1 Game, 1 Silverware - A Recap Of Our Community Shield Win

With the international break well under way as we cheer Our Stags on in the National Team, we decided it would be a good time to look back at our emphatic 4-1 victory over Lion City Sailors in the Community Shield. 

The Stags have now lifted this trophy six times - the most of any club and our first since 2020 when we won against Hougang United.

The win, however, felt far beyond simply adding silverware. It felt like a statement. It was a message that BG Tampines Rovers, under the new stewardship of Head Coach Akbar Nawas and Chairman Shungo Sakamoto, will continue to challenge for local and continental greatness despite the notable departures from last season.

Trent Buhagiar kick-started proceedings at the Jurong East Stadium with an early goal, much to the delight of the Stags’ faithful, especially The Yellow Knights who were in fine voice all night, cheering and making sure the atmosphere was raucous in the designated "Away" end.

We continued with intensity, pace, and purpose despite the early lead with our midfield dictating the rhythm and our forwards punishing every gap in their defence. It was this approach that led to our second goal just before half-time. Once again, it was our new Maltese international who got on the scoresheet. It seemed like the perfect end to what was a very good first half display by Akbar Nawas’ men.

The second half started with the Sailors making two changes and looking to get back into the game. We ceded possession compared to the first half, but stayed disciplined and organised. The pace of Trent, the composure of Seiga, as well as the industry of Takeshi and his willingness to bomb up and down the left flank meant that we were always a threat. When you include our Thai custodian Nalawich’s distribution, the foreign debutants were proving to be quality compliments to the local core of the team.

The third goal arrived in such style. Koya Kazama, who has ample experience playing in Japan’s top two divisions, struck a well-taken free kick into the top corner to make it 3-0 after the hour mark. The Stand, fittingly, went wild.

The Sailors did pull a goal back to make it 3-1 through Lennart Thy in which another debutant, Jacob Mahler, was adjudged to have been fouled. Regardless, it was good to see the Singaporean in our colours after spending the last year recuperating from a serious knee injury, as we know what he can offer to the team.

In stoppage time, yet another new addition in the form of Hide Higashikawa put the game to rest when he made it 4-1 to send us home dreaming of what this team could achieve this season.

Chairman’s Reflections

It was a pleasing win in many aspects - one of which, of the 15 players used by Coach Akbar at his disposal in the entirety of the match, 7 of them were locals, which showcased his faith in them in such a big clash. Reflecting on the match, Chairman Shungo Sakamoto spoke about the importance of having a balance of local and foreign players in the first team squad. 

“With the expansion of the foreign player quota this season, building strong relationships between local and foreign players have become more important than ever for all teams. Maintaining the right balance and fostering open communication requires tireless effort, not only from the players, but also the coach, coaching staff and everyone involved in the club. At BG Tampines Rovers, I am confident that we all share the strong will to work together, and I believe this will enable us to grow into an even more united and resilient team”.

While this is a team with multiple new additions, along with a slew of changes to the backroom staff, the chemistry and team spirit shown on display was encouraging. Chairman Shungo reminded us of the foundation set by the previous regime while basking in the glory of this win saying, “As a fan of BG Tampines Rovers myself, I am truly delighted with this Community Shield victory. While this win was delivered by our new team of players, it was built on the years of tireless effort laid down by those who came before us, including former Chairman Desmond Ong and former Head Coach Gavin Lee. We owe them a great deal of gratitude”.

For now, it’s one piece of silverware down. There’s 4 more to play for, and it will be a long season with ups and downs, so while it is a dream start, we will be grounded. Shungo-san added, “the new season has only just begun, and one match cannot predict the entire outcome (of the campaign). However, this positive start gives us confidence, and we will continue to work hard each day in our pursuit of our next victory”.

“We are committed to giving our utmost in every competition, showing strong competitiveness, and delivering as many victories as possible to our fans”.

And what about the fans who travelled in droves and made it a raucous atmosphere? “Our players, coaches, and staff work tirelessly to prepare for victory, but it is the passionate support of our fans at the stadium that provides the decisive push on match day. I hope you will continue to share in every moment with us - through the highs and the lows - and enjoy the game together. We look forward to seeing you again at the stadium”, he said.

Let’s enjoy the ride because we know this team is going to be fun to watch!