Sometimes, football has a way of reminding us about the fragility of life, and we are still grieving over the sudden departure of our fellow Crew Jasper. In Myanmar, footballers may end up in the Resistance and sacrificed their lives for a better tomorrow, or give up their careers and escape overseas to avoid persecution.
Meanwhile, some of their finest talents remain in imposed self exile from the national team due to a complex series of factors. It is an irony that Machida Zelvia’s reserve goalkeeper, Kaung Zan Mara, who is the first Burmese (and refugee) to win the Emperor’s Cup and feature in the ACL Elite as a J1 League player, will never earn a cap for the Myanmar national team because his family fled the country due to persecution (nor will he deign to, given how Japan gave his stateless family a home and recognition).
Thankfully the Sailors don’t have to head over to the other side in Myanmar to play their Shopee Cup fixture in Yangon under surreal conditions. Football remains one of the few functioning institutions of an otherwise messed up country, one that is safe enough to host Danelle Tan and her Tokyo Verdy team mates and geopolitical rivals Naegohyang and Suwon FC in the AWCL (where the neutral host format offered the least bad option that sidestepped delicate diplomatic powder kegs within regional rivals).
That said, here is a brief history of our opponents and a quick lowdown of our opponents:
History
Shan United was first founded in 2003 as Kanbawza, and was for a time managed by former Singapore NT manager PN Sivaji. By 2017 it was a rising force in Myanmar football, with some creditable performances in the Asian stage including appearances in the (old) AFC Cup and last season’s AFC Challenge League in the quarter finals.
Currently their title defence seems to be on track after a slow start and losing all their matches in the Challenge League this season.
Players Worth Watching
Jordan Hamilton’s proven pedigree in three continents (the MLS in his native Canada with Toronto FC, Ireland with Sligo Rovers and now Myanmar) makes him the highest profile player to play in the local league since former Premier League star Caleb Folan signed for Kanbawza during the previous decade. The former Canadian international with 2 caps is naturally the focal point of the attack. Ghanaian midfielder Mark Sekyi adds some physicality in the engine room, having seen action in continental competition both in the Challenge League and Shopee Cup.
Previous coach Hiroki Ono’s Japanese connections have also borne fruit with Yuki Aizu (DF), Ryuji Hirota (MF) and Efrain Rintaro (FW) occupying key positions in their continental exploits. The dual Brazilian-Japanese Efrain also helps to add coherence to the Brazilian flair that Mauricio and Matheus Souza provides for the team, with the latter scoring goals against Dewa United in the Challenge League. Matheus and Ryuji also spent a good number of seasons in the region, and their experience might come in handy for a rather limited team.
Unsurprisingly Shan United also forms the backbone of the Myanmar national team, with Nanda Kyaw, Hein Phyo Win and Ye Min Thu being regulars for club and country in defence. Kyaw Zin Phyo has been favoured over the equally Phae Phyo Aung in goal while young midfielders Ye Yint Aung and Khun Kyaw Zin Hein rotate amongst themselves in the squad. Conversely, Hlaing Bo Bo provides experience in the middle of the park.
Conclusion
It’s our first game back at Jalan Besar this season, and the team will be banking on our good continental form at JBS to hopefully seal the first win of the Shopee Cup campaign (as Coach Rankovic said in the press conference: “Bishan is not a real football stadium”).
It’s good to be home.
SFT Score predictions
Chin Heng – 4-0
Ernest – 4-1
Bryan –
Reuben – 4-1
Joseph Chin – 4-1
Joseph Jireh –
Phelan – 5-0
Anatolii –
Written by Joseph Chin
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