Al Taawoun football club of Saudi Arabia and Singapore's Lion City Sailors have etched their names in the record books by securing spots in the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League Two. Both teams overcame stiff challenges during tightly contested matches on March 11 and March 12, 2025.
Al Taawoun clinched their semi-final place after edging out Tractor SC from Iran through a thrilling penalty shootout at Wolves Park, ending 4-2 after the match concluded 2-2 on aggregate. Early on, it was Tractor who took control when Ricardo Alves converted a penalty awarded after VAR reviewed handball against Al Taawoun's Renné Rivas just two minutes after the second half started.
Responding vigorously, Al Taawoun's Musa Barrow equalized the match at 1-1 with a stunning shot from outside the box, curling past goalkeeper Beiranvand. Despite their pressure and some missed opportunities from Barrow and teammate Abdelhamid Sabiri, the match proceeded to extra time. At the beginning of extra time, Al Taawoun's Sultan Mandash found the back of the net, latching onto a free-kick and slipping past the goalkeeper to give his side a 2-1 lead.
Tractor managed to draw level once more with game heightened by tension, as Domagoj Drozdek headed home from close range, making it 2-2 and taking the match to penalties. Unfortunately for Tractor, Mehdi Shiri ballooned his shot over the bar, and Atiiay saved Sajjad Ashouri's attempt, allowing Al Taawoun to convert all their penalties and advance.
Meanwhile, the Lion City Sailors wrote their own chapter of history as they progressed to the semi-finals against the backdrop of resilience and determination. Facing Sanfrecce Hiroshima, the Sailors managed to hold 10-man opposition Sanfrecce to a 1-1 draw at Jalan Besar Stadium, finishing with a 4-1 aggregate victory. This achievement marks only the third time ever for a Singapore club to reach the semi-finals of a continental competition.
Initially thrashed 6-1 by Sanfrecce at the first leg on March 5, 2025, the Sailors saw their fortunes change when the result was annulled by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) due to Sanfrecce fielding an ineligible player. This controversially led to the Sailors being awarded the match with a 3-0 victory instead.
On this historic night, the game took shape when their star player Maxime Lestienne unfortunately suffered an elbow injury early, necessitating Shawal Anuar's introduction. It was Lennart Thy who stepped up, scoring the first goal of the match with his clever interplay and decisive finish just 20 minutes in.
Sanfrecce found their way back level shortly after, thanks to Yotaro Nakajima's free-kick, but the Sailors' resolve was fortified when Sanfrecce's Ryo Germain received his marching orders for violent conduct. The momentum tilted even more with Sanfrecce reduced to 10 men, but the Sailors held firm for the draw and championship spot.
Aleksandar Rankovic, coach of the Sailors, recognized the significance of their achievement, stating, “I don’t want to be arrogant, but I think with this (result), we put Singapore football on the (map).” His comments reflected the pride felt by the team as representatives not just of their club but of their nation.
Contrastingly, Michael Skibbe, coach of Sanfrecce, expressed his frustration following the outcome, lamenting, “Because of the management fault of our club, the team (Sailors) is going to the next match.” His sentiments underscored the importance of discipline and accountability, particularly at the continental level.
With both clubs eyeing the glory of the finals, the schedule for the semi-finals has been set for April 9 and April 16, where Al Taawoun faces an Emirati opponent and the Sailors take on either Sydney FC or Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. Each club is set to earn $240,000 for their progress, solidifying their worth on the international stage.
The excitement surrounding both teams encapsulates not just competition, but also hope and aspiration as they set their goals higher on Asian football's grand playfield.