SINGAPORE -- After belatedly getting their ASEAN Club Championship campaign up and running a fortnight ago, Lion City Sailors face another must-win game on Thursday.
While the wind is certainly in their sails, after following up the 2-0 win over Kuala Lumpur City with back-to-back victories over DPMM FC and Albirex Niigata (S) in the Singapore Premier League, Lion City are aware there aren't many tougher tests that could lie ahead.
In Sailors coach Aleksandar Ranković own appraisal, Buriram United -- the team they will entertain at Jalan Besar Stadium -- are currently the best in all of Southeast Asia.
They are currently eight points clear at the top of Thai League 1, having recorded resounding 8-0 and 9-0 victories in their past two outings, and are in with a chance of reaching the knockout stage of the AFC Champions League Elite -- the continent's premier club competition.
But although the challenge is undeniable, Ranković also believes his team's displays in the Asia's second-tier AFC Champions League Two -- where they recorded impressive wins over Chinese and Thai opposition in Zhejiang Professional and Port -- suggests they have what it takes to match Buriram.
"It's exciting. It's what we want," said the Serb at Wednesday's prematch news conference.
"We want to play against these teams. For me, personally, I think they're the best team in Southeast Asia.
"They're dominating their [domestic] competition. They're also doing very well in the Champions League.
"For me, it's a great challenge for my team but we've proved, in the last one-and-a-half years since I've been here, that we're up for the challenge.
"I cannot say for certain -- in terms of quality -- but, if you see the teams we played [in the ACL Two] they are quite similar. Maybe Zhejiang and Port are just below Buriram.
"First of all, we have to see what kind of team they're going to [field]. Nevertheless, they have I think 33 players on their roster so that's enough quality.
"It will definitely be a great test for us but we're in a good state from the last couple of matches. I think we can take that [as motivation] and playing at home is also an advantage."
Likewise, Sailors defender Christopher van Huizen echoed his coach's sentiments in acknowledging Buriram's current stature in Southeast Asian football.
Nonetheless, he believes that his side should not be overawed coming up against their illustrious opposition, especially given how Singapore gave Thailand a real run for their money on the international stage at last year's ASEAN Championship.
"I think this is a very big challenge for us," said Van Huizen, who was part of the Singapore side that did well to reach the semifinals of the ASEAN Championship in December.
"Like what coach said, they're one of the best teams in Southeast Asia.
"Winning the past few games has given us good morale and a good boost, so we're just looking forward to this game.
"I think we [Singaporean football] are also doing very well. They [Thai football] are of course on top.
"We just need to focus more on ourselves and what we're able to do."