FC Munjen Portugal 3-4 Some Hwa Chong Team

The match came as a major surprise, as few in the team had expected a match at this time of the season. This actually spelt trouble for the team, as they faced a shortage of players available.

Pre-match concern was obviously the unavailability of key players Adrian, Jiewei, Darius and Jeremy, Wen Xiong and Lucien. Centre-back Salman, who turned 21 last Sunday, was also unavailable due to work commitment – but still came down before the match to give his support to the team. The team wishes Salman a happy birthday. May he grow even more hair.

Sanjay was rested due to the recent death threats the team received from fanatical VJ X-country fans who are afraid that soccer would risk his cross-country glory chances.

Versatile player Aaron Ng and destroyer Izzat were two other victims of work commitment; and with Nallu also unavailable due to utter fatigue after a week of deep camouflage in the jungle, MPFC was facing a serious problem of having no selection problem.

In the absence of these players, Azhar, Vishal, Amin and Hafiz was invited to strengthen the team.

The team was further shocked when Terence failed to report with a minute left to kick-off. With a lack of left-footed players at hand, Hithaya was sent to play in the wings, while Peter was drafted in to fill the left-back position.

The stadium set, the pitch was ready; and so were the partial capacity crowd, whose energetic rebana beats could be heard throughout the match.

Starting line-up: Wee yang (Gk/Capt) Siu Sing (RB) Von (CB) Amin (CB) Peter (LB) Firdaus (RB) Azhar (CM) Vishal (CM) Hithaya (LB) Edmund (ST) Haris (ST)

Substitute: Hafiz (unavailable at kick-off)

MPFC got the game underway, but never found their footing early. Instead, it was the opponents who found their rhythm first and had the better of the early exchanges.

SHWT sent wave after wave of attack, but their finishing or final pass was missing that killer touch. MPFC’s defence looked shaky from start, and it was their formidable skipper Weeyang who stood in the way, making saves after saves, from one-on-one situations even.

With the string of relentless attack, a breakthrough was inevitable. SHCT finally broke the deadlock after a goalmouth scramble presented their player a glorious chance with only Von and Weeyang to beat. Of course, these two famed nice bodhies were no easy feat. His first shot was parried away superbly by the goalkeeper, only to see it rebound back to him; and his second, with gloats of luck after an evil deflection off Von, saw the ball at the back of the net. 1-0 to SHCT.

MPFC’s defence got better after that. Amin and Peter were busy making inch-perfect tackles, while Von was constantly pumping and heading up clearances, and Siu Sing was his usual composed self.

MPFC got a glorious chance late into the half when a delicate through pass by Edmund sent Firdaus through. After some hard work fending off a defender, his pass meant for Vishal was over-hit, wasting his initial well-timed run.

Fatigue soon got the better of Von, as he decided to make way for Hafiz just before half-time.

MPFC started off the second half with more self-belief.

Still, it was pure tough luck when SHCT got their second goal. Von had seemed to have the ball well shielded from the opponent lurking behind him, but in a confusion, sees the ball rolling into goal with their goalkeeper stranded.

Shocked from the second goal, MPFC worked harder, and the formidable partnership of Azhar and Vishal brought much-needed composure to the team’s play.

However, MPFC’s spirits were seemingly dampened when two quick goals followed. Some nice flow of football through the middle of the park sent the ball right into goal for their third. And a shot to the bottom right corner later got them their forth despite Von’s last-ditch tackle.

0-4 down, FC Munjen Portugal could not have wished for a worse uphill task.

Still MPFC never gave up, and Peter and Siu Sing were constantly overlapping in the wings and swinging in the crosses to help in the attack. After having much domination and nice link plays plus a few rolling substitution, they soon got the goal that led them to a glorious fightback.

A ball upfield was met by Firdaus who sent a delicate pass across his back to Azhar. His menacingly-curling cross was met by a thunderous left-foot first-time volley by Hithaya that nearly tore the net apart. Superb goal; and one that was destined to spark off a comeback from this rejuvenated side.

Haris, who before the match had signaled his intention to score to be dedicated to someone special, got his wish rightfully granted. A through ball down the middle by Vishal set him through, and his pace was enough to beat the defenders and send the ball into goal.

MPFC continued to fight on, and at the same time occasionally under threat from the opponent’s swift counter-attacks.

Azhar’s thunderbolt from 35 yards in the dying seconds found the net, but it was all a little too late for MPFC. A brave comeback which saw them just a goal shy from an equalizer.

The team was met with an unexpected surprise after the match. Right in the stands was Terence, who had earlier gone missing. He had actually reported for team duty, just that he was perhaps JUST a LITTLE late. His case would be brought up to the board of directors.

-fir