Lion City Sailors kept their bid for a Round of 16 place in the 2025/26 AFC Champions League Two alive after edging Group G leaders Persib Bandung 3–2 in a pulsating clash at Bishan Stadium on November 26.
The victory lifts the Singaporean side to seven points ahead of their decisive final match against Malaysia’s Selangor FC. Persib, meanwhile, remain on 10 points and will progress as long as they avoid defeat against Thailand’s True Bangkok United in their final group fixture.
Lion City made a dream start just nine minutes in. Lennart Thy timed his run superbly through the middle to meet a cross from Lionel Tan, outpacing Julio Cesar before lifting a composed lob over an advancing Teja Paku Alam.
Persib responded almost instantly. Two minutes later, Frans Putros restored parity with a low, skidding effort from the edge of the box that threaded its way through a crowd of bodies and past the unsighted Ivan Susak, kissing the inside of the left post on its way in.
Buoyed by the equaliser, the Indonesian champions maintained the momentum. Patricio Matricardi sent a header narrowly wide, while Thom Haye forced Susak into a save with a deflected long-range attempt.
Lion City nearly reclaimed the lead in the 38th minute when Akram Azman, tracking back deep inside his own area, produced a crucial defensive intervention—hooking the ball away just before Berguinho could turn in Andrew Jung’s driven cross.
Persib came out of the break in control, with Beckham Putra, Eliano Reijnders, and Uilliam each threatening as they kept the Sailors’ defence and goalkeeper Teja under sustained pressure.
Their dominance was rewarded in the 56th minute. Jung rose expertly to meet Haye’s looping cutback, powering a header past Susak into the bottom corner to give Persib a deserved 2–1 lead.
But Lion City refused to fade. Six minutes later, Shawal Anuar seized on a defensive lapse by Putros, reacting sharply to the loose ball in the centre of the box and steering his finish beyond Teja. Persib players protested, believing an offside infringement had occurred in the buildup, but the referee stood firm and allowed the goal to stand.
The Sailors completed their comeback in the 71st minute through Anderson Lopes, who latched onto a perfectly weighted through ball from Hami Syahin, burst between two defenders, and rifled in the eventual match-winner.
Persib piled forward in the closing stages in search of an equaliser, but despite their late push, they could not find a way through.
Fortunately for the Maung Bandung, events elsewhere kept them in control of their own destiny. Chrigor’s stoppage-time strike earned Selangor a 1–1 draw against Bangkok United, preserving a scenario where Persib will advance to the knockout rounds with a draw against Bangkok United on December 10 at Gelora Bandung Lautan Api Stadium.