SINGAPORE -- As a self-declared "proud Australian" who has represented the Socceroos at two FIFA World Cups, Bailey Wright will always want the best for his country.
But on Wednesday evening, and for another 90 minutes in six days' time, the 32-year-old can live with his role as someone plotting the demise of an Australian team.
Ever resolute as the anchorman in defence, Wright was a key figure in Lion City Sailors' spirited 2-0 win over Sydney FC at Jalan Besar Stadium -- as the Singapore Premier League outfit claimed an important first-leg advantage in their AFC Champions League Two semifinal ahead of their away trip next week.
Although Sydney are no strangers to competing on the continental stage, they have never made it past the round of 16 in Asia's top-tier competition -- now the AFC Champions League Elite.
Having reached the last four of the second-tier ACL Two this term, the Sky Blues were optimistic in their prospects of moving one step closer to glory and emulating fellow A-League outfits Western Sydney Wanderers and Central Coast Mariners in winning silverware on the continental front.
Nonetheless, the Sailors are also creating history of their own.
In reaching the semis of the ACL Two, they matched the best achievement by any Singaporean outfit in AFC competition and, considering they are the team he is representing now, that is all that matters to Wright.
"A few people have asked me if it's weird [to be facing an Australian team]," Wright told ESPN. "It's just another club.
"Obviously I have a huge connection with Australia. I'm so proud to be Australian.
"I've never played against an A-League team before. Obviously I know a few of the Sydney boys. There are a few of them in there now with the national team, and a few that will also be national team players.
"I'm always a fan of Australian football but, on nights like these, I'm here representing Lion City Sailors and I want to do as well as I can for this football club, regardless of who we're facing and what country they come from.
"Tonight was just another test for just that just happened to be against an Australian team."
It was a near-complete display by the Sailors which saw them pull off an unlikely triumph over their more-illustrious opponents.
They stayed compact early on when Sydney had all of the ball, made the most of their chances with two fine efforts from Bart Ramselaar and Lennart Thy, and then also desperately defended their advantage when the visitors went for it towards the end.
A tough test still awaits them at Sydney Football Stadium next Wednesday with Sydney likely to show intent from the opening whistle, although the Sailors' first-leg performance gives Wright reason to be hopeful of them getting the job done.
"Obviously, we're extremely proud and happy with the result," he said. "This is only halfway but we can take a lot of confidence from the performance.
"Out of possession we were good. In possession we were good. And the two goals -- credit to the boys because they were clinical and took their chances well.
"They [Sydney] are a good side. We know we're going to be in for another tough second game in Sydney but we're confident and respectful and we'll prepare for the next game, but it's important we enjoy nights like these too.
"The atmosphere was incredible. When that first goal went in, I've not heard a noise like that here before in Singapore so [it was] a special night."
While Singaporean football remains some way behind the continent's top nations, the Sailors have proven they can match it with some of Asia's stronger teams over the past couple of seasons -- having now claimed creditable results against teams from South Korea, China, Japan and Australia.
"I think, as a club, we're challenging people's beliefs of us and Singapore football throughout Asia," Wright added.
"In order to change people's thoughts and beliefs and gain that respect, you have to win games like tonight.
"I feel, with all the expectations, it's bigger than just us a football club. There's kind of like the whole country behind us.
"That's what we want to feel. On all these big, important nights, we want to feel that we're really pushing the game here.
"It's great for us too. We want to play in big games that really matter in front of big crowds.
"We went toe-to-toe with a top Australian team. I think it's also their first [AFC] Champions League semifinal [and] they've been a club a lot longer than us.
"It shows you how hard it is to get here and we're certainly not taking that for granted.
"We're only halfway done. There's another big game ahead and we're certainly going to prepare right for the next one."