http://www.foxsportsasia.com/home/news/detail/item938665/
Following a disappointing 2012 that saw them finish second from bottom in league, a new era at the Queenstown Stadium was ushered in late last year when ex-Etoile FC boss Patrick Vallee, who led his former side to the title in 2010, was handed the reins at the Queenstown Stadium.
In spite of his credentials, Vallee set a modest target of a mid-table finish for his side but they issued a real statement of intent and did their talking on the pitch in Friday's campaign opener.
Monsef Zerka, one of five marquee signings for the new Great Eastern-YEO's S.League, was first to make an impact when he opened the scoring.
Just four minutes into his debut, Zerka had an excellent chance to open his Tanjong Pagar account when Ramdani picked up possession inside the opposition half and threaded a lovely ball through to him. Taking the ball into his stride, the Morocco international effortlessly skipped around Yusiskandar before drilling a left-footed effort into the bottom corner to give his side the lead.
But if that had been a promising sign, Vallee's French revolution was well and truly underway five minutes later when they doubled their tally after a slack pass from Tengku Mushadad allowed Ramdani to steal in ahead of Obadin Aikhena and advance on goal, where then proceeded to curl an effort past a hapless Daniel Ong.
Having laid claim to the best defensive record in the league last season, the Tigers' shocking start was a clear sign they were missing 2012's first-choice centre-back partnership, with captain Paul Cunningham out injured and Goran Subara departed for Thai Premier League outfit Bangkok Glass.
Balestier did however do a good piece of business by signing ex-Gombak United captain Obadin Aikhena to replace Subara, and he came close to threatening the opposition in the 20th minute but Aurelien Herrison did well to claim Hamqaamal Shah's freekick before it could reach the towering Nigerian.
However, all that did was delay the inevitable as Balestier duly pulled one back from the resultant corner; Qiu Li taking it short to Ruhaizad, who drilled in a cross for Park to stab home.
Aware that their opponents were getting ever closer to an equaliser, the Jaguars showed more initiative in their bid to kill off the game with a third.
And as the clock ticked over into injury-time, Tanjong Pagar finally wrapped up the three points when substitute Hafiz, on for just four minutes, netted their third with what is likely to be a contender for goal of the season; picking up possession on the right 25 yards from goal and unleashing a fantastic first-time half volley that arrowed past Ong into the top corner.
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