Lestienne Brace Saves Shaky Sailors in SPL Opener

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The Singapore Premier League (SPL) defending champions began their title defence with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Hougang United at Our Tampines Hub, though their shaky display left lingering questions.

The Sailors, beaten 4-1 by BG Tampines Rovers in the Community Shield and 3-1 by Johor Darul Ta’zim in the ASEAN Club Championship last Thursday, finally picked up their first victory of the season on Monday night (Aug 25).

But the manner of the win offered little reassurance for Aleksandar Rankovic’s side. Hougang had two goals chalked off for offside after VAR checks, while the absence of defensive stalwart Bailey Wright was evident until his late introduction in the 90th minute.

“We missed a big part of our defence, the central defender… I am also using Safuwan (Baharudin) somewhere that he might not feel comfortable with. Still, he does it the best that he can,” said Rankovic, who referred to Wright as the “heart” of his backline.

Despite a seven-match unbeaten run against Hougang (five wins, two draws), Rankovic admitted this clash was far tighter, with winger Maxime Lestienne popping up with a decisive brace to secure the win.

“This is the football we have to expect now with the league getting stronger… We saw it yesterday and the day before that.”

The three-week break before their Sep 14 away clash with Balestier Khalsa will be a timely boost as Rankovic looks to bring the Australian defender back to full match fitness.

“We still have three weeks to prepare him for the next match and for the AFC Champions League Two.”

“He’s a key player and in defence, he keeps everything tight, talks a lot. Here and there, we have some problems, but I am happy that we won. The first win of the season is always important,” said Rankovic.

His counterpart, Robert Eziakor, also cut a frustrated figure, with the Cheetahs unlucky not to salvage a point.

“I’m okay with the possession-based football. At the beginning, we were a bit nervous, and that’s what got us punished. The same thing happened in the second half. We lost a bit of concentration. Overall, we had very good control of the game… but we can improve in some of the sloppy passes,” Eziakor said.

Speaking about his side’s sole goalscorer, Farhan Zulkifli, Eziakor said, “He had a very big role last season but didn’t start too much. This season, he gets to start… But he needs to pace himself and be able to be a consistent threat throughout 90 minutes.”

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The winger took his chance with a clinical finish in the 29th minute, showing good strength to keep the ball under control even under pressure from Safuwan.

“It’s good to contribute with a goal, but the bottom line is that we get a result. We deserve much more from the way we played,” the 22-year-old said.

With a combined seven goals last term for both Hougang and the Young Lions, Farhan is relishing the opportunity to establish himself as a starter.

“As you can see, there are changes in terms of the number of foreigners in the league. That pushes the league to a higher standard. At the same time, the locals also have to step up to fight for their places,” Farhan said. “This is our first time playing as a team in the league. From the way we played today, I believe we can bounce back and go for greater heights.”

Having taken on the No. 10 jersey, Farhan is aiming to replicate the influence and attacking output of Croatian winger Kristijan Krajcek, who netted 16 goals and provided 25 assists during his two-year stint with the Cheetahs.

“It comes with great responsibility. Kristijan Krajcek wore this number. For me, my goal is to play as much as I can and step up when I have the chance,” he said.

Farhan will have support on the opposite flank from Canadian Premier League winner Victor Blasco, who appeared frustrated with his performance after being substituted in the 78th minute.

“We could have done better. It’s a matter of emotions. When you are playing, your emotions are high. My standards are high as well. I want to do well,” said the Spaniard.

“I try to provide for the attack. Assists, goals, creating chances, and being difficult to play against… There won’t be many games like this where you have to follow the ball, shift a lot and worry about the other team,” Blasco said. “We are not happy. Seeing the game, we could have at least got one point, but we can take a lot of positives from this.”

Hougang next face Geylang International on Sep 19.