The Lion City Sailors will need to wait until their final group game in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Two to secure their place in the knockout rounds.
This comes after a 4-2 defeat to Zhejiang Professional in front of 12,836 spectators at the Yellow Dragon Sports Center on Thursday (28 Nov) night, where the Chinese side staged a remarkable comeback from two goals down to claim all three points.
Unfortunately, it was a repeat of the script from the Sailors’ previous game three weeks ago, where they also let a two-goal lead slip, as they fell to a 3-2 defeat against Persib Bandung at home.
But all is not lost for the Sailors. Thanks to their strong performances in the first three group games — two wins and a draw — they remain in control of their destiny as they prepare to host Port FC at the Jalan Besar Stadium in their final ACL Two group match next Thursday (5 December) night.
And that was exactly what Sailors head coach Aleksandar Ranković was keen to emphasise in the post-match press conference.
“The positive is that we are still in the tournament. We have one more game to go, and everything is still up for grabs, so we’re going to give it our all,” declared the Serb.
The Sailors started the game strongly and created their first good opportunity in the 14th minute when Toni Datković’s pass found Shawal Anuar after Zhejiang centre-back Yang Wang missed his interception, but goalkeeper Zhao Bo denied the Singapore international’s effort with a smart save with his legs.
At the other end of the pitch, the Sailors’ defence remained disciplined, with Zhejiang’s best opportunity coming on the half-hour mark through Gao Di’s rasping shot that clipped the top of the crossbar.
Just as it seemed the teams would head into the break level, Maxime Lestienne delivered a superb free-kick that Toni stretched to reach, prodding the ball past Zhao Bo to give the Sailors a 1-0 lead.
Reflecting on the Sailors’ first-half display, Ranko said, “I think we controlled the match in the first half. Of course, the opponents had much more ball possession, but we expected that. They are a very good team with a lot of quality players.”
In a bid to change things around, Zhejiang made a halftime substitution, bringing on Franko Andrijašević for Gao Di. It was a move that seemed to spark the home side into life, as they increased the tempo and pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
However, it was the Sailors who struck the next blow, doubling their lead in the 62nd minute when Song Uiyoung surged forward from midfield and unleashed a stunning long-range strike into the top corner.
The Singapore international had also scored from a similar range in the Sailors’ previous away match against Port in late October.
But just three minutes later, Zhejiang pulled a goal back with Andrijašević converting from the spot after Toni was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.
The equaliser came shortly after, in the 69th minute, when Zhejiang substitute Sun Zheng’ao bundled the ball over the line following a scramble in the Sailors’ box.
It was a goal that left Ranko disappointed. “After a 2-0 lead, that’s when you need composure and control of the ball,” he explained. “I think we lost possession in our defensive third far too often and couldn’t win any second balls. Fatigue also seemed to play a role.”
At this point, the Sailors found themselves under relentless pressure, with Izwan Mahbud’s outstanding point-blank save in the 82nd minute keeping the scores level.
However, just five minutes later, Izwan was left helpless when substitute Wang Yudong cut the ball back to the energetic Jean Evrard Kouassi, whose first-time strike flew into the net, sending the home fans into raptures.
The 18-year-old Wang then sealed the win for the Green Giants in the 94th minute, connecting with a Li Tixiang through ball to secure the Chinese side’s second victory of the competition.
Having seen his side squander a two-goal lead for the second consecutive match, Ranko acknowledged that it is an issue he and his staff need to address.
“I have a feeling of déjà vu. Some things have been repeating from the last two matches,” he admitted. “We also had a 2-0 lead in our previous game, but we couldn’t hold onto it. That’s something we definitely need to work on.”
With three of Zhejiang’s substitutes finding the net, Ranko highlighted the difference in squad depth between the two teams as a key factor in the game.
“Let’s be honest and look at Zhejiang’s squad, including the players they have on the bench,” said Ranko. “With all due respect, I have four players on my bench who are just 16 or 17 years old. That’s a significant difference.
“The positive thing is that we’ve shown we can compete against this level of opponent.”
A fiercely contested ACL Two Group F is now set for a dramatic conclusion after David da Silva’s 95th-minute header secured a 2-2 draw for Persib away against Port in the night’s late kickoff.
The Thai side, who have already qualified for the knockout rounds, will travel to Singapore to face the Sailors in the final group game, while Persib will host Zhejiang in the corresponding fixture.
With just two points separating Persib in fourth from the Sailors in second, Ranko remains confident that his team’s fate is firmly in their hands.
He said, “There’s no need for complicated calculations — we have to win that game, and it’s at our home ground. Maybe that gives us a little advantage, and that’s great.”
