Our last game at Pasir Ris Crest ended in defeat (2-3 to this uncle team) in the rain. At least this game was played at 5pm, when the sun was less intense. We needed this, given that most of our games had been scheduled at 5pm or were night games under floodlights (read: SAFRA).
Our opponents this time were the White team, which seemed to be made up of a hodgepodge of players. The pitch over at PRC seemed to have shrunken quite a bit since the last time we played there, and SA tried to take advantge of this fact by taking a pot shot at goal straight from the kickoff. Unfortunately the shot sailed over the bar.
The next unfortunate incident resulted in an early substitution. The opponents had kicked the ball out of play. As I went to retrieve it, I stumbled into an ants' nest and had angry red ants all over my head. I had to get off the pitch to wash it all out of my hair. Thank goodness for the changing room facilities.
I returned to pitchside just in time to see a corner being swung over. It dropped at the far post to an unmarked no. 7, who gleefully slammed the ball past Wenwei for a 1-0 lead to the whites. Worse was to follow when their no. 13 was played through and tucked the shot into the net for a 2-0 lead. With that lead, the whites began to sit back and absorb our pressure. JLO looked rather listless on the right, as their no. 21 managed to intercept a few long balls played into the right channel.
Half time and we were 2-0 down. We reverted to a more conventional 4-4-2 for the second half and were rewarded when Leslie scored from an excellently executed overhead kick. However, all that good work came undone when the no. 11 wiggled free in the penalty box and squared the ball. Ben attempted to clear the cross but only managed to slice at the ball, which floated up and bounced over WW to give the whites a 3-1 lead early in the second half.
From then onwards, it was attack after attack as we launched waves forward. This left us slightly more exposed at the back, but their less mobile strikers (like the no. 7) were caught offside almost every time the ball was played forward. The whites began protesting decisions by the referee, and at every opportunity, played dirty.
Our probing paid off when a long ball downfield from WW caught the white defence asleep. JQ sprung the offside trap and courageously challenged the white keeper for the ball. The result was a goal for us, and an injury to the keeper, who was hurt in the clash. The whites again started protesting vehemently, but to no avail.
The substitute keeper was tested almost immediately, but managed to clear his lines effectively. But again, wave after wave of attacks swept towards the white goal. And it was only fitting that Reubs, probably our most comfortable midfielder (by comfortable i mean lazy ;)) stepped up to the plate and delivered a long-range shot into the goal. With only 5 or so minutes to go, we had brought ourselves level at 3-3.
The whites were beginning to lose their focus, and SA should have made them pay. But all he managed to do was shoot straight at the keeper, who gratefully palmed the shot wide for a corner.
The referee blew for full time soon after, but the game was marred by verbal abuse from the whites, notably the no. 21. His remark "Ref, we pay you only 70 mins lah, since you only play 70 mins for us" was totally unrequired and pointless, amid the campaigns around the world to show more respect to the men in black.
Excellent recovery for us, but pity about the quality of the opponents in terms of the emotional quotient.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
