All seven of Sailors' goals across the two legs were scored by Maxime Lestienne, Bart Ramselaar and Shawal Anuar, driving The Sailors to the quarter finals
The Lion City Sailors have been blazing trails in Singapore football wherever they go, and it was no different last night. History makers once again, The Sailors became the first Singaporean team to progress to the quarter finals of the Asian Champions League (ACL) Two after a resounding 4-0 win against Muangthong United.
Not only that, but the Boys in Blue are the only Southeast Asian side left in the competition after Bangkok United, Port City, Nam Dinh and Muangthong's exits in the round of 16.
Thursday night's victory at Jalan Besar Stadium secured a 7-2 aggregate triumph, following the Sailors' 3-2 away win at Thunder Dome Stadium in the first leg.
With Muangthong—based in Northern Bangkok—being one of Thailand's most popular clubs and who currently sit in third place in one of Southeast Asia's most competitive leagues, it was set to be an intense clash.
While The Sailors requiring a draw to progress, Muangthong needed at least two goals. Living up to expectations, the clash was not without grit and frustration. The two teams amassed 20 fouls all together and two yellow cards each, some of which were awarded by a rushed referee trying to keep control of tempered players.
And it only took 15 seconds for the first foul to occur.
In a desperate attempt to deny Shawal from reaching a loose ball, Muanghthong goalkeeper Kittipong Phoothawchuek clashed into the onrushing forward. Calls for a red from the home fans were ignored, and it was Maxime Lestienne who stepped up to the spot to calmly slot the ball in for Sailors' first of the night.
Whether it was nerves or a lack of rhythm due to the early disruption, Muangthong never gained control of the game, leaving Izwan Mahbud with little to do aside from one or two routine saves. With lethal touches on the ball and each having an opportune shot on goal, both Diogo Costa and Bart Ramselaar were creating trouble for the Thai side.
Just before the whistle blew for the break, Lestienne's pinpoint lob over almost everyone on the pitch found Shawal. Spotting Ramselaar on his right, the Singaporean forward found his Dutch teammate, and squared it to the latter to finish.
A 55th minute corner then provided the best chance for the visitors, as The Sailors struggled to clear the ball away from the net. The scramble between the two sides eventually led to Izwan collecting the ball safely.
With that, all hope was eventually lost for Muanghthong as Shawal netted his first of the night. The forward latched onto a perfectly weighted ball over the top by Hariss Harun, and chipped the ball cleanly over Kittipong to make it 3-0.
In the 88th minute, Shawal—sealing his brace—then made it four to stamp their tickets to the quarter finals. It was substitute Lennart Thy who forced a save from Kittipong with a powerful strike. Shawal, showcasing his experience as a seasoned forward, was in the right place at the right time to latch onto the rebound and drive the ball home.
Having already put up performances against top sides in different regional competitions this year, The Sailors will face their biggest test yet for the ACL two quarter finals. They will battle against three-time J1 League champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima, played over two legs on 5th and 12th March.
Here are more highlights from the 4-0 win against Muangthong United.
Signed on loan from Primeira Liga side FC Famalicão in January 2025, Portuguese left-back Diogo Costa was a driving force in the attacks against Muangthong.
Paired to face against captain, Tristan Do, the aggressive and speedy wing-back showed no fear and was successful in in his attempts to frustrate both the visiting players and fans, sat on the Gallery Stand close to the defender.
Kittipong Phoothawchuek looks over to Maximme Lestienne as confusion ensues in the 15th second, after the goalkeeper makes a hasty decision to run into Shawal Anuar and force a penalty.
Toni Datkovic plays a ball over the top for Bart Ramselaar. Muanghthong's Korean defender Hong Jeong Un spots the danger and rushes to battle for the ball.
Bart Ramselaar misses a chance on goal in the first half as his powerful, driving shot from the left flank narrowly goes over the bar.
Shawal Anuar and Tristan Do are locked in an aerial battle in a dangerous position.
Tempers flare as Diogo Costa goes down again after clashing with Tristan Do.
Muangthong United's fans, who were in full voice, show support to their team at the end of the game as the players made their way over.
The Sailors celebrate with the fans as they successfully defied all odds to make history in the ACL Two.
Криптовалюта в наше время стала неотъемлемым компонентом всех сфер деятельности, уже было столько сказано и сделано в ее развитии, что даже удивляешься, как крипта еще не стала официальной мировой валютой. Вместе с этим, я считаю, что нужно всегда просматривать и читать новости, которые касаются криптовалют. Именно поэтому, я начал использовать новостной портал Delo.ua, который предоставляет всю необходимую информацию о крипте, благодаря его работе, я больше узнал о Ethereum https://delo.ua/ru/tags/ethereum/, который является вторым по стоимости после биткоина, и вообще является важной частью всего крипто рынка. В общем, я очень рад, что могу спокойно и без всяких нюансов узнать больше об Ethereum и обо всех новостях связанных с ним, это на сегодняшний день очень круто и актуально.