Since joining Lion City Sailors in June 2024, Nurhidayu Naszri has established herself as a vital presence in midfield for her team.

More commonly known as Ayu, she has impressed with a series of standout performances, which earned her a place in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) All-Stars squad set to face Brisbane Roar on 4 April.

For now, though, the 20-year-old will be focused on helping the Sailors Women’s Team build on their 2-1 win over Albirex Niigata (S) in their opening fixture of the 2025 WPL campaign last weekend, as they take on Balestier Khalsa this Sunday (16 March) at Choa Chu Kang Stadium.

But this weekend’s clash against Balestier will hold extra significance for Ayu.

“It will be the first time celebrating my birthday with the team, and I’m very excited. It means a lot to me, and I hope we will get a good result together on my birthday,” the soon-to-be 21-year-old said with a smile.

While enjoying a season of growth with the Sailors in 2024, Ayu acknowledged that she would not have been able to shine on the pitch without the support of her teammates.

“I wouldn’t call myself a key midfielder, because everyone in the team plays an important role,” Ayu explained. “Controlling the tempo of the game wouldn’t be possible without the support of my teammates. Through the bond we’ve built and the chemistry we’ve developed, we aim to work together to manage the flow of the game this weekend.”

Despite the Sailors’ crucial win over title rivals Albirex last weekend, the victory was far from straightforward, with the reigning WPL champions needing to come from a goal down to secure all three points.

That is why Ayu is adamant that she and the Sailors must step up their performances against Balestier, with a particular focus on teamwork and chemistry.

“Our strength is our ability to read each other. We know who to pass the ball to, but we need to improve our midfield play and make better decisions on when to distribute the ball,” explained Ayu.

“We need to be switched on from the start and learn from the mistakes we made against Albirex. Teamwork is crucial, so everyone must be on the same page for us to take control of the game early on.”

Balestier, however, will be no pushovers. With newly appointed Head Coach Farhan Farook at the helm, the Tigresses boast a youthful squad with an average age of 19.5 years — an asset they are sure to leverage as they look to rebuild from the ground up this season.

“I think one of Balestier’s key threats is their youthful squad. They have several Under-16 and Under-19 national players with valuable experience who could pose a danger to us,” shared Sarah Zu’risqha, who started alongside Ayu last Saturday.

“We focused on refining our execution and consistency this week. After a tough start, the emphasis was on minimising mistakes, improving communication, and sharpening fundamentals on both ends of the field. There was also a strong push to increase intensity in training, ensuring the team brings more energy and discipline into this weekend’s game.”

Both Ayu and Sarah also emphasised the importance of confidence and composure as they prepare to face a determined Balestier side this weekend. However, as with all challenges, the Sailors remain steadfast in taking it one step at a time.

“The key things we need to focus on in this weekend’s game are playing with more confidence, improving communication, and securing a strong goal difference,” shared Sarah.

Ayu highlighted the importance of striking the right balance between confidence and discipline, as she explained, “This year will be different, as everyone in the WPL has stepped up, and we can’t afford to be complacent.

“Balestier remains a strong team in their own way, so we must stay focused and motivated in every match, regardless of the opponent. We constantly remind each other to take it one game at a time and give 100% in every training session to maintain our sharpness and intensity.”