Taiwan Steel Group (TSG) on Sunday walked away with several major awards in Taipei after their late-season surge to win the men’s soccer title last year.
In the closest race in years, TSG only clinched the title in the final round of matches in late November to edge Taichung Futuro by one point and finish top of the Taiwan Football Premier League.
In the women’s league, Hualien City led all the way to close out the season as champions, as defending champions Taichung Blue Whale had to settle for second place and Kaohsiung Sunny Bank finished third.
Photo by Jason Pan, Taipei Times
League officials handed out the individual awards and team honors at Sunday’s event, organized by the CTFA at the Taipei headquarters of Hua Nan Bank, main sponsor of the men’s division since 2020.
TSG striker Marc Fenelus of the Turks and Caicos Islands took the top-scorer’s Golden Boot award, contributing 19 goals in 18 matches and setting a record by pocketing the award for the fourth time — in 2017 and 2018 for Tatung, as well as in 2021 with TSG.
In his speech, Fenelus thanked the team’s staff, coaches and fellow players for their efforts during a difficult season in which TSG were trailing the leaders most of time.
“My goal in Taiwan is to improve the football every year, with my dedication and consistency ... and to help my team to win the championship with my goals and assists, also to write my name into Taiwan’s football history book,” Fenelus said.
“It’s a shame that I cannot represent Taiwan to play internationally as a local player, but my love for Taiwan will never change. I am grateful for everything, because this is my second home,” he said.
In the women’s league, Su Yu-hsuan of Taichung Blue Whale and Lee Hsiu-chin of Kaohsiung Sunny Bank shared the Golden Boot after each scoring 16 goals in 15 matches.
The Most Valuable Player award in the men’s league went to TSG’s Kouame Ange Samuel of the Ivory Coast, who mainly played as a false nine.
In the women’s league the award went to Chen Ying-hui for her leadership in midfield and defense for Hang Yuan.
Taichung Futuro goalkeeper Pan Wen-chieh, who is also No. 1 for the national team, had the best save ratio and fewest goals conceded to grab the Golden Glove award, while on the women’s side it was won by Hualien City goalkeeper Chu Fang-yi.
The Manager of the Season awards went to Lo Chih-tsung of TSG and Chu Wen-pin of Hualien City for leading their respective teams to the title last year.
In a separate development, officials confirmed that CTFA chairman Cheng Wen-tsang had resigned and that a board meeting would be held to decide a successor.
It was reported that the former Taoyuan mayor and a stalwart of the Democratic Progressive Party administration had quit to take up a post as deputy premier in a possible Cabinet reshuffle.
His was the shortest tenure at the head of the CTFA in the modern era at only three months, and his resignation could set the stage for a power struggle in soccer’s governing body.
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