The Lion City Sailors’ fairytale run in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Two continues as they gear up to face Australian giants Sydney FC in the first leg of the semi-finals on Wednesday (9 April) at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
A historic meeting
This match marks a historic occasion – the first-ever competitive meeting between a Singaporean and Australian club side. And what a clash it promises to be.
Widely regarded as Australia’s most successful club, Sydney have racked up an impressive haul of silverware, including five A-League Men Championships, four A-League Men Premierships, and two Australian Cup titles.
While they may not have hit the same heights in recent years, the Sky Blues remain a formidable outfit. They finished fourth in the 2023/24 A-League season and reached the Championship semi-finals, eventually bowing out to champions Central Coast Mariners. They also lifted their second Australian Cup after a 3-1 victory over Brisbane Roar.
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Sydney have yet to find top gear in their domestic campaign, having registered just nine wins in 22 league games. However, their recent dramatic 3-2 win over Adelaide United has kept their finals hopes alive, and more importantly, provided them with a timely morale boost ahead of this trip to Singapore.
While Sydney have been inconsistent on the domestic front, they have looked imperious in the ACL Two — winning seven of their 10 matches en route to the semi-finals. Only Group E winners Sanfrecce Hiroshima have managed to get the better of them — and even then, only by narrow margins of 2-1 and 1-0.
Sydney also displayed their grit and spirit in the knockout rounds, as they overturned a 2-1 deficit to edge Thailand’s Bangkok United 5-4 on aggregate in the Round of 16, before staging another thrilling fightback against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the quarter-finals, which saw them recover from two goals down in the second leg to clinch the tie.
They are also the most prolific side in the competition so far, racking up 27 goals — underlining the attacking threat the Sailors must be wary of.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Sydney head coach Ufuk Talay lauded his side’s resilience on the continental stage, while also acknowledging the quality that the Sailors bring to the table.
“We’re super excited to be playing in the semi-final of an Asian competition. As Australians, we like to have a go, and we’ll definitely push to go all the way,” said the 49-year-old. “We’ve got the mentality and drive to succeed – and that’s rubbed off on our foreign players as well. The boys know how to dig deep and push right till the final whistle, and that’s helped us get results in many games.”
Talay also made it clear that his side are under no illusions about the challenge that awaits them at Jalan Besar.
“We’re very aware of how the Sailors play and the threats they pose. They’ve got some very talented foreign and local players,” he added. “But if we play the type of football we’re capable of, that’ll give us a good chance of coming away with a positive result tomorrow.”
No lack of pedigree and experience
Talay, a former Socceroos assistant coach, has a squad brimming with talent — and no shortage of attacking firepower.
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Sydney’s headline act is undoubtedly Brazilian star Douglas Costa, who was once dubbed by Pep Guardiola as “one of the best wingers in the world”. With his trademark flair and one-on-one wizardry, the 34-year-old – who brings a glittering CV that includes three Serie A titles with Juventus, three Bundesliga crowns with Bayern Munich, and a FIFA Club World Cup medal – very much remains a match-winner on his day.
But he is far from being Sydney’s lone threat.
English winger Joe Lolley has been one of the team’s standout performers this season, and has recorded nine goals and seven assists in 20 A-League appearances. A veteran of over 200 games across the English Premier League and English Championship, the 32-year-old was Nottingham Forest’s Player of the Season in 2018/19, and continues to be a key creative outlet down the flanks.
Leading the line for Talay’s charges is Polish striker Patryk Klimala, who has hit red-hot form in this competition. The former Celtic man has chalked up six goals and three assists in eight ACL Two outings, including a clinical three-goal haul across the two legs of the quarter-finals.
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Talay can also call on other foreign stars, including ex-Eredivisie playmaker Anas Ouahim and former Serie A midfielder Léo Sena, both of whom bring technical quality and continental experience to the side.
Apart from their foreign contingent, Sydney’s local talents are just as prominent and key to the team. Mercurial forward Adrian Segecic has been a revelation, and currently leads the club’s domestic scoring charts, while Socceroos call-ups Alex Grant and Anthony Caceres lend steel and composure in defence and midfield respectively.
Sydney captain Rhyan Grant knows just how much is at stake — and he is determined to lead from the front.
“This game is massive for us — it’s the best chance we’ve had to win silverware outside of Australia,” said the long-serving fullback at the pre-match press conference. “Wearing the armband is something that really motivates me, and I’m determined to lead the boys to something special tomorrow.”
Sailors fuelled by national pride
Having already defied expectations to reach the final four of ACL Two, the Lion City Sailors are relishing the opportunity to pull off yet another upset – even if the challenge ahead is a formidable one.
Their continental home form offers plenty of encouragement. Jalan Besar Stadium has been a tough hunting ground for visiting teams, with the Sailors losing just once in their past seven continental matches – in both the ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup and ACL Two – on home turf. That run includes statement victories over Thai powerhouses Port FC, Muangthong United, and China’s Zhejiang Professional FC.
On the domestic front, the Sailors are flying high. Unbeaten in their last 17 league and cup outings, they have racked up 13 wins and dropped points on just two occasions since the start of the year.
Yet, head coach Aleksandar Ranković remains laser-focused on the task at hand.
“We’re not reading too much into recent results – not ours, not theirs,” he said. “Sydney are a quality side with experience at this level, but we’ve shown that we can compete with the best. It’s now about doing our talking on the pitch.”
The Sailors will be buoyed by the timely return of key men Maxime Lestienne and Song Uiyoung — the former is back in contention after recovering from injury, while Song returns from a three-match suspension. Their availability will provide a significant boost as the Sailors prepare to face a star-studded Sydney side stacked with attacking talent.
Despite the calibre of opposition, Ranko is staying calm and composed.
“Of course, they have a world-class player in Douglas Costa, but our focus won’t be solely on him — they’ve got others who can hurt you as well,” said the Serbian tactician. “That’s something we’ll have to manage. But we have quality players of our own, and I’m expecting a good match.”
For the Sailors, this semi-final is about more than just club glory — it is a chance to fly the Singapore flag high on the continental stage.
Ranko’s men are fully aware of the responsibility they shoulder, and for midfield dynamo Song, playing in front of a sell-out crowd at the Jalan Besar Stadium adds an extra layer of meaning.
“I would say this is the biggest game of my club career, and the whole team is very motivated to face Sydney tomorrow,” said Song, who has five goals and one assist in seven ACL Two appearances.
“We’re not just playing for the Sailors — we’re playing for Singapore football. I’m going to give everything I have to help the team get the best possible result.”
