Lions XII are Super League champs

Lions XII players celebrate after scoring a goal against Felda United in their 4-0 win to take the Super League title.

PETALING JAYA: Lions XII are the champions of the Super League after defeating relegation-threatened Felda United 4-0 in their penultimate fixture at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.

The invitational side from Singapore have picked up an unassailable lead in the 12-team standings with 43 points and will wrap up their fixtures against last year’s winners Kelantan at the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium in Kota Baru on Saturday.

Felda United proved to be of no match and packed their defence, but the Lions' persistence paid off as they turned on the heat in the second-half with four goals.

The goals came by way of an own goal by Felda striker Azrul Ahmad in the 46th minute, and from then on the floodgates opened with goals from captain marvel Shahril (58th), Fazrul Nawas (61st) and Shafiq Ghani (83rd).

The red-shirted Lions were all over their opponents but were unlucky not to convert the numerous chances that came their way in the first-half.

With Felda - in second last place - struggling to escape the relegation zone, points were sorely needed to stay afloat.

Their initial plan to pack the defence worked until they gave away a free-kick which Azrul put into his own net.

There was no stopping the Lions after the goal.

Last year, the Singaporeans made a comeback to Malaysian football after a lapse of 18 years. The Lions sounded an early warning of their return when they finished runners-up behind treble winners Kelantan then.

This time, the Singaporeans fielded their Under-23 project squad boosted with five senior team players - namely skipper Shahril Ishak, Izwan Mahbud, Isa Halim, Baihahki Khaizan and Fazrul Nawas.