MILO JUNIOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LIVES UP TO ITS TOP BILLING

KUALA LUMPUR (26 September 2022): The inaugural season of the MILO Junior Champions League drew to a close today, with five teams crowned champions in their respective categories.

The tournament, a continuation of the maiden MILO Challenger Cup held in June this year, saw the best 12 teams in each age category (U-8, U-10, U-12, U-14 and U-17) battle for the ultimate prize.

The U-17 final, played in front of an incredible crowd, saw dominant hosts JSA Academy in smashing form as they brushed aside fancied Red Hawks 4-0 in a one-sided match.

The spotlight was stolen by JSA Academy's wonderkid Muhammad Sufian Azim, who scored a brace to inspire his team's dominant win.

JSA Academy head coach Lafizulnizam Abd Latip praised his team's historic success and their consistency throughout the tournament. "The boys were fantastic on and off the field and it has been a privilege for me to coach and manage them. I'm happy that they carried out their duties as planned, and we're looking forward to more success," he said.

In the U-14 final, heavyweights Petaling Perdana overcame tournament favourites Lynx Academy 2-0. Khalish Fakhrey's 12 goals for Petaling Perdana throughout the campaign were recognised in style, as he received the U-14 top scorer trophy.

"With the blessings of the Almighty, I'm glad to have played a significant role in my team's success throughout this tournament, and I believe we have the capability to achieve even greater success in the future," said a jubilant Khalish Fakhrey.

Having nourished Malaysians for over 70 years with the goodness of malt, MILO, which is synonymous with its passionate involvement in sports, expressed its commitment to further developing grassroots sport.

MILO Malaysia's Marketing Manager, Kerwin Lim, commended the joint initiative between MILO and JSA Academy in laying the foundation for the tournament. "MILO always believes that sport is a great teacher and youngsters can gain many useful values in life through sport.

"On top of that, MILO and JSA Academy share a common goal to empower and energise young football talent to strive for success in the early stages of their lives, so we're delighted to be collaborating with JSA Academy in organising such a successful tournament," he said.

JSA Academy co-owner Steven Lim, who was also at the venue, was thrilled to watch the young talents in action and congratulated the finalists. "I would like to thank all the players for giving their best in this tournament," he said.

He also thanked MILO Malaysia for being the competition's main sponsor. "We appreciate the faith of our sponsor MILO Malaysia and their support in organising the inaugural MILO Junior Champions League this year."

As the first season reached its climax, grassroots football fans need not fret. MILO and JSA Academy will team up again for the upcoming MILO Junior Champions League Season B, scheduled for October this year. The tournament will introduce new divisions (Premier and Championship) for participating teams, including a possible category for girls' teams.

Final results:

Under-8: ATPP Panthers 4-0 NFDP Johor (winner: ATPP Panthers)

Under-10: JSA Academy 1-0 ATPP Panthers (winner: JSA Academy)

Under-12: JSA Academy 0-2 Seahawks Tiger (winner: Seahawks Tiger)

Under-14: Petaling Perdana 2-0 Lynx Academy (winner: Petaling Perdana)

Under-17: JSA Academy 4-0 Red Hawks (winner: JSA Academy)