Football: Lion City Sailors Make History, Advance to AFC Champions League Two Final
- John Yeong
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
The Sailors become the first Singapore club side to ever reach a continental competition final
Sydney, Australia, 17 April 2025 – Despite a narrow 1-0 defeat to Sydney FC in the second leg of their semi-final clash, Singapore’s Lion City Sailors Football Club have etched their name into footballing history by advancing to the final of the AFC Champions League Two.
Their place in the final was secured thanks to a stunning 2-0 victory in the first leg, giving them a 2-1 win on aggregate. The Sailors will now face Sharjah FC from the United Arab Emirates in the final, set for May 18. While Singapore will host the game, the final venue has yet to be confirmed.
The achievement marks a historic milestone: the Sailors are the first football club from Singapore to reach the final of a continental competition.
Sydney FC, who currently sit sixth in Australia’s top-flight A-League, dominated early proceedings in front of over 10,000 fans at the Allianz Stadium. They nearly took the lead in the 8th minute, with Anthony Caceres testing Sailors goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud.
A disallowed goal from Jordan Courtney-Perkins soon followed after VAR flagged teammate Adrian Segecic for offside.
Although Sydney pushed hard and eventually found the net through Joe Lolley’s sharp finish in the 85th minute, the Sailors managed to hold on in a tense final stretch.
“We knew we’d face heavy pressure. Once they scored, it was ‘code red,’ and the boys had to defend for their lives. They did a tremendous job,” said head coach Aleksandar Rankovic after the match. “What we’ve achieved is incredible.”
The Sailors showed flashes of attacking threat, particularly through Maxime Lestienne and Bart Ramselaar, but couldn’t convert their chances. Meanwhile, Izwan Mahbud stood firm in goal, making several crucial saves throughout the night.
Their road to the final has been nothing short of dramatic. In the quarter-finals, the Sailors were initially hammered 6-1 by Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima. However, the result was overturned after it was revealed that Hiroshima had fielded an ineligible player. The match was awarded as a 3-0 win to the Sailors, who then drew 1-1 in the second leg to move forward.
Formerly known as the AFC Cup, the AFC Champions League Two is Asia’s rebranded second-tier club tournament. The Sailors’ remarkable run marks the furthest any Singaporean side has gone since 2018, when they competed under their former name, Home United.
Now, with the final just a month away, the Sailors stand on the brink of continental glory. #LionCitySailorsFC #AllHandsOnDeck #ACL2
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