Photo Credit – Lion City Sailors
Well that was grim. LCS were behind for more than 90 minutes and never looked like getting back into the game at any point. Pre-match expectations were much more positive, with a thrashing of the Stags a common theme in our SailorFanTalk prediction league.
Much was made of Sailors’ new signings, and they featured prominently in this game. Tampines’ squad arguably underwent a greater revamp, with 5 new faces in the starting 11 and a debut off the bench. It also marked the start of Akbar Nawas’ second stint, under the stewardship of new Chairman Shungo Sakamoto.
Many of The Crew (and SailorFanTalk contributors) expected continuity at the back, with the probable inclusion of Safuwan Baharudin as 1 of 3 centre backs. Instead, fan favourite Bailey Wright had to sit out of the game due to a knock from pre-season. Akram Azman was also given an opportunity from the start, and that made up a new look defence along with a debut for the 6’ 8” Ivan Sušak. Further up the field Anderson Lopes was preferred, with the prolific Maxime Lestienne and Bart Ramselaar providing width.
Slow Start – And We Never Got Going
The Sailors were coming off the back of a sensational season, with fast starts becoming something of a trademark in our historic ACL Two campaign. Shawal’s goal after 18 seconds at the Thunderdome will live long in the memory.
On Saturday though, we were victims of a similar setback within 2 minutes, with Trent Buhagiar racing through on goal after a perfectly weighted pass from Koya Kazama. The earlier concession of possession was comical to say the least, with Lionel Tan lifting the ball into the chest of an unexpecting Rui Pires. Our No.5 was then beaten for pace by Tampines’ new No.12 who calmly placed his shot past a stranded Sušak.
Captain Hariss Harun echoed the sentiment post match, acknowledging the team were not ready from the first minute. No matter, there was still plenty of time to right our wrongs.
This proved to be difficult against a new-look Tampines that employed a more direct approach than what was prevalent in Gavin-ball. Indeed, LCS dominated in the stats department, winning on xG (1.94 to 1.66), recording 20 shots to their 9, significantly more possession and passes. This was an entirely different ball game to the contests we had last season. However, Tampines were more efficient with their chances and deserved the result.
This new tactical identity was on show again for their second goal, with a cross field pass from deep eliminating the entire defensive line, resulting in Trent ghosting behind Akram and finishing in the same bottom corner. It has to be questioned how Seiga Sumi was given so much time on the ball to pick his pass. We knew of Trent’s pace but could not deal with him all night.
Ironically, I had this to say in the SPL Preview.
A new squad did struggle to perform right out the blocks, unfortunately it was the team in white. Those comments have come back to haunt us, with the eventual MOTM Trent Buhagiar proving to be a major nuisance. The signings from the Japanese football ecosystem played their part too, racking up goal involvements left right and centre.
A Way Back Into The Game?
LCS went into the break 2-0 down. How does that saying go? 2-0 is a dangerous scoreline. We sensed an opportunity to make changes, and we brought on Hariss and Hami Syahin to shore up the defence. As alluded to before, Tampines are a different entity this season and were happy to frustrate the home side. Shoutout to all the fans who were unperturbed, continuing to cheer on the boys in white.
Tsiy Ndenge was then given his debut on the 60th minute, and he provided dynamism and industry into the midfield. It was his graft that provided an assist for Lennart Thy, our domestic top scorer for last season who also came on to make an impact. Tsiy muscled the ball off Jacob Mahler in a battle of the No.6s, before setting up Thy in a dangerous position. Tsiy’s cameo was really encouraging and with time he will feature more prominently in a winning Sailors team.
Unfortunately, this came after conceding from an inch perfect freekick – Koya Kazama again. It was a deflating moment to go 3 goals down against our rivals. When 12 minutes of added time was announced an air of expectation filled the stands. Though that quickly came crashing down again within 2 minutes. This time, Trent turned provider and released Hide Higashikawa to run through on goal with Toni Datkovic in his wake. Susǎk came off his line but was left stranded again. 1 – 4 Game Over.
Post-Game Reactions
I would like to dedicate this section to talk about the negative knee-jerk reactions online. It is expected that a loss against our big rivals and nearest challengers would be disappointing to fans. However, to individualise mistakes and call for radical change is not helpful, especially for those with a bigger platform and respected opinions. Here at SailorFanTalk, we are constantly reminded of our privilege and opportunity to share our thoughts with fellow LCS fans. Presenting our opinions in a tactful manner (other than an obvious bias against other teams) contributes to footballing conversations constructively. Here’s a friendly reminder to be more mindful with our comments online – players and coaches are human after all.
Looking at the positives, it was the first chance for fans to see our new signings in action. Conceding 4 goals would have been a baptism of fire for Susǎk, and I’m sure he will want to improve in the upcoming games. Having started in the curtain raiser, it might suggest we will see him in goal for the foreseeable future as well. Lest we forget, this is a keeper who was named in the SuperSport HNL’s Team of the Season. There is undeniable quality in his gloves, and we should be confident of better days to come.
A new signing that might have gone under the radar was quietly the most impressive. Safuwan Baharudin is a familiar face for fans of the National Team, but has not played in our local league for over a decade. On his competitive debut, he looked assured in the backline despite the scoreline. When Bailey is back, I expect the ex-Selangor captain to keep his place and play alongside his Australian and Croatian counterparts.
Having waxed lyrical about Tsiy Ndenge, let’s talk about our marquee signing Anderson Lopes. He played the full 90, which was unsurprising considering it is mid-season in Japan. Through not much fault of his own, he was largely ineffective in this game. We attempted 42 crosses but only 26% found its target. Coupled with Tampines’ setup and the artificial pitch, it was hard to envision a scoring start for our Brazilian. Before we press the panic button, I implore everyone to remember the bedding-in period last season for our foreigners. Lennart admitted he needed to adjust his game after initial struggles in Singapore, and he ended the campaign as our top scorer. We have the 2 (arguably 3 with the evergreen Shawal Anuar) best strikers in the league, Anderson will come good.
The Only Way From Here Is Up
Cliché, but it’s true. We suffered two 5-0 defeats early last season against CAHN and Tampines which were arguably worse performances. Despite derailing our Shopee Cup campaign, we recovered well in the league and other competitions. With a majority of the title winning squad still playing, supplemented by the incomings that have shown signs of promise, there is still much to be excited about.
Coach Rankovic surprisingly suggested more signings from the board, and it remains to be seen if anything materialises or was simply a comment to deflect from the result. Personally, I do not believe a lack of depth was the reason for the unsatisfactory performance. Perhaps it is an indication of the quality of foreigners other sides have brought in as well, with Tampines looking transformed with 7 of them on the pitch. Either way, the standard of play seems to be improving in the league and I commend FAS for the changes implemented.
We look forward to our next game against the mighty Johor Darul Ta’zim at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium. That is a much tougher game against a regional giant in a competition we want to win. Will the ACL2 finalists show up? We’ll find out on Thursday.
Written by Ernest
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