in as a boy. So even in my wildest dreams, I would not have thought that this is where I would be playing for a continental title one day. With especially how it looks ahead of the final, it is surreal.' With the Sailors' home stadium at Jalan Besar for six ACL2 games deemed unsuitable for the final and the 55,000-seater National Stadium unavailable due to a concert, significant works have been done at Bishan ahead of the final. These include the installation of three new spectator stands to increase the capacity from around 3,000 to 10,000. A raucous atmosphere is expected as the newly crowned Singapore Premier League champions aim to notch another milestone in their campaign by becoming the first Singaporean club to win a continental title. For Hariss, this will not be his first rodeo in an AFC club competition final. A decade ago, the veteran player won the 2015 AFC Cup – the previous iteration of the ACL 2 – with Malaysian team Johor Darul Takzim, who secured a 1-0 win over Tajikistan side FC Istiklol in Dushanbe. A win with the Sailors will eclipse that 2015 moment as his career highlight, said Hariss. This time, he is playing with a Singapore club alongside long-time friends such as Izwan Mahbud, Hafiz Nor and Shawal Anuar, and it will also be in front of his family and friends at home. He added: 'Of course, that 2015 win was really special, because that meant that I was the first Singaporean to have won the tournament. Now 10 years on, I wouldn't have imagined that I would have made it to another final, let alone with a club from my home country. 'I am not downplaying 2015 because to win any title is special but this will be even sweeter as it is being played on home soil, in front of family and with some friends who I have been playing with almost the entirety of my career. 'We have something really beautiful, something really prestigious to fight for on Sunday, and we should do no less than we have done so far and give it our all in front of our fans.' The Sailors' journey to the final has been a roller-coaster ride. While they topped 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, they suffered group stage losses to Zhejiang and Persib after throwing a two-goal lead twice. There was a convincing aggregate win over Muangthong United 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. In the semi-finals, the Sailors came through with a 2-1 aggregate win over Australia's Sydney FC. Sailors' Australian centre-back Bailey Wright, 32, has had his fair share of high stakes matches, including several League One play-off games when he was with England's Sunderland and Preston North End, as well as World Cup qualification play-offs with the Australian national team. He stressed that the final will be special as the Sailors have an opportunity to 'do something that no team has ever dreamt of doing in Singapore'. Wright, whose family and friends have flown in for the final, said: 'We're kind of the pioneers of this journey and we know what that can do for future generations. We've all grown up as kids and had our idols and if it's a local team, it's even more special. This is a chance to go down in the history books and be remembered for a long time.' Echoing these sentiments at the pre-match press conference on May 18, Hariss said: 'For the longest time, there have been ups and downs, more down than up (in Singapore football). This is a huge chance for us as a club side to show the way forward for Singapore football. 'It's definitely going to inspire those not just within our club... everyone else watching, that this is the way forward, and hopefully this will be a kind of launch pad for our football.' Sailors head coach Aleksandar Rankovic and captain Hariss Harun at the pre-match press conference on May 17. ST PHOTO: DEEPANRAJ GANESAN Sailors head coach Aleksandar Rankovic said: 'It is going to be a 50-50 game. I don't see us as an underdog. I don't see them as the favourites, (just) as I don't see us as favourites. It's one match, it's a final, and we will see who wants it more and I hope it is going to be us.' The winner of the ACL Two will earn a play-off slot in the ACL Elite for 2025-26 and pocket US$2.5 million (S$3.2 million) in prize money. Deepanraj Ganesan is a sports journalist at The Straits Times focusing on football, athletics, combat sports and policy-related news. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Lion City Sailors not getting ahead of themselves as they close in on S'pore Premier League title
Lion City Sailors captain Hariss Harun putting his best foot forward with Lionel Tan and other teammates during training on March 11. PHOTO: ST FILE Lion City Sailors not getting ahead of themselves as they close in on S'pore Premier League title SINGAPORE – With an 11-point cushion over BG Tampines Rovers, the Lion City Sailors already have one hand on the Singapore Premier League trophy. They could get their other hand on it as soon as this weekend, should second-placed Tampines drop points against Hougang United on May 2 and the Sailors beat Geylang International at Our Tampines Hub on May 4. That would give the Sailors 71 points, an unassailable tally should the Stags, who are on 57 points with five games left, fail to beat Hougang. But Sailors coach Aleksandar Rankovic is not getting ahead of himself. Speaking after his side's 3-1 win over the Young Lions on April 30, the Serb said: 'We are not thinking about (the Tampines game). 'If' doesn't exist in football. We just go from game to game. 'There's not really a lot of pressure. We've had so much pressure this season that the guys are so used to it, playing eight, nine games in a month. For us, it is nothing new. It is just one step closer.' The match will be the Sailors' 51st in all competitions since their season-opener at last May's Community Shield, as they remain on course for a historic treble. They will meet Sharjah FC of the United Arab Emirates in the Asian Champions League Two (ACL2) final on May 18, before facing Brunei DPMM in the Singapore Cup semi-finals, with an eye on the May 31 final. Rankovic added that the gruelling fixture list has given them 'a lot of strength, character and the momentum to keep going forward and grab everything we can'. Asked if the prospect of bagging the title early will aid the Sailors' preparations for the ACL2 final, Rankovic said: 'When we seal it, we will seal it. If that's faster or later, that doesn't really matter. They are two totally different competitions, two different games.' Sailors skipper Hariss Harun, who was recently elected as a vice-president of the Football Association of Singapore, echoed his coach's sentiments. 'It's been a long season. I think we have done well to get to where we are right now,' said the 34-year-old. 'But it doesn't change anything on Sunday. Whether Tampines drop points or they win their game, I think we just need to focus on our game.' He will return to the squad to face Geylang after serving a one-match suspension for accumulating four yellow cards. Meanwhile, the daunting task of facing the runaway league leaders, who are unbeaten in the competition since last August, is not lost on Eagles coach Noor Ali, whose side had lost 3-1 to DPMM in midweek. Calling attention to the quadruple offensive threat of Sailors forwards Lennart Thy, Shawal Anuar, Bart Ramselaar and Maxime Lestienne, Noor said: 'These four are always a threat up front, which you need a collective effort to stop. 'I think we have done well in attack (scoring 88 goals), but the defensive part of the game has not been good for us. We have conceded a lot of goals this season and especially individual errors. Against the Sailors, you can't afford to make mistakes.' Hougang United v BG Tampines Rovers (May 2, 7.45pm, Our Tampines Hub) Tampines coach Gavin Lee is not letting the added significance of the game derail their bid for a win. 'We are just focused on us. Every game is important, every three points is something we desire very much,' he added. Hougang, meanwhile, go into the match on the back of just one win in six league games. They will need to find a way to plug their leaky defence to put an end to the Stags' title hopes. Brunei DPMM v Tanjong Pagar United (May 2, 8.15pm, Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium) Basement side Tanjong Pagar have struggled with a paltry 13-point total after 26 games, but they may fancy their chances, having collected seven points against DPMM. Despite 19 losses, the Jaguars are remarkably unbeaten (two wins and one draw) against the sixth-placed Bruneian side in the Singapore league. Young Lions v Balestier Khalsa (May 3, 6pm, Our Tampines Hub) Despite a 3-2 loss and 7-2 trouncing by Balestier earlier in the campaign, the Young Lions were able to mastermind their first victory over the Tigers in four seasons in their most recent encounter – a 3-2 win in January. They will be hoping for another positive result as they bid to avoid finishing bottom for the first time since 2020. Balestier will be aiming to consolidate fourth spot. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
ST Full-time Report: Man dies at 2XU Compression Run
Welcome to the latest edition of ST Full-time Report, where the best sports content from The Straits Times is delivered to your inbox every Monday evening. Subscribe here for the weekly updates. Dear ST reader, National captain Hariss Harun is eager to contribute towards the improvement of Singapore football as one of the Football Association of Singapore vice-presidents. Meanwhile, Maximilian Maeder is motivated to learn the lessons from his recent defeat after the Singaporean's run of international kitefoiling triumphs ended with a second-placed finish in France. For his part, Ang Chen Xiang is elated with his form following his second 110m hurdles national record within a month at the Singapore Open athletics meet. For the latest news on Singapore sports, check out ST Sport.
Straits Times
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Lions captain Hariss Harun happy to take on role of FAS vice-president
Hariss Harun will not be retiring any time soon despite his impending appointment as Football Association of Singapore vice-president. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR SINGAPORE – Since incoming Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Forrest Li announced his slate – which included Hariss Harun as one of his four vice-presidents – over a week ago, the Lion City Sailors and national skipper has been inundated with calls and messages asking if he was retiring. With a hearty laugh, the 34-year-old told The Straits Times before the new council is sworn in at the FAS Extraordinary Congress on April 28: 'I'm not retiring, and I want to play for many years more. I will know when the time comes for me to hang up my boots, but it's not now because I feel I still can contribute on and off the pitch.' Hariss, believed to be the first active player in the FAS Council, added: 'I was surprised when I was approached because it's unheard of for an active player to be part of the council, but it's refreshing to know that they want me to be a voice for the players. 'I understand that the FAS Council role comes with a lot more responsibility, and there will be a lot on my shoulders also being the national team captain and an active player. But I will have to learn to juggle and play each role as perfectly as I can when the time comes.' One of Singapore's most successful footballers, Hariss has won the Asean Championship with Singapore, the AFC Cup, Malaysia Super League (MSL) and Malaysia Cup with Johor Darul Takzim, the MSL with LionsXII, and the Singapore Premier League and Singapore Cup with the Sailors, who are also in the AFC Champions League Two final. He has been known to be not just a model professional since his national team debut at 16, but also one who cares deeply about Singapore football matters and is vocal about them. This is why he decided to step up after being approached by Li, despite having a busy schedule as a player for club and country, father of three and property agent. Hariss, who has 140 caps and 11 international goals, said: 'I feel very strongly about things on and off the pitch for Singapore football, and even more so as I grew older because I started to understand more certain things. 'I see that I have the capacity to help Singapore football. Having said that, our team acknowledges this is not a one-man job, that's why there is a diverse portfolio of people involved and everybody has to play a part to improve Singapore football.' Li, founder of home-grown tech firm Sea and chairman of Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors, has assembled a slate of nine with lawyer and BG Tampines Rovers chairman Desmond Ong as deputy president. Besides Hariss, the other three vice-presidents are Bill Ng, founder of private equity firm Financial Frontiers and chairman of Hougang United and Tiong Bahru FC; Sailors general manager Tan Li Yu; and Sean Bai, chief of staff at Burnley, who have just been promoted to the English Premier League. Hariss hopes his experience and influence as Lions skipper will help him represent local footballers and advocate for their interests, as he remains concerned that football is still not seen as a viable career in Singapore, with many dropping out in their 20s. He said: 'It's understandable if footballers retire early because of injuries, but it's sad if they do so because they don't see a future in Singapore football. 'I hope to make football a more attractive career for people who are serious about turning professional, to show that there is a pathway for them even after they retire in their 30s. 'We are a small country with a small talent pool, so we need to retain all the quality we have, and I hope I can help in this aspect.' When asked if there would be concerns about potential conflicts of interest when the FAS Council meets to decide on issues pertaining to the national team, he said he would recuse himself where necessary. He added: 'We are all very well aware of this. This is why we have a diverse group of people in the team who can make decisions, and there will be systems in place to avoid possible conflicts of interest in certain topics.' He also cited Aston Villa centre-back Tyrone Mings, who was appointed one of three independent non-executive directors on the board for Euro 2028 – which will be co-hosted by Britain and Ireland – as an example of an active player making a difference off the pitch. Hariss said: 'This shows we are keeping up with the times and it can be done. It's something new in the Singapore context, but I'm really looking forward to contributing to Singapore football.' David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
