A thrilling final round in the Solomon Islands has seen Central Coast FC claim their first ever Telekom S-League title, finishing the year two points ahead of perennial heavyweights the Solomon Warriors.
Central Coast headed into the final round with a two-point lead, meaning a win last weekend would have guaranteed them the title, but anything less – coupled with a win for the Warriors over Waneagu United – would have seen the Warriors finish the year on top, thanks to a superior goal difference.
In the end, despite the Central Coast being held to a 1-1 draw v Marist FC, the Warriors conceded a 68th-minute equaliser in their match to deny them victory and send the title to the coasters.
Central Coast head coach Jacob Moli reflected on a gritty campaign which saw his side win 15 matches, with the ongoing uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic always in the background.
“It’s been a challenging season for us with plenty of ups and downs,” Moli said.
“We are a very young side. Lots of young players. I think their energy levels were good for the team.
“The good thing was we didn’t have many serious injuries that sidelined players.”
Kossa FC’s Gagame Feni and the Solomon Warriors’ Molea Tigi finished the year tied as the S-League’s top goal-scorers after each scoring 14 times.