Shawal Anuar shines as Lion City Sailors’ MVP as ACL 2 progression beckons

SINGAPORE – The Lion City Sailors are stacked with seasoned players boasting international and European experience who cost millions in transfer fees and wages. Yet, it is Shawal Anuar who stands out.

The Singapore forward, 33, is proving to be the best value for money in a team featuring stars like former Croatia player Toni Datkovic, Australian international Bailey Wright, ex-Dutch international Bart Ramselaar, former PSV Eindhoven winger Maxime Lestienne, and German Lennart Thy, who arrived this season fresh off a 13-goal campaign in the Dutch Eredivisie.

Shawal, who joined in December 2022 on a free transfer from Hougang United, has 30 goals and 19 assists in 56 appearances for the Sailors since then. He is the top local goal scorer and assist maker in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) this season with 11 goals and 10 assists in 17 matches.

He is also in a rich vein of form on the continental stage, as the Sailors look to advance to the last 16 of the Asian Football Confederation Champions League Two (ACL 2).

Shawal put in a Man of the Match display by contributing two goals and an assist in the 3-1 away victory over Thai club Port FC on Oct 30, which propelled the Sailors to the top of Group F, with seven points from three matches.

On Nov 7, the Sailors face Indonesia’s Persib Bandung at the Jalan Besar Stadium where a win, coupled with a Port victory over third-placed Zhejiang, will secure passage to the next round.

Shawal said: “I have always wanted to play and do well in a competition like the ACL 2. I was so happy to start and score. The journey to play in a professional league has not been easy, so these moments will be very memorable for me.”

The forward, who was playing semi-professionally in the National Football League 11 years ago, said his form is a result of his mantra that “every season has to be better than the last one”.

Last season, Shawal scored 16 goals in all competitions and he is just two goals shy of that tally this campaign, with 15 matches to go in the SPL and a Singapore Cup campaign to come.

His footballing journey is especially admirable considering he has been carrying the nagging after-effects from the surgery to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in 2018.

Crediting the support of the club and the motivation from his family – his wife and three sons aged 14, two and six months, he said: “After every training and match, my knee feels really sore and I have to ice it. It is not easy at all.

“It is really about managing my workload and I am thankful to the club and coaches for understanding that. On my part, whenever I go out on the pitch, I give my all. Every opportunity I get, I want to prove that I belong here.”

Sailors coach Aleksandar Rankovic has only praise for his forward. He said: “He’s one of my MVPs (most valuable players) from the time I came here. He shows his quality almost every week when he plays. The only problem... with him is that he’s having some issues with his body, so we have to be very careful with him.”

Rankovic also added that his players will go into the Persib match with confidence.

“There’s a good atmosphere within this team and we want to continue this good start. I hope the fans will come and fill up the stadium because it’ll be a huge boost for our players.”

Persib coach Bojan Hodak, who played in the then S-League, meanwhile, will be targeting his side’s first win after the 1-1 draw with the Sailors and 1-0 losses to Port and Zhejiang.

The Croat said: “With every game, we’re improving. I hope tomorrow will be different, and that we can achieve a positive result.”

Meanwhile, Singapore’s other representative in the ACL 2, BG Tampines Rovers, threw away a two-goal lead as they lost 3-2 to Vietnam’s Nam Dinh at the Thien Truong Stadium on Nov 6.

Goals from Amirul Adli and Seia Kunori gave the Stags a 2-0 lead in the Group G encounter but the hosts replied through Caio Cesar, Joseph Mpande and Lucas Alves.

After four matches, Tampines are third with four points, four behind Nam Dinh and six adrift of leaders Bangkok United, who beat point-less Lee Man FC 4-1 in the other group match.