FOREIGN FILLIP FOR ASIAN VOYAGE

Sailors sign 4 new overseas players ahead of AFC Women's Champions League campaign

- Joel Chang

After a disappointing debut in the 2024-25 Asian Football Confederation Women's Champions League (AWCL), the Lions City Sailors have beefed up their squad for what will hopefully be a smoother voyage in the regional competition.

In the last campaign, the Sailors were booted out of the preliminary stage after suffering 4-1 and 5-0 losses to Indian side Odisha FC and Jordanian team Etihad Club respectively.

This season, the Sailors who won Singapore's Women's Premier League (WPL) from 2022 to 2024 sailed through to the group stage with three wins in as many games in the preliminary stage, including a 2-0 victory over two-time Jordan Women's Pro League champions Etihad.

Ahead of their group-stage games in Ho Chi Minh City, they have strengthened their squad with seven new signings four foreign players from India, China and Japan, alongside three Singaporean footballers.

One of the foreign talents is 19-year-old midfielder Rivka Ramji, who previously played at Indian clubs Sethu FC and Kemp FC. She was also part of the Indian team who won the South Asian Football Federation Under-19 Women's Championship last February.