Lion City Sailors awarded 3-0 first-leg quarter-final win over Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Asian Champions League 2 game

The Lion City Sailors Football Club (Lion City Sailors) was awarded a 3-0 win in the first leg of their Asian Champions League (ACL) Two quarter-final match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

This is despite losing 6-1 in the Mar. 5 match at Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima stadium.

The move comes due to the Japanese football team fielding French forward Valere Germain even though he was still serving a three-game suspension.

A Mar. 8 ruling by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Disciplinary and Ethics Committee also ordered a fine and issued a warning against Sanfrecce.

Player played as substitute despite being on three-match suspension

AFC confirmed that Germain was on a three-match suspension, but his club had fielded him despite the status.

The forward, who scored his team's fifth goal in the match, had come on as a substitute.

As such, the Japanese team's victory was forfeited.

"Sanfrecce Hiroshima shall be considered to have lost the AFC Champions League Two 2024/25 (Knock-out Stage) match," AFC stated in its ruling.

Club fined and given warning

Sanfrecce Hiroshima (JPN) was also fined US$1,000 (S$1,331), payable within 30 days from Mar. 8.

They will also not receive half of their US$160,000 (S$213,000) participation fee, and was warned that a repeat violation may be met with more severe punishment.

Lion City Sailors is set to play against Sanfrecce in the second leg of the match on Mar. 12 at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

Top photos via Lion City Sailors Football Club/Facebook