Reigning S-League champions, Central Coast FC were handed their first defeat of the 2025 season after falling 1-0 to Malaita Kingz on Monday.

The match between the two sides initially kicked off on Sunday but was called off in the 21st minute of the first half due to a heavy downpour in Honiara. 

The game resumed on Monday.

A spectacular close-range strike from midfielder Ben Fox proved decisive, securing the win for the Eddie Marahare-coached side and lifting them to third place on the league table.

Speaking after the match, Coach Marahare expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance and emphasized that their hard work was paying off.

“Overall, I’m happy with the win. Central Coast is the team to beat, being the defending champions, and I give all the credit to my players for their effort”, Marahare said.

“We’re satisfied with today’s result and the boys deserve to be in the top three, given all the hard work they’ve put in during training and in matches,” he said on Monday.

Marahare also stressed the importance of consistency as the season progresses, with many challenging fixtures ahead.

“In this league, every game is just as important as the next and We will approach our upcoming matches with the same intensity we showed today,” he said.

Malaita Kingz will face fifth-placed Honiara City in their next match on Saturday, while Central Coast FC will take on Ghupo FC in Sunday’s opening fixture.

By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR

Solomon Star, Honiara