Singapore Premier League champions Lion City Sailors FC return to the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ for a third season in a row on Thursday, hoping that a positive start to their campaign can kick-start a push for a place in the knock-out rounds.
Mark Jackson’s side launch their Group B campaign against 2024/25 Shopee Cup™ runners-up Công An Hà Nội FC at Jalan Besar Stadium with the Englishman leading the club into the competition for the first time since joining from last season’s champions, Buriram United FC.
“Looking at the calibre of players we have, our goal is clear: to win every competition we can,” said Lion City Sailors full-back Nur Adam Abdullah.
“There’s no reason to believe we can’t do that. We want to build a winning mentality at the club, and that starts with doing well in the Shopee Cup™.
“We have a good coach on this journey with us. He has done well at his previous clubs and has plenty of experience in ASEAN tournaments, so I believe he can take us to the next level. The team feels very positive about working with him.”
Lion City Sailors are only three matches into their season, having won the Singapore Community Shield against Tampines Rovers FC before recording draws with Hougang United FC in the SPL and BG Pathum United FC in the AFC Champions League Two.
Công An Hà Nội travel to Singapore after making a positive start to their own domestic campaign, winning the Vietnam Super Cup against Ho Chi Minh City Police FC before recording three consecutive wins in V.League 1.
Their only negative result so far has come in the AFC Champions League Elite, which the team are playing in for the first time, when Mano Pölking’s side lost 4-1 to former continental champions Gamba Osaka from Japan.
Meanwhile, Johor Darul Ta’zim FC will welcome PKR Svay Rieng FC to Sultan Ibrahim Stadium with Xisco Muñoz’s outfit keen to pick up three points after drawing with the Cambodian champions in the group phase of last season’s competition.
That meeting in Phnom Penh ended in a 2-2 draw, but only after stoppage time goals from Shane Lowry and La’Vere Corbin-Ong denied Matt McConkey’s side a famous and well-deserved victory.
JDT, who advanced into the Shopee Cup™ semi-finals last season, have again been imperious domestically with five wins out of five in the Malaysia Super League plus a 1-1 draw with Buriram United in the AFC Champions League Elite while Svay Rieng sit in second place in the Cambodian Premier League.
McConkey’s side trail Visakha FC by two points after three matches as a result of their draw with ISI Dangkor Senchey FC prior to the just-completed international break.
Thailand’s Port FC, meanwhile, entertain Indonesian champions Persib Bandung at Thammasat Stadium as both teams make their debut appearance in the Shopee Cup™.
Port had made a positive start to their league season with two wins in a row but back-to-back losses against Vissel Kobe in the AFC Champions League Elite and Sukhothai FC in Thai League 1 will have coach Božidar Bandović hoping to reverse a downturn in form.
Persib have won two of their three opening games in defence of their Super League title under new coach Igor Tolić while also recording an impressive 1-0 win over South Korea’s FC Seoul in the AFC Champions League Two.
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