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User:C18ver/2023 Merlin Regionals

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2023 Bishan Merlin Regionals
Tournament details
Dates4 November 2023
Teams8 (from 1 association)
Final positions
ChampionsNorthern United (1st title)
Runners-upSerangoon Belgrade
Third placeHawkguys
Teck Whye Hounds
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Goals scored13 (0.81 per match)
Top scorer(s)Iman (Teck Whye Hounds)
Naufal Nico (Northern United)
Yang Zhenkang (Northern United)
2 goals each
2024 SGFSA Cup →

The 2023 Bishan Merlin Regionals is the 5th season of Singapore's premier amateur club futsal tournament organised by the SGYF, and the 2nd season since it was renamed from King of Triple Threat to the Merlin Regionals.

All 16 games were held on the same day at Bishan ActiveSG Futsal Court. The winners of the 2023 Merlin Regionals will earn the right to play against the winners of the December Let's Play Football League in the 2024 SGFSA Community Shield.

Elite Predators are the defending champions, having won their second title in the previous edition but would not be taking part in the 2023 edition due to the SGYF Boycott.

Teams

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The 2023 edition saw an increase in the number of teams from four in 2022 to eight. Several teams in Singapore were reached out by the Singapore Youtube Football Federation to participate. A play-off was to be held in the event that more than eight teams showed interest in playing. Each team were to submit a squad list of up to ten players and if applicable, two reserve players in the case of an injury or a no show.

On 31 October 2023, FootXBall withdrew from the competition. Maestro Boys FC would replace them later on.

Team Competition Appearances Last Appearance Best Performance
Hawkguys Futsal Team 3rd 2021 Runners-up (2020)
Maestro Boys 1st - -
Northern United 1st - -
Teck Whye Squad 5th 2020 Winners (2020, 2021)
Tiger City 1st - -
Sembawang United 2nd 2022 Fourth (2022)
Serangoon Belgrade 1st - -
Shinoa Squad 1st - -

Format

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The eight teams were split into two groups of four in a round-robin format where each team played against each other once. The top two of each group moved into the semi-finals with a third place play-off and the final happening after. Initially, it was planned for the the group stage to last ten minutes with no halves while the knockout stages had two halves of ten minutes with five minutes of overtime in the event of a draw. Due to time constraints mid tournament, all knockouts matches were held with the timing of the group stage matches.

All matches were played on the same day.

Group stage

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Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Teck Whye Hounds (Q) 2 2 0 0 2 0 +2 6 Semi-finals
2 Northern United (Q) 3 1 1 1 4 1 +3 4
3 Sembawang United 3 1 1 1 1 1 0 4
4 Maestro Boys 2 0 0 2 0 5 −5 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: [citation needed]
(Q) Qualified for the phase indicated
Maestro Boys0–1Sembawang United
  • Ian Chan   8'
Northern United0–1Teck Whye Hounds
  • Iman   9'
Maestro Boys0–4Northern United
  • Nico   2', 9'
  • Yang Zhenkang   5', 7'
Teck Whye Hounds1–0Sembawang United
  • Iman   3'
Northern United0–0Sembawang United
Teck Whye HoundsvMaestro Boys
  • Iman x2
  • Firas

The match between Hawkguys and Shinoa Squad has yet to be publicized.


Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Hawkguys (Q) 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 4 Semi-finals
2 Serangoon Belgrade (Q) 2 1 1 0 1 0 +1 4
3 Tiger City 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3
4 Shinoa Squad 2 0 0 2 0 2 −2 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: [citation needed]
(Q) Qualified for the phase indicated
Tiger City1–0Shinoa Squad
  • Jas   8'
Serangoon Belgrade0–0Hawkguys
Shinoa Squad0–1Serangoon Belgrade
  • Irwan Shah   6'
Hawkguys2–1Tiger City
  • ?   1'
  • ?   3'
  • Putra Danish   10'
HawkguysvShinoa Squad

The match between Hawkguys and Shinoa Squad has yet to be publicized.

Tiger CityvSerangoon Belgrade

The match between Tiger City and Serangoon Belgrade has yet to be publicized.

Semi-finals

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Serangoon Belgrade1–0Teck Whye Hounds
  • Ashraf   5'
Hawkguys0–0Northern United
Penalties
Nico  

Ashvin  
Han  
Ghazi  
Haris  
Nico  

Ashvin  		 6-5 Matdos  

?  
?  
?  
?  
Matdos  

?  

3rd/4th

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Hawkguys0–0Teck Whye Hounds

No extra time was played due to time constraints. Hawkguys and Teck Whye Hounds were deemed as joint second runners up.

Final

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Northern United0–0Serangoon Belgrade
Penalties
7-6

Controversy

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VAR involvement in the Sembawang Derby

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Group A's final round between Northern United and Sembawang United was the last match to decide who between the two would qualify to the semi-finals after Teck Whye Hounds' victory against the latter confirmed Maestro Boys' elimination from the tournament. Sembawang United were put at a disadvantage nearing the end of the game when they lost and had to replace key defender Zheng after he was adjudged to have performed a 'DOGSO' slide tackle on Northern United's Yang Zhenkang.

In the last segment of the game, Sembawang United won a penalty through forward Jordan after he was adjudged to have been tripped in the box. Just as Sembawang were about to take the penalty, the officials involved themselves with video footage to confirm if Jordan was properly fouled. After a few minutes of watching, the officials declared Jordan to have dived and as such continued the match with a few minutes added on.

Sembawang would go on to clinch a last gasp winner through Ian Chan but his goal would be protested against by the Northern United bench who claimed that a second ball was in play during the phase and as such Chan's goal should've been ruled out. After another few minutes of watching the footage, the officials declared the goal as illegitimate and cited FIFA's official rules that if two balls were to be on the pitch at the same time that whatever happened during that phase will not be acknowledged. As a result, the game continued with another few minutes and ended in a 0-0 draw allowing Northern United to qualify to the semi-finals on virtue of goal difference.

The decisions denying Jordan a penalty and Chan a goal led to an ensue of arguments after the match with Sembawang players surrounding the officials demanding for a replay of the last few minutes. The official in charge of the decision said:

"I understand their (Sembawang United) frustrations and they can be however angry they want with me. But I made the decision and stand by it. I had given them ample time to score another goal and they couldn't capitalise on it."

Northern United would go on to win the entire competition afterwards.

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