Youth Development ● Oct 10, 2023
Tanjong Pagar are 2023 COE U21 League champions
Tanjong Pagar United is the COE U21 league champion! Photo Credit: Tanjong Pagar United, 2023.
SINGAPORE, 10 OCTOBER 2023 – Tanjong Pagar United clinched the 2023 Center Of Excellence (COE) Under-21 League title in dramatic fashion after their closest challengers the Young Lions only managed a 2-2 draw with Tampines Rovers last Friday (6 October), mathematically securing the Jaguars the title.
Having displayed remarkable consistency throughout the season, a 3-2 loss in Tanjong Pagar’s match against Balestier Khalsa provided a glimmer of hope for the Young Lions who were trailing the league leaders by six points. However, it was a mere bump in the road for the eventual champions.
The defining moment in the season came when the Young Lions faced off against Tampines Rovers last Friday, which resulted in a stalemate despite both sides producing a thrilling match. The result meant that Tanjong Pagar was mathematically guaranteed the title, as the Young Lions were unable to reach the same number of points as the table leaders, while the Stags moved up to fourth position in the standings.
This season’s COE U21 League reverted to a double round-robin format, where each team plays against another team twice in the season. Tanjong Pagar displayed a strong performance throughout the season, securing 10 wins, with notable high-scoring victories against SAFSA (6-2), Balestier (7-0), and Hougang (7-1). They also faced the Young Lions twice, losing once and emerging victorious in another encounter. The young Jaguar, Zahil Abdul Rahman, netted an impressive total of nine goals throughout the season. The league’s top scorer was Balestier Khalsa’s Kian Jared Ghadessy who found the back of the net 12 times. All fixtures, results and standings can be found here.
Congratulations to Tanjong Pagar for their outstanding performance and securing the 2023 COE U21 League title!
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE
Follow us on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram!
