As Shawal Anuar latched onto a through pass from skipper Hariss Harun with one of his signature darting runs, time at the Jalan Besar Stadium seemed to stand still.
The Muangthong United backline stopped chasing, the Sailors’ fans braced themselves for an offside whistle, and even his own teammates hesitated. But Shawal never gave up on what seemed like a lost cause.
With a deft touch, he coolly lobbed the onrushing goalkeeper, then took a quick glance at the linesman’s flag — still down.
His perfectly-timed run had beaten Muangthong’s high line and, more importantly, sealed the Sailors’ place in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Two quarter-finals – marking the first time a Singaporean side had reached this milestone.
“When I made that run, I was fully confident I wasn’t offside,” Shawal said. “I always scan my surroundings before receiving the ball. Even before Hariss got it, I knew I was in line with the last defender. Bart was shouting for me to leave it for him, but I ignored him — I knew I was onside!”
The mercurial forward played a pivotal role in all of his side’s goals as the Sailors cruised to a 4-0 victory in the second leg to seal a commanding 7-2 aggregate win over Muangthong. Given the reputation and quality of Thai teams, even Shawal was taken aback by the emphatic nature of the triumph.
“We know it’s never easy to play against Thai sides, so I was surprised that we won by such a huge margin,” Shawal admitted. “But we fully deserved it — we worked hard together as a team, covering for each other in defence, midfield, and attack. That unity helped us get the goals we needed.”
But the Sailors now face their toughest test of the season as they travel to take on J1 League giants Sanfrecce Hiroshima — one of the most decorated clubs in Japanese football — at the Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima on Wednesday (5 March) for the first leg of their two-legged quarter-final tie.
Despite the daunting challenge of facing a top-tier side from one of Asia’s best leagues, however, Shawal remains unfazed.
“These are the big games I always look forward to playing in,” Shawal said. “As a team, we won’t shy away from the challenge — we’re motivated to show what we can do against top opposition. As long as we stay focused, work hard in training, and play our football, nothing is impossible.”
The forward previously had a taste of the intensity of Japanese football when he went on trial with then-second division side Matsumoto Yamaga in 2017, and spent a week in the club’s pre-season training camp. It was an eye-opening experience for Shawal, who witnessed firsthand the high standards Japanese players set for themselves.
“I learned a lot from my stint at Yamaga — the quality there was very different from what we have in Singapore,” Shawal recounted. “What stood out most was their fitness levels and work ethic. They could chase you around the pitch for the full 90 minutes without dropping off. That was something I made sure to apply to my own game.”
But even as Shawal gears up for this titanic quarter-final clash, he remains grounded, never forgetting his humble beginnings — rising through the ranks of Singapore football after starting his career in the amateur National Football League (NFL) with Keppel Monaco.
“When I was a youth player, I never imagined I’d one day play at such a high level, let alone in the quarter-finals of a continental competition,” he said. “Getting to where I am now is a special achievement for me, and I will keep working hard to go even further.”
Today, the Singapore international is enjoying the most prolific season of his career, having netted 22 goals in all competitions — including seven in the ACL Two, second only to the Iranian duo Sardar Azmoun and Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh.
His exploits on the continental stage have naturally caught the attention of opposition clubs, with teams now keeping a closer eye on the threat he poses. But while defenders are increasingly marking him tightly, Shawal remains focused on doing what he does best — scoring and creating goals for the Sailors.
“At this level, opposition teams analyse every detail of every player, especially attackers like me. I just have to stay patient, play smart, and focus on what I can contribute,” he said.
Far from being a burden, he sees this extra attention as an opportunity — not just for himself, but for Singaporean footballers to make their mark on the big stage.
He explained, “People will always observe every aspect of your game — your play style, work ethic, even your confidence on the pitch. Everyone has different perspectives, but as long as we give our best, we never know what opportunities might come our way.”
Shawal also expressed his gratitude to the dedicated group of Sailors fans who are set to make the 4,700km journey to Hiroshima.
“We truly appreciate all the fans supporting us — both those traveling to Japan and those cheering from home,” he said. “Their presence as the 12th man will give us that extra boost we need against such a strong side, and we’ll make sure to give everything on the pitch to fight for them and the result.”
