Lion City Sailors set sights beyond S’pore after third straight Deloitte Women’s Premier League title

SINGAPORE – It was a familiar sight at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Sept 15, as blue and silver confetti rained down on the Lion City Sailors, who clinched their third consecutive Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) title and $25,000 prize money after a 6-0 victory over Still Aerion.

But things were not quite the same as compared to previous years. Going into the final match of the season, it was not just a three-peat on the line, but also another appearance in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Champions League.

Having had that first taste of continental competition in August, the Sailors were hungry for the chance to keep testing themselves against regional sides.

Their inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League (AWCL) campaign in Jordan may have ended in the preliminary stages following a 4-1 loss to India’s Odisha FC and a 5-0 defeat by the host’s Etihad Club, but it also spurred them on to make a return to the competition.

“After we experienced the AWCL for the first time, the stakes were a lot higher so coming into this game, we were very determined to win the league to go back and play in the AWCL next year,” said forward Raeka Ee, whose teammates presented her with a cake in celebration of her 21st birthday the next day.

“Getting to achieve that with this team after a season of ups and downs has been really fulfilling.”

It was a must-win fixture for the Sailors as they were second behind Albirex Niigata, who were two points ahead but had completed their games.

The defending champions took just five minutes to take the lead as Nur Syazwani Ruzi curled the ball in for Ee to head into Still Aerion’s net.

Ee scored with a sleek lob in the 31st minute – her 18th of the season – to double the Sailors’ lead going into the break.

Sarah Zu’risqha made it 3-0 in the 60th minute, as the scoring spree continued. A long-range effort from substitute Nurhidayu Naszri extended the Sailors’ lead, before goals by Sarah and Nur Ain Salleh completed the rout.

Sailors coach Daniel Ong stressed that the team’s goal was not just to be the best in Singapore; they also want keep challenging themselves on the bigger stage.

Their experience in Jordan has also helped the team identify areas – mainly fitness and strength – to improve on ahead of the new season, he said.

He added: “We feel that we can challenge the teams overseas if we really focus on the development of our girls in Singapore...

“It was definitely an eye-opener. We felt it was a challenge for us and we could match them well, but what we were lacking was the fitness because in the WPL, the intensity, technical and tactical stuff are all very different.”

The road to their third WPL title was not as straightforward as it had been in the previous two seasons, when the crown was secured with two games to go.

Their 37-match unbeaten run in the WPL came to an end in June after a defeat by Geylang International, who finished third. Albirex, who had recruited some national players, including Lionesses captain Siti Rosnani Azman, also stretched the title race to the final match day.

With a new-look squad, the Sailors had needed time to gel, said skipper Nur Umairah Hamdan.

The centre-back, 22, said: “It definitely took time to get comfortable (with new teammates) and learn the style of play within our own team. But the girls were good, adapted to the changes and were willing to learn. They had the grit and confidence to play, which made a lot of difference.”