By AIMI G.
There was a moment, six minutes into stoppage time, when Bishan Stadium truly believed.
A roar erupted as Maxime Lestienne coolly buried Diogo Costa’s low cross to make it 1-1, and all 9,737 in the stands could taste extra time.
The Lion City Sailors were level in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Two final, against all odds, and a continental dream was still alive.
But football, as it often does, breaks hearts in cruel fashion and the Sailors’ dream of becoming Singapore’s first continental champions was gone, stolen in a blink.
It finished 2-1 to Sharjah FC from the United Arab Emirates, and this one will sting for a long time.
“For a moment, when we got the goal back, we had the belief to try to go and win the game,” said skipper Hariss Harun..
“But of course, it’s risk and reward. They got a second goal and we ran out of time.
“We are disappointed.”
Sharjah’s opener came in the 74th minute, Brazil-born Caio Lucas fed Khaled Ibrahim, who squared it for Tunisian Firas Ben Larbi to slot past Sailors keeper Izwan Mahbud.
From then on, Sharjah slowed the tempo, took their time with every stoppage, and looked set to see it out.
Then came the lifeline.
Eleven minutes of added time lit a fire under the Sailors, and just one minute in, Lestienne struck gold.
Bishan erupted. Extra time loomed.
But Sharjah had other ideas and went for it.
The Sailors nearly forced another equaliser during a chaotic box scramble and then again through substitute Shawal Anuar, but Sharjah held firm to lift the trophy and the US$2.5 million prize money.
The Sailors took home US$1 million and a bucketload of bittersweet memories.
Sailors coach Aleksandar Rankovic said, “Every game we played in this campaign, we were the underdog and rightfully so because we come from Singapore.
“This year showed me that if you believe it… if you have a group of players that I have, you can go so far.”
The Sailors have already clinched the Singapore Premier League (SPL) title.
Next up: Brunei DPMM in the Singapore Cup semis.
PHOTO: LION CITY SAILORS