great start to the season
Saturday, March 15, 2008, 6:51 PM
on sat, my team (elias park fc) played our first game in the nfl division 3 league. we were up against pioneer csc who just got promoted into division 3 from the islandwide league. it was their first ever match in nfl division 3. both side was gunning for the first win of the season. a little bit more information abt pioneer csc was that they were the last year's inter-con champion. furthermore, they also had a few former sleague players too. but we were not afraid becoz we also had sleague players in our team too. our starting eleven except for the left back, all had sleague or prime league experience in the highest level. ok..back to the match.. we were controlling the whole game from the start to the end as pioneer csc didnt really threaten us. only on a few occasion from their set piece but also rarely coz us my trouble. i was kind of disappointed when coach darren read out the starting line-up becoz i was deployed to play as a defensive midfielder instead of a striker. but its ok. i understand why he wans me to be there after he explain to me. i was kind of worried abt my new position coz i dun have experience playin as a defensive midfielder. guess what.. my inexperience of that position showed big time as whenever the ball comes to me, i will just clear it away or kick up field even though i had time (which i duno) to hold the ball. only on a few occasion i mananged get a simple pass goin. half time was 0-0 as we had countless of half chances. we were very uptight wif our plays as everyone was trying their best to get the first goal. we were quite nervous in our play whenever we attack. but second half was better after our coach pointed out the problem to us. the game was still 0-0 and i worried that it might end tat way. soon, the coach made our team's first sub and i was relieved from my defensive mid position duties... i was back to my normal role of a striker. but that will not last long. i guess about 5mins into my striker role, i was chasing the ball down the right flake and one of their defender came in with a hard tackle on my ankle which twisted it kind of badly. i knew it was a bad injury as my ankle hurts. i look at the damn bloodly fu**ing ref and ask him that defender's tackle on me dun worth a yellow card for him??? the ref was a lousy ref for the match. i got no choice as i dun wan to just get injured and sub out. i stand up and continue the play hobbling around forcing my ankle to be normal. but it was a blessing in disguise that im still on the pitch as later i would involve in our goal. my teammate, hanafi, was down at the right flake and cross a high ball into the penalty box. i knew i could not reach it as it was too high but when i saw their gk trying to come out to catch the ball, i purposely just stand there and knock him down. i thought the ref would give a freekick to them for the challenge of the gk but he didn't and my teammate, faizal, who as at the far post got the simplest of task to head into an open goal. it was a crucial and impt goal. we finally broke the deadlock! 1-0 we were leading. after that goal, i only last for 5mins before the coach took me out. at least i knew that i've done my job n went out. but my ankle was hurting very badly and i expect it to a bad injury. the remaining of the match, we just hold out the match n waste time by goin to the corner flag. 1-0 we won the match. it was great to get a win from our first match. now gota look forward to our next match against summerville which we lost to them 3 times last year (twice in the league n once in the FA cup) furthermore, i heard that their coach of the team is noor ali (the geylang sleague player). it would be an interesting clash. but hopefully my ankle can recover in time. but at the current moment, my ankle is still swollen badly. haiz.. duno will miss my 1st match for elias park fc or not. kaoz... if miss hor, i will be damn disappointed one. i keep my finger cross...
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Soccer...Like Duh!!