Lion City Sailors become first S’pore club to beat A-league team on Australian soil, netizens’ reactions mixed

Sailors make history with 2-0 win in Australia

On Thursday (29 Oct), the Lion City Sailors secured a landmark 2-0 victory against Adelaide United in the AFC Champions League Two.

With this result, they became the first Singapore club to win a competitive match in Australia.

The win also pushed the Sailors to the top of Group F in Asia’s second-tier continental club football competition.

The Sailors fired 16 shots in a dominant first half, with Hugo Gomes and Ilhan Fandi both hitting the woodwork.

Their breakthrough came in the 80th minute after Hugo capitalised on a goalkeeping error to tap in the opener.

Adelaide nearly equalised in stoppage time, but defender Bailey Wright pulled off a spectacular goal-line clearance, paving the way for Lennart Thy to seal the 2–0 win on the counter.

Coach & players praise team’s grit

Head coach Mark Jackson praised his squad for executing the game plan with discipline and patience.

“To win in this competition away from home is a big achievement,” Jackson said.

Goalscorer Hugo Gomes highlighted the team’s defensive focus, calling Bailey Wright’s late goal-line clearance as crucial as his own strike.

“We had many chances to score, but it was important to keep the clean sheet,” Hugo added.

The Sailors will host Adelaide United at Jalan Besar Stadium on 5 Nov for the return leg.

Netizens praise Sailors but some still nitpicking

Sailors fans were largely full of praise for the team online.

One comment expressing pride in a Singaporean football club making such an achievement echoed these sentiments.

Despite the momentous win, the comments section was marred by substantial negativity.

Some downplayed the win, claiming it was due to the Sailors’ heavy investment in foreign players.

One commenter said to stop wayang (colloquial Malay for putting on a show).

They even questioned the extent to which midfielder Kyoga Nakamura, who naturalised as a Singapore citizen in 2024, having been born in Japan, should be considered a local player.

Others also took note of the disproportionately foreign starting lineup. However, their concern was more about whether the Singaporean players on the team were getting sufficient minutes on the pitch.

The Sailors had brought in multiple Singapore National Team mainstays in the most recent transfer window, including right-back Ryhan Stewart, winger Glenn Kweh, and forward Ilhan Fandi.

There were also commenters who provided a more measured response about the number of foreign players on the team.

One netizen saw it as an opportunity for Singaporean players to push themselves and bring up their level.

Also read: S’pore football fans criticise national team after 6-0 loss to M’sia, others defend it

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Featured image adapted from Lion City Sailors FC website.