Balikpapan: Borneo FC Samarinda of Indonesia began their inaugural ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ campaign with a 3-0 win against Singapore’s Lion City Sailors in Group B at Batakan Stadium on Thursday.
Leo Gaucho opened the scoring for Borneo in the third minute before his Brazilian compatriot Berguinho doubled their advantage in the 20th minute. Sailors were forced to play most of the second half with 10 men after a red card to Rui Pires, and Gaucho sealed the victory for Pieter Huistra's side with his second in the 80th minute.
The home side went straight into the lead following kick-off as Gaucho opened his Shopee Cup account by arriving unmarked at the far post and tapping in a corner from captain Stefano Lilipaly with only three minutes on the clock.
The Singaporeans thought they had found an instant reply but Song Ui-young’s goal was ruled out in the ninth minute for an offside. They continued to probe for an equaliser and were denied twice in quick succession in the 16th minute.
First, it was Borneo goalkeeper Nadeo Argawinata who made a good stop to keep out Toni Datkovic’s header from a corner, before the follow-up effort from Rui Pires rattled the post on its way out.
Four minutes later, Pires was at fault at the other end when Sailors conceded their second as the Portuguese midfielder’s fluffed clearance from a Kei Hirose cross fell for Berguinho, whose low drive creeped under goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud and made it 2-0 to the Liga 1 side.
Sailors striker Lennart Thy’s shot on the turn was met with a good save by Argawinata in the 26th minute before Ronaldo Rodrigues had a goal ruled out at the other end due to a follow on Song in the build-up.
Thy also had a goal disallowed for another offside in the 41st minute as the Sailors went into the break with a two-goal deficit.
Aleksandar Rankovic’s troubles were compounded when Pires was shown the red card for a foul on Berguinho in the 52nd minute, leaving Sailors with 10 men on the field for the lion share of the second period.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, it was the visitors who threatened next as Bart Ramselaar produced a powerful strike from inside the box with Borneo custodian Argawinata once again keeping out the danger.
It was then Lilipaly’s turn to have a goal ruled out for offside in the 70th minute before Borneo added their third 10 minutes later after Gaucho dispossessed Sailors skipper Bailey Wright in the attacking third before a cheeky lob over goalkeeper Mahbud into the goal.
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