The Lion City Sailors took a huge step towards the Singapore Cup final with a resounding 4-1 first-leg win over Balestier Khalsa at the Bishan Stadium on Sunday (14 December) night.
Goals from Bailey Wright, Lennart Thy and Shawal Anuar – all created by the irrepressible Maxime Lestienne – along with a close-range finish from Anderson Lopes helped the Sailors overturn an early setback and placed them on the verge of a third consecutive Cup final appearance.
Speaking after the game, Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković hailed his side’s character, especially after a demanding midweek trip to Selangor.
“We didn’t start the way we wanted, and perhaps that goal from Balestier served as a wake-up call for us,” said Ranko.
“But the whole team stepped up a gear in the second half, and it was only a matter of time before the goals came. We know the job is only half done, and we’ll approach the second leg with the same mindset.”
The match was played in sombre circumstances following the recent passing of Sailors superfan Tan Shi Cong Jasper. A minute of silence was observed before kick-off, and the team held up a jersey bearing his name in tribute.
In the 17th minute, The Crew led a minute of applause – a gesture tied to Jasper’s favourite number – in a moment that clearly resonated with the players.
“This game carried added importance with the sad news of Jasper’s passing,” said captain Bailey Wright. “We wanted to get the win for him, knowing how much he meant not only to the club and the fans, but to the wider football community.”
Despite the Sailors dominating the early exchanges, it was the Tigers who drew first blood in the 12th minute, when Tin Matić picked out Bogdan Mandic, who guided the ball past Izwan Mahbud to give the hosts the lead.
Shawal nearly provided an immediate response four minutes later, as he rose highest to meet a Toni Datković cross, but Mario Mustapić reacted sharply to push his header aside.
But the Sailors finally equalised in the 29th minute through Bailey, who powered home a header from Maxime’s inswinging corner for his third goal of the season.
Maxime’s influence grew as the half progressed, and eight minutes later, he pounced on a loose ball after Anderson’s initial effort was saved and squared it to Lennart, who produced a trademark swivel before rifling the Sailors into the lead.
While it began to rain after the break, the slippery pitch did little to dampen the Sailors’ momentum and they duly scored a third in the 48th minute.
A stunning team move saw Anderson producing a clever no-look pass into space for Maxime, who raced through before unselfishly teeing up Shawal to tap home for a goal on his 100th appearance for the Sailors.
Meanwhile, by laying on the first three goals of the night for the Sailors, Maxime has now reached 96 assists in just 129 appearances for the club. The Belgian has another two matches to possibly add to that tally before he departs the club later this month.
The reigning Cup champions then extended their lead in the 57th minute through Anderson, who met a Christopher van Huizen cross in the box and steered the ball home from close range.
The Sailors were firmly in the ascendancy and almost added a fifth, but Lennart’s curled effort into the bottom corner was ruled out for a foul in the build-up.
Undeterred, they continued to press for another goal, with Shawal going close in the 71st minute before Anderson forced another sharp save from Mustapić, as Ranko’s charges saw out the match in complete control.
“We now have a good lead going into the second leg, but it could have been better as we were a little slow in the first half,” said Lennart, who was named man-of-the-match. “In the second half, we improved significantly, didn’t give away any chances, and could even have scored more.”
A pivotal week now awaits the Sailors, who have just a couple of days to prepare for their 2025/26 ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup clash against Shan United on Wednesday (17 December), before returning to Singapore Cup action in Saturday’s second leg against Balestier.
The winners of the tie will advance to the Cup final on 10 January, where either BG Tampines Rovers or Albirex Niigata (S) await, with the former currently holding a 4-0 lead in the other semi-final.
With a demanding stretch of fixtures ahead, Lennart urged his teammates to stay calm and take things game by game.
“We have a few important games coming up, but we’re taking things one step at a time. Our full focus is now on the Shopee Cup this Wednesday, and then we’ll turn our attention back to Balestier.”
