19/05/2025
The Lion City Sailors' fairytale run in the AFC Champions League Two ended with a 2-1 loss to Sharjah at Bishan Stadium, Singapore
Full Time: 🇸🇬 Lion City Sailors 1-2 Sharjah 🇦🇪
SINGAPORE: The Lion City Sailors’ incredible run ended in heartbreak on Sunday (May 18), losing 2-1 to Sharjah from the UAE in the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) final.
Sharjah’s Marcus Meloni scored a dramatic winner in the seventh minute of stoppage time at a full house in Bishan Stadium. That goal crushed the Sailors' dream of becoming the first local club to win a continental title.
Earlier, Sharjah took the lead in the 74th minute thanks to Firas Ben Larbi. The Sailors fought back hard, with Maxime Lestienne scoring an equalizer right at the start of stoppage time.
The Sailors had already beaten some big teams like Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Australia’s Sydney FC to reach this stage.
They just won the Singapore Premier League on Saturday and still have a chance to win the Singapore Cup, with a semi-final match against Brunei DPMM coming up.
Sharjah, who are second in their UAE league, earned their spot in the final by beating Saudi Arabia’s Al-Taawoun 2-1 on aggregate.
The match saw some early close calls. Sharjah's Caio Lucas had a goal ruled offside, and the Sailors almost scored through Bart Ramselaar. Caio was a constant threat, but Sailors’ defenders kept blocking his attempts.
Diogo Costa came closest for the Sailors in the first half, hitting the post with a powerful shot.
After halftime, Sharjah pushed harder. Caio Lucas smashed a shot just wide, and Ben Larbi scored in the 74th minute, putting Sharjah ahead.
The Sailors didn’t give up. They pressed hard and Lestienne’s equalizer sent the crowd into a frenzy, making it look like the game could go to extra time.
But then, in a cruel twist, Meloni scored the winner for Sharjah, curling the ball into the net and silencing most of the stadium—except the small group of Sharjah fans who erupted in celebration.
After the game, Sailors’ coach Aleksandar Rankovic praised his team’s effort. "Our guys fought hard, especially after going down 1-0. It’s tough to concede such a late goal, but I’m incredibly proud of them."
Before the final, Sharjah had criticized the choice of venue, saying Jalan Besar Stadium didn’t meet their expectations. The final was moved to Bishan Stadium, which was upgraded with new stands to hold around 10,000 fans.
The Sailors’ path to the final was impressive. They beat Sydney FC 2-1 over two matches and crushed Sanfrecce Hiroshima 4-1 on aggregate—after a strange twist where the Japanese team was penalized for fielding a suspended player.
This was the first time since 2018 that a Singapore team reached the knockout stages of an AFC club competition.
Rankovic summed it up: "The biggest lesson? Never stop dreaming. We were the underdogs every step of the way, but with belief and the right players, we proved we could go far."
It might not have ended the way they wanted, but the Sailors showed Singapore football still has big dreams and the heart to chase them.
💻📷RobbieOca 💻📷
