After a three-week break, the Lion City Sailors return to action with a pivotal Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Two clash against Indonesia Super League powerhouse Persib Bandung on Matchday Five.
Down, but not out
For the Sailors, the equation is simple – this is a do-or-die fixture. With back-to-back defeats to Bangkok United leaving their campaign on the ropes, they must beat the reigning Indonesian champions at Bishan Stadium to keep their hopes of reaching the next round alive.
Under ACL Two regulations, head-to-head results take priority over goal difference. So, as things stand, the Sailors must take maximum points from their final two matches, while hoping either Persib or Bangkok lose both of their remaining fixtures.
Any further dropped points would see the Sailors’ continental run come to an end.
The Sailors’ immediate task is to overcome a Persib side in formidable form. The Indonesian giants arrive in Singapore on the back of a seven-match winning run across all competitions, and remain unbeaten against the Sailors in three previous meetings.
Their last visit to Singapore came in November 2024 at the Jalan Besar Stadium, where they struck three times in the final 12 minutes to claim a 3-2 victory. Persib repeated that same feat in their recent ACL Two outing, as they came from two goals down to beat Selangor FC and move top of the group.
But despite their perfect away record so far, Persib Head Coach Bojan Hodak stressed caution ahead of the test at Bishan.
“Our confidence is high after winning the last seven games in a row. The team is getting better after each win, but the challenges are also getting tougher,” said the 54-year-old.
“The Sailors were finalists last year, so it will be a tough game. If we go into it with the mindset of settling for a draw, we’ll probably end up losing, so we’re going to try and win.”
A serial winner with 10 domestic top-flight titles across Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia, Hodak has steadied Persib after a shaky opening to the campaign.
The arrivals of versatile full-back Eliano Reijnders and Brazilian defender Júlio César have tightened Persib’s rearguard, which has kept five clean sheets in their last six matches and not conceded a domestic goal since September.
Further forward, new signing Andrew Jung has hit the ground running. The former Ligue 2 striker has scored in six consecutive matches, and most recently scored the winner in a crucial 1-0 league victory over Dewa United that kept Persib within reach of leaders Borneo FC.
While a draw tomorrow would be enough for captain Marc Klok and his side to reach the knockout stages of an AFC competition for the first time since 2015, the midfielder does not want to leave anything to chance, and insists his side will fight for all three points.
“We are not here for a draw tomorrow; our mindset is to go into every game wanting to win,” he said.
“The goal for Persib as a club isn’t just to qualify for the next round. We want to win the group. That has been our mission since the start of the tournament.”
Ready to give everything
The Sailors will look to build on the lift provided by Singapore’s historic Asian Cup qualification, which was secured with a 2-1 win over Hong Kong that featured five Sailors players in the starting XI.
Among them was midfielder Song Uiyoung, who previously spent half a season in Indonesia with Persebaya Surabaya. The 32-year-old knows Persib’s quality well, but believes the Sailors have what it takes to match them.
“The team has played against Persib a few times over the past two years, so we are familiar with their players and their strengths. All of us are well prepared for tomorrow,” said Song.
“We achieved a historic result for the Singapore national team last week, and I’m in a good mood and rhythm. I’m determined to perform and help the team get all three points.”
With a second successive knockout-stage qualification on the line, Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković is fully aware of the magnitude of the occasion.
“The one thing we’ve shown in this campaign is that the mentality in the team is strong. I don’t think we deserved to lose our previous two games based on the way we played, but luck has not been on our side this season, and that’s football,” said Ranko.
“Our task tomorrow is simple: it’s an important game that we have to win to stay in the competition. All of us are prepared to give everything to get the result we need.”
The Sailors fought to a hard-earned 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture on Matchday One, and Ranko remains confident that his side can do one better in front of their home fans.
“We’ve created a lot more chances than last season, but we’ve scored fewer goals, and that’s something we need to work on. If we can finish those chances, I think we can perform well in the competition,” he said.
“We carry the mindset to win into every game, and tomorrow will be no different — after all, it’s a must-win match for all of us.”
Key centre-back Bailey Wright will be suspended for this clash after accumulating three yellow cards, but the Sailors will be boosted by the return of captain Hariss Harun, who sat out the Sailors’ 2-1 home defeat to Bangkok three weeks ago.
Hariss’ leadership and experience will be invaluable for the Sailors, especially with a sizeable Persib following expected at Bishan Stadium on Wednesday evening. Song, however, believes the Sailors can rely on the home support to push them over the line in what promises to be an absorbing contest.
“The game tomorrow is very important, and I believe the fans are well aware of it,” said Song. “They have been giving us full support and motivating us in every game, and I’m confident it will be the same tomorrow.”
