Lion City Sailors Reach Historic AFC Champions League Final

The Lion City Sailors made history by becoming the first Singaporean club to reach the final of an Asian Football Confederation competition, advancing on a 2-1 aggregate despite a 1-0 loss to Sydney FC in the AFC Champions League Two semi-final second leg. After winning the first leg 2-0, the Sailors withstood heavy pressure in Sydney, with goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud making several crucial saves and two Sydney goals being disallowed for offside. Joe Lolley finally scored for Sydney in the 85th minute, but it was not enough to overturn the aggregate deficit. The Sailors’ resilient defense and timely counterattacks were key in frustrating their higher-ranked Australian opponents. Lion City will now face Sharjah FC of the United Arab Emirates in the final scheduled for May 18. This achievement marks a significant milestone for Singaporean football on the continental stage.