Much, much improved from our previous games. In yesterday’s post (https://sailorfantalk.com/2022/11/04/albirex-match-preview-play-for-the-badge/), I asked for the players to show fight –
“That’s all we ask for – give us a performance that we can be proud of, so that whatever the result, we can feel that they’ve done their best.”
They certainly delivered. It was a much more gutsy performance, and right from the first whistle, it looked like it was only going to be a matter of time before the Sailors would open the scoring. Faris was leading the press up top with vigour, Anu was snapping into challenges even after receiving a harsh yellow. Hariss rolled back the years with a combative display in midfield. Bill Mahmadou was also switched on right from the start. Everyone put in the hard yards, and was not shy of making challenges to try to get the ball back for us.
And so it was pretty sad that the first goal went to Albirex. They had struggled in the first half to mount any meaningful attack, and then the ref gave them a soft freekick at the edge of our area. This was to be a theme all night as the inept referee repeatedly turned a blind eye to fouls by the Albirex players. Up stepped set-piece expert Idetsu, and he curled it into the near post, past Izwan. An undeserved lead, and it left us with a mountain to climb.
However, we didn’t seem that affected. The players still played the better football, but crucially couldn’t finish. Gabriel, Diego Lopes, Faris Ramli, all had great opportunities to get a goal but it didn’t happen until Hami Syahin’s switched pass was brought down by Maxime Lestienne, who then faked out the Albirex defence before passing it coolly into the bottom corner. 1-1, game on.
Except it wasn’t to be. As the Sailors pushed forward, gaps were left at the back, and Kodai Tanaka stepped up to kill the hopes off.
The Young Lions game was the problem
As stated above, I think the players were blameless this game. They gave it all they got. Where I think we lost it, was against Balestier Khalsa and the Young Lions, but especially the Young Lions game. No attacking urgency, sloppy in midfield and defence, we deserved nothing from that game. Unfortunately, those 2 games not being capitalised on have come back to bite us on our ass hard.
And sadly, across the 3 games, we deserve to go out.
It was thus our last game of the season. We will have tons of time to look into why the season finished the way it did, and what the Sailors should do for next season. For now, I think it’s fair to say that these standards fall way short of the standards needed to play for the Lion City Sailors. Good in the last game, but abysmal the two games before.
Till next time.
