Lion City Sailors followed up their victory over Adelaide United in Australia last week by making the perfect start when defensive hesitation and the individual quality of Phaeton gave the home side the lead in the fifth minute.

Jay Barnett mis-controlled a high clearance on the halfway line and Phaeton pounced, marching into the Adelaide United half as the visitors’ backline kept their distance.

The Guadalupe international reached the penalty area virtually unopposed before dropping his shoulder to beat the retreating Barnett and slide his low shot across goal, beyond the reach of Josh Smits.

Twelve minutes later the home side doubled their lead when Smits saved Toni Datkovic’s shot at a corner only for Wright to lash in the rebound, his bobbling volley from 15 yards out finding the bottom corner.

Juan Muniz was denied by Victor Aznar in the 27th minute, the Lion City Sailors goalkeeper using his legs to keep out a rare opportunity for the visitors while six minutes later Smits tipped Lennart Thy’s header over the bar.

Bart Ramselaar saw his 49th minute strike from 25 yards pushed to safety by Smits, who also denied Phaeton a second nine minutes later while substitute Rhyan Stewart’s downward header bounced over the bar midway through the second half as Lion City sought a fourth.

That came in the 71st minute when the persistence of another substitute, Ilhan, paid off, the Singapore international seeing Smits block his first attempt before the 23-year-old steered in the rebound.

Phaeton hit the fifth with a right foot shot into the far corner of Smits’ goal four minutes later although the forward was denied a hat-trick when he missed from the penalty spot with two minutes remaining after Sotiri Phillis had handled in the area.

It mattered little, however, as Lion City completed a win that keeps them unbeaten in the group phase.