2016 S.League

S.League
Season2016
ChampionsJapan Albirex Niigata (S)
(1st title)
Community ShieldJapan Albirex Niigata (S)
AFC Champions LeagueTampines Rovers
(S.League runner-up)
AFC CupHome United
(S.League 4th)
Matches played72
Goals scored352 (4.89 per match)
Top goalscorerBrazil Rafael Ramazotti
(20 goals)[1]
Biggest home winJapan Albirex Niigata (S) 6–0 Balestier Khalsa
(6 May 2016)[2]
Biggest away winSingapore Young Lions 0–5 Japan Albirex Niigata (S)
(20 February 2016)[2]
Highest scoringBrunei DPMM FC 5–3 Young Lions
(26 September 2016)[2]
Longest winning run10 matches[2]
Japan Albirex Niigata (S)
Longest unbeaten run10 matches[2]
Japan Albirex Niigata (S)
Longest winless run10 matches[2]
Singapore Young Lions
Longest losing run10 matches[2]
Singapore Young Lions
2015
2017
All statistics correct as of 31 October 2016.

The 2016 S.League (also known as the Great Eastern Yeo's S.League for sponsorship reasons) was the 21st season of the S.League, the top-flight Singaporean professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1996. The season began on 13 February 2016, and concluded on 28 October 2016.[3] DPMM FC were the defending champions.[4]

Teams[edit]

A total of 9 teams competed in the league. Albirex Niigata (S) and DPMM FC were invited foreign clubs from Japan and Brunei respectively.

Stadiums and locations[edit]

Location of 2016 S.League teams
Team Stadium Capacity
Japan Albirex Niigata (S) Jurong East Stadium 2,700
Balestier Khalsa Toa Payoh Stadium 3,896
Brunei DPMM FC Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium 28,000
Geylang International Bedok Stadium 3,864
Home United Bishan Stadium 6,254
Hougang United Hougang Stadium 3,400
Tampines Rovers Jurong West Stadium 4,200
Warriors FC Choa Chu Kang Stadium 4,268
Singapore Young Lions Jalan Besar Stadium 8,000

Personnel and sponsoring[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Japan Albirex Niigata (S) Japan Naoki Naruo Japan Yōsuke Nozawa Hummel Canon
Balestier Khalsa Croatia Marko Kraljević Zaiful Nizam Umbro Civic
Brunei DPMM FC Scotland Steve Kean Brunei Rosmin Muhammad Kamis Lotto
Geylang International Hasrin Jailani Isa Halim THORB Epson
Home United Aidil Sharin Juma'at Jantan Puma AVEC
Hougang United K. Balagumaran Jozef Kapláň Vonda ESW
Tampines Rovers Akbar Nawas Mustafić Fahrudin Kipsta Hyundai
Warriors FC Razif Onn Zulfadli Zainal Abidin Joma Warriors
Singapore Young Lions France Patrick Hesse Khairul Amri Nike Shopee

Managerial changes[edit]

Team Outgoing manager Manner of
departure
Date of vacancy Position
in table
Incoming manager Date of
appointment
Japan Albirex Niigata (S) Japan Tatsuyuki Okuyama End of contract 30 November 2015[5] Pre-season Japan Naoki Naruo 18 December 2015[6]
Geylang International Germany Jorg Steinebrunner 2 December 2015[7] Hasrin Jailani 15 December 2015[8]
Singapore Young Lions Germany Jürgen Raab 31 December 2015[9] France Richard Tardy 1 January 2016[9]
Warriors FC Morocco Karim Bencherifa Mutual consent[10] 6 January 2016[11] Germany Jorg Steinebrunner 6 January 2016[11]
Singapore Young Lions France Richard Tardy End of caretaker spell 15 February 2016[12] 2nd France Patrick Hesse 15 February 2016[12]
Warriors FC Germany Jorg Steinbrunner Resigned 14 May 2016[13] 7th Razif Onn 14 May 2016[13]
Tampines Rovers V. Sundramoorthy Appointed head coach of Singapore 27 May 2016[14] 2nd Akbar Nawas 27 May 2016[15]
Home United Philippe Aw Redesignated 30 July 2016[16] 4th Aidil Sharin 4 August 2016[17]

Foreigners[edit]

Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.

Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Prime League Former
Balestier Khalsa Serbia Emir Lotinac Croatia Miroslav Kristic Croatia Niko Tokić Serbia Sadin Smajović Serbia Robert Peričić
Brunei DPMM FC Northern Ireland Brian McLean Brazil Rafael Ramazotti Portugal Paulo Sergio - -
Geylang International Japan Yuki Ichikawa Argentina Carlos Alberto Delgado Philippines Mark Hartmann Spain Roberto Camarasa Croatia Branko Čubrilo
Home United South Korea Song Ui-young France Sirina Camara Denmark Ken Ilsø France Ambroise Begue -
Hougang United Japan Fumiya Kogure Slovakia Jozef Kapláň Croatia Stipe Plazibat England Luke Allen -
Tampines Rovers Canada Jordan Webb Republic of Ireland Billy Mehmet England Jermaine Pennant United States Diego Silvas -
Warriors FC Japan Kento Fukuda Croatia Nikola Rak France Jonathan Béhé Croatia Marijan Šuto -
Singapore Young Lions - - - - France Benjamin Bertrand

League table[edit]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Japan Albirex Niigata (S)[a] 24 16 2 6 50 24 +26 50
2 Tampines Rovers 24 15 4 5 50 28 +22 49 Qualification to
AFC Champions League Preliminary Round 1
or AFC Cup Group Stage
3 Brunei DPMM FC[a] 24 12 5 7 47 37 +10 41
4 Home United 24 11 4 9 50 42 +8 37 Qualification to AFC Cup Play-off Round
5 Geylang International 24 10 7 7 35 29 +6 37
6 Hougang United 24 9 5 10 35 39 −4 32
7 Warriors FC 24 7 7 10 39 39 0 28
8 Balestier Khalsa 24 4 7 13 23 42 −19 19
9 Singapore Young Lions[a] 24 2 3 19 23 70 −47 9
Updated to match(es) played on 31 October 2016. Source: S.League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of wins
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c The two foreign clubs – Albirex Niigata (S) and DPMM FC – as well as the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) under-21 team, Young Lions, are not eligible for any AFC competition spots.

Results[edit]

Matchday 1[edit]

13 February Albirex Niigata (S) 3 – 2 DPMM FC Kallang, Singapore
19:45 UTC+08:00 Yamada 16'
Kamata 36'
Fujihara 59'
Details Azwan A. 65'
Tanaka 90+2' (o.g.)
Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Attendance: 2,481[18]
Referee: Jansen Foo
14 February Garena Young Lions 1 – 0 Balestier Khalsa Kallang, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Fareez 23' Details Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Attendance: 2,246[19]
Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah
14 February Home United 2 – 2 Warriors FC Bishan, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Khairul 17'
Camara 82'
Details Béhé 35' (pen.)
Fazli 90+1'
Stadium: Bishan Stadium
Attendance: 1,756[20]
Referee: Farhad Mohd
15 February Tampines Rovers 3 – 3 Geylang International Jurong West, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Webb 13'
Mehmet 34'
Yasir 86'
Details Amy 35'
Delgado 55'
Ng 78'
Stadium: Jurong West Stadium
Attendance: 2,930[21]
Referee: Sukhbir Singh

Matchday 2[edit]

18 February Hougang United 1 – 0 Home United Hougang, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Plazibat 34' Details Stadium: Hougang Stadium
Attendance: 2,307[22]
Referee: Jansen Foo
20 February Garena Young Lions 0 – 5 Albirex Niigata (S) Kallang, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Details Kawata 8', 56', 65', 75'
Jitozono 71' (pen.)
Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Attendance: 2,371[23]
Referee: G. Letchman

Matchday 3[edit]

26 February Tampines Rovers 4 – 1 Hougang United Jurong West, Singapore
19:45 UTC+08:00 Shahdan 8'
Ismadi 11'
Pennant 20'
Fazrul 84'
Details Plazibat 26' Stadium: Jurong West Stadium
Attendance: 2,106[25]
Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah

Matchday 4[edit]

3 March Home United 1 – 1 Tampines Rovers Bishan, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Ilsø 25' Details Pennant 40' Stadium: Bishan Stadium
Attendance: 3,551[26]
Referee: Muhd Taqi

Matchday 5[edit]

Matchday 6[edit]

17 March Home United 4 – 1 Garena Young Lions Bishan, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Ilsø 18'
Zulfahmi 31'
Khairul 50', 83'
Details Fareez 11' Stadium: Bishan Stadium
Attendance: 2,048[29]
Referee: Jansen Foo

Matchday 7[edit]

1 April Geylang International 2 – 2 Warriors FC Kallang, Singapore
19:45 UTC+08:00 Quak 51'
Delgado 86'
Details Béhé 16'
Ridhuan 89'
Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Attendance: 1,854[30]
Referee: Farhad Mohd
3 April Garena Young Lions 1 – 2 Tampines Rovers Kallang, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Fareez 62' (pen.) Details Shakir 45'
van Huizen 50'
Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Attendance: 2,200[32]
Referee: W. Ravisanthiran

Matchday 8[edit]

7 April Hougang United 3 – 1 Geylang International Hougang, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Plazibat 54' (pen.)
Faiz 60'
Raihan 88'
Details Delgado 15' Stadium: Hougang Stadium
Attendance: 1,537[33]
Referee: Sukhbir Singh

Matchday 9[edit]

15 April Geylang International 2 – 2 Home United Kallang, Singapore
19:45 UTC+08:00 Ng 24'
Amy 46'
Details Ilsø 15'
Al-Qaasimy 39' (o.g.)
Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Attendance: 2,035[34]
Referee: Jansen Foo
16 April Albirex Niigata (S) 1 – 0 Tampines Rovers Jurong East, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Inui 71' (pen.) Details Stadium: Jurong East Stadium
Attendance: 2,550[35]
Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah

Matchday 10[edit]

21 April Geylang International 0 – 1 Tampines Rovers Bedok, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Details Yasir 28' Stadium: Bedok Stadium
Attendance: 2,369[36]
Referee: G. Letchman
22 April Warriors FC 1 – 2 Home United Kallang, Singapore
19:45 UTC+08:00 Béhé 63' Details Song 20'
Ilsø 85'
Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Attendance: 2,308[37]
Referee: Nathan Chan

Matchday 11[edit]

30 April Tampines Rovers 4 – 2 Warriors FC Jurong West, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Mehmet 38'
Pennant 54' (pen.)
Hafiz 75', 87'
Details Hafiz N. 41'
Ridhuan 45'
Stadium: Jurong West Stadium
Attendance: 1,756[38]
Referee: Farhad Mohd

Matchday 12[edit]

4 May Hougang United 1 – 1 Tampines Rovers Hougang, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Iqbal 70' Details Mehmet 41' (pen.) Stadium: Hougang Stadium
Attendance: 1,538[39]
Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah
5 May Warriors FC 1 – 1 DPMM FC Choa Chu Kang, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Suto 89' Details Sérgio 61' Stadium: Choa Chu Kang Stadium
Referee: W. Ravisanthiran

Matchday 13[edit]

12 May Garena Young Lions 3 – 1 Warriors FC Kallang, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Hami 5'
Hazim 16'
Khairul 50'
Details Béhé 85' Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Attendance: 1,609[41]
Referee: Nathan Chan
13 May Tampines Rovers 1 – 2 Home United Kallang, Singapore
19:45 UTC+08:00 Fazrul 22' Details Azhar 24'
Ilsø 70'
Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Attendance: 2,099[42]
Referee: Farhad Mohd

Mid-week

Matchday 14[edit]

19 May Home United 5 – 0 DPMM FC Bishan, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Azhar 10'
Faris 39'
Ilsø 71', 73'
Syahiran 85'
Details Stadium: Bishan Stadium
Attendance: 1,900[43]
Referee: Muhd Taqi

Matchday 15[edit]

Matchday 16[edit]

Matchday 17[edit]

Matchday 18[edit]

24 June Balestier Khalsa 1 – 4 DPMM FC Kallang, Singapore
20:00 UTC+08:00 Lotinac 57' (pen.) Details Ramazotti 18', 30', 79'
Sérgio 50'
Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah

Matchday 19[edit]

4 August Home United 3 – 0 Warriors FC Bishan, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Ilsø 38', 89'
Song 64'
Details Stadium: Bishan Stadium
Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah

Matchday 20[edit]

12 August Hougang United 4 – 2 Home United Kallang, Singapore
19:45 UTC+08:00 Plazibat 39' (pen.), 44' (pen.)
Hussain 52'
Kogure 56'
Details Ilsø 6'
Song 7'
Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Referee: Muhd Taqi

Matchday 21[edit]

Matchday 22[edit]

26 August Hougang United 1 – 2 DPMM FC Kallang, Singapore
19:45 UTC+08:00 Plazibat 9' Details Ramazotti 51', 52' Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium
Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah

Matchday 23[edit]

Matchday 24[edit]

26 September DPMM FC 5 – 3 Garena Young Lions Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
20:15 UTC+08:00 McLean 4'
Ramazotti 8', 10', 90+3' (pen.)
Kasmi 29'
Details Faruk 46'
Amri 53', 60'
Stadium: Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium
Referee: Farhad Mohd
30 September Home United 5 – 2 Garena Young Lions Bishan, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Azman 26'
Ilsø 45' (pen.)
Jantan 64'
Ramli 84', 90+4'
Details Faruk 30'
Syahin 70'
Stadium: Bishan Stadium
Referee: W. Ravisanthiran

Matchday 25[edit]

15 October Balestier Khalsa 0 – 5 Home United Toa Payoh, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Details Song 12'
Fandi 22', 45'
Jantan 30'
Ang 81'
Stadium: Toa Payoh Stadium
Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah

Matchday 26[edit]

20 October Home United 3 – 1 Albirex Niigata (S) Bishan, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Ilsø 22', 86'
Sharif 65'
Details Ilsø 57' (o.g.) Stadium: Bishan Stadium
Referee: Nathan Chan

Matchday 27[edit]

25 October Warriors FC 5 – 1 Hougang United Choa Chu Kang, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Béhé 51', 69', 90+3'
Rak 57'
Jaffar 81'
Details Hussain 37' Stadium: Choa Chu Kang Stadium
Referee: Nathan Chan
26 October Balestier Khalsa 2 – 0 DPMM FC Toa Payoh, Singapore
19:30 UTC+08:00 Tokić 67'
Krištić 90+5'
Details Stadium: Toa Payoh Stadium
Referee: Sukhbir Singh
^A The match, originally scheduled on 19 February, was postponed due to bad weather.[44][45]

Season statistics[edit]

Scoring[edit]

Top scorers[edit]

As of matches played on 31 October 2016.[1]

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Brazil Rafael Ramazotti Brunei DPMM FC 20
2 France Jonathan Béhé Warriors FC 19
Denmark Ken Ilsø Home United
4 Croatia Stipe Plazibat Hougang United 15
5 Japan Atsushi Kawata Japan Albirex Niigata (S) 13