March 1, 2025

A crucial win for us in the title race, that puts us in a very commanding position in the table. 9 points ahead, with a game in hand and a very healthy goal difference advantage too. With only 8 games left to play for BG Tampines Rovers, the title race isn’t over, but it would take a monumental collapse from our Sailors to lose from here on out. Let’s dive right into some of the post-match thoughts, including some thoughts about the fan rivalry. Thank you Diogo and Izwan In the aftermath of the game, we were all swept up in Lionel-mania. Much-maligned Lionel finally deservedly got his flowers, but only really because of his goalscoring contribution in such a pivotal moment – in such a big game. Because of his seemingly awkward running style and occasional defensive errors, Lionel has consistently come in for unfair criticism from local football fans – sometimes even from Sailors fans. However, contributions from two other members of the backline ensured that the Lionel moment could even happen. The first half was largely a cagey affair, with both teams reluctant to over-commit. However, BG Tampines was first to create a clear goalscoring opportunity in the 36th minute. Glenn Kweh beat Hami down the left with good dribbling work and laid it on a platter for Joel Chew (I think), but once Diogo sees that Joel is about to strike, he makes himself big and manages to block the shot. Great block, but we got away with it – on any other day this is a goal for BG Tampines. Then, they create their second goalscoring opportunity a minute after. Again, we got away with this thanks to a stunning save from Izwan. Made me think of his save in Saitama. If you’re a younger reader and are not familiar with what Izwan did 10 years ago against Japan in the Saitama Stadium, please go and watch the highlights. It was truly magical. But yes, a save from a header from point-blank range. BG Tampines will be kicking themselves that they hadn’t scored a goal despite creating these two brilliant chances. Sometimes in football, I think there is a tendency to fixate too much on the result. I know also that we tend to joke about coaches like Gavin Lee or Mikel Arteta who repeatedly say “trust the process” – but you look at how games sometimes turn on fine margins like that, and you wonder – this could easily have been a win for BG Tampines, and then the title picture looks a bit different, perception of Gavin Lee looks a bit different. It’s also why I encourage myself and other supporters to not over-react sometimes, whether it be a positive or a negative result. It may sound a bit stupid to say this, but the first time we played BG Tampines at Bishan Stadium this year, they didn’t really create a chance till just before half-time too, and then they scored every shot on target they had. Who knows what might have happened had they scored first here? Unsurprisingly, it is BG Tampines that created more xG in a match that didn’t see too many chances given up by either team. It could have been a very different game had BG Tampines taken either one of their two chances, so we have Diogo and Izwan to thank for getting here. Here’s hoping Izwan’s save is some sort of positive omen ahead of Wednesday night’s game against Sanfrecce Hiroshima. We’ll definitely need him to turn in a goalkeeping masterclass on Japanese soil again. Lionel Messi or Lionel Tan The goal was wonderful. Composure, skill, the finish – every bit of it was wonderful. Never mind Lionel, if any striker in the world scored that goal, we’d still call it a great goal. At this point, with the ball in the air, and with Fox about to get rid, Lionel brings the ball down from mid-air with his left foot, and without having to readjust himself, sets it up perfectly for him to hit the ball in with his right foot. Just brilliant, and the celebrations after really showed that he is a popular member of the team. Sometimes there are things you don’t see if you don’t come to the stadium for games, and there’s something that the team has done the past few games. Against Muangthong, when Shawal put in a great performance, at the post-match celebrations the players insisted that he get his deserved plaudits from the crowd, by pushing him in front of everyone, closer to the fans. They did this again, this time for Lionel. I think the team spirit right now is very healthy, and long may it continue. Sometimes in the past, it may have felt that the post-match celebrations with the fans was a bit of a formality, but I think the players really do appreciate the fans abit more now. Something about experiencing the euphoria and adversity together both in foreign lands and at home has tightened the bond, and I think it shows. Fan Rivalry Pre-game, a post from the Yellow Knights sparked a bit of debate amongst Sailors fans. At first glance, it’s just banter. “Shopee FC”, for example, makes fun of our Sailors in a light-hearted way, indicating that we’re a money-backed team that has more resources than the rest of the league. “The Franchise” – another example of painting this image of our Sailors being a team that is swimming in cash. I remember looking at this post, and immediately thinking it wasn’t very nice. It went beyond the usual banter. Now, before I carry on, I want to stress that I respect what The Yellow Knights have done for BG Tampines Rovers, and in the wider sense, Singapore football. However, I think we should be careful about the things we say and the things we write, and what kind of emotions they might stir up. Here’s a few thoughts I