Sailors Braced For Buriram Battle
Lion City Sailors are gearing up for arguably their sternest test of the season as they prepare to host Thai giants Buriram United in a crucial ASEAN Club Championship encounter at Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday night.
Fresh off the back of consecutive victories in the Singapore Premier League, the Sailors enter this regional clash with the wind in their sails. However, head coach Aleksandar Rankovic is under no illusions about the magnitude of the challenge that awaits.
For me, personally, I think they’re the best team in Southeast Asia. They’re dominating their [domestic] competition. They’re also doing very well in the Champions League.
Aleksandar Rankovic, Lion City Sailors head coach
Buriram are currently setting the pace in the Thai League 1, holding an eight-point lead at the summit. The Thunder Castle have been in ominous form, recording 8-0 and 9-0 victories in their last two domestic outings.
Ranković Relishing The Challenge
Despite acknowledging Buriram’s lofty status, Rankovic believes his charges have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with the Thai powerhouse, drawing confidence from their displays in the AFC Champions League.
- Sailors impressed in the AFC Champions League, beating Chinese and Thai opposition
- Rankovic feels those teams were just below Buriram’s level
We’ve proved, in the last one-and-a-half years since I’ve been here, that we’re up for the challenge… It will definitely be a great test for us but we’re in a good state from the last couple of matches.
Aleksandar Rankovic, Lion City Sailors head coach
Van Huizen: Singapore Football On The Rise
Sailors defender Christopher van Huizen, part of the Singapore side that reached the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup semifinals in December, echoed his coach’s sentiments and feels Singaporean football is closing the gap on regional powerhouses like Thailand.
I think this is a very big challenge for us… Winning the past few games has given us good morale and a good boost, so we’re just looking forward to this game.
Christopher van Huizen, Lion City Sailors defender
Van Huizen added: “I think we [Singaporean football] are also doing very well. They [Thai football] are of course on top. We just need to focus more on ourselves and what we’re able to do.”
All To Play For At Jalan Besar
The Sailors know a victory on Thursday would put them in a strong position to advance from a tricky ASEAN Club Championship group that also contains Kuala Lumpur City. With Buriram the undoubted favorites, Rankovic’s men will be determined to make home advantage count under the Jalan Besar floodlights.
In what promises to be a captivating clash between two of the region’s finest, the Sailors have a golden opportunity to make a statement against Southeast Asia’s preeminent force. If they can rise to the occasion, it could be a night to remember for Singapore football.
