Tampines Rovers to kick-start S.League title defence against Geylang International

By Khalis Rifhan khalis.rifhan@goal.com @KhalisRifhan

The much-awaited 2013 S.League fixtures have been released, albeit only for the first five rounds, as twelve clubs prepare to battle for the crown starting from next week.

The new Great Eastern-YEO’s S.League season will kick-off on February 15 with the annual Great Eastern Charity Shield between defending champions Tampines Rovers and Warriors FC (formerly known as Singapore Armed Forces FC), who won the 2012 RHB Singapore Cup. 

This clash sees both Cup finalists facing off against each other again in the familiar setting of the Jalan Besar Stadium, with the match kicking off at 7.30p.m.

The opening match proper will see the young and energetic Courts Young Lions, with an average age of just 20, going up against Hougang United at Jalan Besar Stadium on Wednesday, February 20 while Geylang International host Tampines at the Bedok Stadium concurrently.

The clash of the first round will certainly be between Home United and Brunei DPMM, who both take to the field in Bishan one day later, as Woodlands Wellington play Warriors FC in the other fixture for the night.

Coach Lee Lim Saeng has retained only five players from the previous season as he leads the Protectors to challenge for honours this season, while DPMM have brought in a number of prominent foreign players.

The Bruneian club have signed former AEK Athens midfielder, Dino Drpic who will be joined by Portuguese striker Joao Moreira and Guadeloupean captain Stephane Auvray.

The first round of games will culminate with the first 'LIVE' match of the season between Tanjong Pagar United and 2012 League Cup Plate winners Balestier Khalsa at Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday, February 22. 

Another set of Tigers will be in action on the same day at Pasir Gudang Stadium in Johor, Malaysia as Razip Ismail’s Harimau Muda ‘B’ host Koichi Sugiyama’s Albirex Niigata (S). Matches at Pasir Gudang will be played at 845pm, a standard kick-off timing for football matches in Malaysia.

Apart from domestic concerns, both Tampines and Warriors will be Singapore’s representatives in the regional AFC Asian Cup and have been drawn in Group H and E respectively. 

Warriors will travel to Indonesia to take on Semen Padang on March 6 while Tampines host Vietnamese side Sai Gon Xuan Thanh at Jalan Besar Stadium one day later.

DPMM will be given time off from the league in late March as the national team will be preparing for the upcoming 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers from March 22 till March 26.

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