Lion City Sailors make a history edge semi-finalist after tied Sanfrecce Hiroshima scoring 1-1 in the AFC Champions League Two 2024/25 Quarter-Final second leg at Jalan Besar Stadium, Kallang.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima asserted dominance early, controlling possession while Lion City suffered an early setback when Maxime Lestienne was stretchered off following a collision with Sho Sasaki. In-form striker Shawal Anuar, who had already scored seven goals in the tournament, was brought on as his replacement.
Despite the early blow, Lion City created the first real chance, with Lennart Thy’s header narrowly missing the target.
The German forward made amends in the 20th minute, capitalizing on Shawal’s brilliant footwork before surging forward and slotting the ball past Keisuke Osako to give the home side the lead.
The Japanese side responded swiftly, nearly equalizing in the 28th minute when Shuto Nakano’s powerful strike was punched away by Izwan Mahbud.
Six minutes later, Yotaro Nakajima stepped up for Sanfrecce, curling a sublime free-kick over the defensive wall and beyond a rooted Mahbud into the bottom-left corner.
With the momentum shifting, Mutsuki Kato led Sanfrecce’s relentless attack, forcing multiple blocks from Lion City’s defense. His overhead kick in the 43rd minute was also expertly saved by Mahbud, ensuring both sides went into halftime level at 1-1.
Second-Half Drama & Lion City’s Defensive Heroics
The tide turned in Lion City’s favor just six minutes after the restart when Ryo Germain received a red card for striking Bailey Wright, reducing Sanfrecce to 10 men.
Despite the setback, Sanfrecce continued to press forward, with Kato and Nakajima spearheading the attack. Kato squandered a golden opportunity in the 82nd minute, mistiming his shot with only Mahbud to beat.
Naoto Arai came agonizingly close to a late winner, rattling the right post in the 89th minute, but Lion City’s resilient defense held firm, sealing a historic semi-final berth.
With this result, Lion City Sailors become the first Singaporean club to reach the AFC Champions League Two semi-finals.
Credit Photo : AFC
