SINGAPORE - For 93 minutes, Lion City Sailors were the sharper and tighter team in the top-of-the-table clash against defending champions Albirex Niigata at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday (Sept 17).
They held a deserved 1-0 lead and looked on course to seize the title initiative at the business end of this year's Singapore Premier League (SPL).
But in just five seconds in the final minute of added time, they felt the full brunt of football cruelty.
Albirex left-back Yu Tokiwa's hopeful punt in the box was nodded by Shuya Yamashita into the path of Ryoya Taniguchi, who headed in a last-gasp equaliser off Sailors defender Hariss Harun, the game's standout performer.
The hosts collapsed on the pitch in disappointment knowing the fate of the league championship is no longer in their hands.
The 1-1 draw preserved Albirex's five-point lead, as they moved up to 44 points from 19 games. The Sailors have a game in hand but if the Japanese side win their remaining two matches, they will clinch their fifth SPL title in six seasons.
On Friday, even without their injured top scorer Stipe Plazibat and with $2.9 million Brazilian midfielder Diego Lopes on the bench, the Sailors had, for most parts, delivered their most accomplished performance since South Korean coach Kim Do-hoon's first game in charge in July.
They started brightly amid a boisterous, sold-out atmosphere, repeatedly causing the White Swans problems from the right flank and took the lead in the 23rd minute.
Albirex thought they had earned a penalty after Ong Yu En tumbled under the attention of Nur Adam Abdullah but instead from the resulting goal kick, the ball was quickly moved upfield to Faris Ramli, whose square pass was slotted in by Haiqal Pashia.
The home side should have doubled their lead in the 41st minute from a similar move only for Haiqal to fire wide in front of a gaping goal.
The Sailors continued to press for a second goal and Gabriel Quak saw his effort come off the bar in the 49th minute, before 1.9m Brazilian defender Jorge Fellipe was stretchered off with an ankle injury three minutes later.
His departure proved significant as it was his replacement, the 1.81m Amirul Adli, who was outjumped by Yamashita in the dying seconds as Albirex snatched a precious point.
Analysis
The Sailors may be pumping in the money that Singapore football so desperately needs to raise its standards, but it is evident that culture, mentality and philosophy require time to develop.
Albirex took 13 years since joining the SPL in 2004 to win their first title in 2016, and since then they have proven almost unstoppable in their dominance here.
Despite this disappointing result, the Sailors look to be clicking into gear under Kim, and another win should all but secure their place in next season's AFC Champions League by virtue of being the top-ranked local team.
They will be without imports Fellipe and Plazibat for their last three matches, knowing nothing less than three wins will be acceptable.
They face Tampines Rovers (Sept 21), Geylang International (Sept 26) and Balestier Khalsa (Oct 2) and must hope Albirex drop points against the Stags (Sept 24) or Tanjong Pagar United (Oct 2).
