Match #28 (31 July 10): A Futsal 7 - 4 Scoreline!

Whenever we conceded 4 goals this season, we lost. It was thus rare indeed that we conceded 4 this time but walked away winning. However, if we had played for another 10 minutes, Mainland Chinese might have reversed the score.  It was quite a team effort. I meant getting the players. With only 9 players including a guest 2 days before the match, the team chipped in. Brandon offered to do his Ashley Cole/Glen Johnson acts, Mike unearthed Samuel as keeper and Bernard, who used to guest-play for us many years ago, Teck Chye brought in Eddie from Galacticos, and Rock recalled Kwok Khuen out of retirement. In the end, we had 14.

1H was durian-harvesting season, largely due to Mainland Chinese's atrocious goalkeeping. A miscued cross from KH dropped into the net with the keeper hopelessly out of position. That opening goal said so much of our luck. Mike then got ahead of the static keeper to nod in the ball at near post, courtesy of the in-swinging corner from KH. Weng Khong brilliantly ran onto a through ball to beat the keeper for goal No 3 and Teck Chye scored his 3rd goal in 3 successive matches, a delicate chip over the stranded keeper. Guest player Bernard walloped in our 5th goal. Mainland Chinese's 1st goal owed it to the sympathetic referee who refused to rule an obvious offside. 5-1 at Half-time.

We thought it would be a breeze in the 2H, especially when Simon capitalised on their horrendous defending to put the ball into the open goal from long range for No 6. Mainland Chinese reduced the deficit to 6-2 but Simon quickly restored the 5-goals margin when he converted a square pass from KH. 7-2. Mike, for all his good work, was however remembered for the miss of the season by a margin....just imagine, you all know there is a high fence behind the goal post. KH's square pass beat the keeper and reached Mike. 6 yards from open goal and yet, Mike scooped the ball not just over the goal post but over the fence behind the goal post. Now, you can imagine how wide the margin is :)

Mainland Chinese finished strongly towards the end, scoring 2 goals and piling pressure onto us with their stepped-up effort. It was too late for them though. A seemingly comfortable winning margin, the last 10 minutes were, however, not exactly comfortable to us.