Sunday, May 31, 2009

some stats....

Today's goalless draw with Renaissance was only the 3rd time in ARFC's history that ARFC was involved in a scoreless draw. The previous 2 times were on 28 Jan 2001 and 27 May 2007.

Also, this draw was the first draw for ARFC in the year 2009 (after 20 matches)

ARFC in goalless stalemate with Renaissance

Playing against Renaissance for the 2nd time in 3 weeks, ARFC wasted a hatful of chances to finish goalless in front of 77,777 fans including Anna and Tracie, wives-to-be of Elvis and Guoxiong respectively.

ARFC started with this line-up:

Keeper: Dependable Jinzhong
Right-back: Marauding Boon
Sweeper: Uncompromising Edwin
Stopper: Towering Toh
Left-back: Astute-reading Elvis
Right-mid: Hard-running Guoxiong (captain)
Centre-mid: Hardworking Tong
Centre-mid: Influential Sebastian
Left-mid: Unpredictable Blackburn
Striker: Fearless Jeffrey
Striker: Powerful Alvin

Subs (all late):

Dynamic Soon
Speedy Hee
Hardman Tjioe


Observing that Renaissance was a totally different team from the previous match, ARFC reminded itself not to be complacent. True enough, the opponents were an equal match in the 1st half. Credit must go to Guoxiong for blocking a goal-bound shot in the 37th min. Blackburn also took several shots but to no avail.

In the last min of the half, Alvin broke clear right up to the left penalty box but his square ball was poor and caught by their keeper.

In the 2nd half, Edwin conceded a penalty but it was squandered by their midfielder.

Fired up, ARFC wrested control of the match and was really unlucky with several missed chances. Gradually, ARFC’s influence grew with Tjioe, Hee and Jeffrey impressing.

In the 77th min, Hee robbed their left-back and sent in a wonderful cross to the lurking Alvin who was totally free. However, his 1st touch let him and ARFC down and the ball was cleared.

ARFC could have snatched the winner at the dead. Sebastian chipped in a precise and delicious ball over-the-top to Alvin who faced their keeper one-to-one. With the net yearning for him to burst it, Alvin incredibly side-footed wide!!!

.
Special mention must be given to ARFC’s defence led admirably by Edwin. Men-of-the-match jointly goes to Toh and Elvis who totally shut out their main striker and right winger.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Dynamic Soon in marathon run tonight....

Our dynamic Soon will be taking part in the 42-km Sundown Marathon starting from 12 midnight later.....if free, pl go and lend your support.....

Sunday, May 24, 2009

ARFC won 3rd match in tournament

Playing again at Deyi SS, ARFC won its 3rd tournament match out of 4 matches against Easteroids in front of 77,777 fans including Su and Afiqah, Haron’s wife and daughter.

Bouyed and inspired by MINDEF’s announcement for the new retirement age, both SAF regulars Hock and Jeffrey turned up for this tournament for the 1st time.

ARFC started with this line-up:

Keeper: Dependable Jinzhong
Right-back: Hard-running Guoxiong
Sweeper: Astute-reading Elvis
Stopper: Towering Toh
Left-back: Unpredictable Blackburn
Right-mid: Dynamic Soon
Centre-mid: Hardman Tjioe
Centre-mid: Influential Sebastian
Left-mid: Speedy Hee
Striker: ARFC scoring legend Haron
Striker: Powerful Alvin (captain)

Subs:

Marauding Boon
Mean-machine Hock
Fearless Jeffrey
Hardworking Tong


ARFC drew first blood just mins from the start. A High ball was headed over their defence and goalwards and Haron showed great awareness by moving up from off-side position but did not go for the ball. Tjioe read the move perfectly and moved in from deep and probably put off by Tjioe’s powerful physical presence, their keeper and defender misjudged the flight of the ball which bounced over them. Tjioe managed to get ahead of their covering defender and nicked the ball into the empty net for his 47th ARFC goal. 1-0.

ARFC doubled its lead just mins later. Hee was fouled at the left and Sebastian’s free-kick was met powerfully by Toh. Their keeper managed to keep the ball out by parrying the header but Haron again displayed his world-class awareness by sliding the ball home before anybody can react for his 144th ARFC goal. 2-0

In the 17th min, Guoxiong overlapped, played a one-two with Haron and sprinted clear on the right flank. Seeing Alvin unmarked, Guoxiong squared the ball across goal but Alvin inexplicably side-footed the ball wide!! This miss mirrored Haron’s miss from last week from an almost identical position!!
ARFC continued its relentless pressure and got its 3rd goal in the 20th min. Sebastian played a ball from central area and Haron passed to Alvin. Hearing a shout from Tong, who had just come on for Hee (injured), Alvin rolled the ball perfectly into the path of Tong who powered a beautiful shot that arched over their keeper for his 24th ARFC goal. 3-0.

With a 3-goal lead, Sebastian made 3 substitutions – Boon for Guoxiong, Hock for Tjioe and Jeffrey for Haron.

In the 2nd half, ARFC turned complacent and allowed the opponent to pull a goal back. 1-3

In the 57th min, ARFC nearly scored its 4th goal after very neat play by Hee. With everybody beaten and just an empty net, Haron repeated his horrendous miss last week by placing the ball over the bar much to the chagrin of his wife and daughter!!

ARFC could have scored more goals but all chances were wasted.

Man-of-the-match has to be Blackburn who never gave their right side players any chance at all, though Haron, Toh and Tjioe did very well too.

Special credit too for the good attendance of 15 warriors…..

Friday, May 22, 2009

More congrats to our 2 more women Mt Everest climbers

In addition to our earlier 3 women Mt Everest climbers, 2 more climbers, Sim Yihui and Lee Peh Gee, had also successfully reached the Mt Everest summit.
On behalf of ARFC, heartiest congratulations to them.
Their feat once again reinforced the belief that locally born-and-breed Singaporeans can also achieve the near-impossible and success without any "foreign talents"..........

Thursday, May 21, 2009

ARFC congratulates Singapore Women Mount Everest Team

On behalf of ARFC, I would like to extend heartiest congratulations to our very own all-women Mount Everest Team, comprising of Jane Lee, Lee Lihui and Esther Tan, for conquering the highest mountain in the world on 20 May 09.....
As both Jane and Lihui are staff at Republic Polytechnic, our very own Towering Toh, also a Republic Polytechnic staff, was so proud that he was spotted performing the Macarena dance for 77 mins yesterday at the Republic Polytechnic artificial soccer pitch together with 777 students.....
Two other climbers, Sim Yihui and Lee Peh Gee, are expected to reach the summit on 22 May 09...we wish them all the best....
The feat showed that despite being a small country with limited population, we can still rely on our very own born-and-breed people to achieve success if we put in our hearts, minds, souls, blood, sweat, tears, etc etc etc........

Monday, May 18, 2009

ARFC chalked up 2nd win in Div II league championship

Playing its 1st match at this time in the month of May 09, ARFC chalked up its 2nd win in the Div II tournament match in front of 77,777 at Deyi SS.

ARFC started with this line-up:

Keeper: Dependable Jinzhong
Right-back: Astute-reading Elvis
Sweeper: Uncompromising Edwin
Stopper: Towering Toh
Left-back: Unpredictable Blackburn (captain)
Right-mid: Hard-running Guoxiong
Centre-mid: Hardman Tjioe
Centre-mid: Influential Sebastian
Left-mid: Dynamic Soon
Striker: ARFC scoring legend Haron
Striker: Powerful Alvin

Subs:

Marauding Boon
Speedy Hee


Initially, there were no subs as both subs were late and hence there were fears that ARFC warriors could not hold out due to the searing heat that measured almost 42.77 degrees celcius. Furthermore, Tjioe was spotted partying heavily at the Singapore Flyer the night before to celebrate Man Yoo’s very-lucky title win and his alcohol breath could be smelt from his own home at West Cost even though he was in AMK area.

Within mins, ARFC had already created several chances but were spurned by both Alvin and Haron, the former missed when one-on-one while the latter incredulously hit the post from just 0.77 metres with the goal gaping!! Unlucky, though it was a good sign that ARFC were creating chances and also both of them had gotten into good positions with their runs.

ARFC took the lead in the 17th min. Blackburn’s long ball over the top into their penalty area was latched on by Soon who made a run from deep and managed to nick the ball away from their keeper who was late and brought Soon down. This gave the referee no chance but to point to the spot. Sebastian stepped up and sent their keeper the wrong way for his 67th ARFC goal. 1-0.

After some more misses, ARFC doubled the lead in the 27th min. Sebastian broke clear from the midfield and aided with several decoy runs from Boon and Haron, laid the ball out to the right for the over-lapping Elvis. Without breaking his stride, Elvis sent in a cross ala Cafu which was met with a powerful header from Haron. The ball was tipped onto the bar but Haron persisted and managed to head in the rebound despite closing in by their towering stopper for his 143rd ARFC goal. 2-0.


Midway through the 1st half, ARFC, the opponents and even the referee could not stand Tjioe’s alcohol breath any longer and he had to be substituted!!

In the 2nd half, ARFC continued where it let off and still created chances after chances but were again wasted by Haron, Alvin, Sebastian and other warriors.

The 3rd goal came in the 57th min. Elvis’ (or Guoxiong) ball from the right-back position was superbly flicked on by Boon to the on-rushing Soon who shot was parried by their keeper. The loose ball fell to Alvin and he finally made amends for his misses by easily slotted home the rebound for his 94th ARFC goal. 3-0 and Alvin is on course to be only the 2nd ARFC warrior to cross the century-goal mark!!

ARFC relaxed and was punished when the opponents pulled a goal back. 1-3.

ARFC controlled the match from start to finish and on a better day could have scored another 5 to 7 goals easily. But a win is still a win and ARFC gained another 3 points in the league.

Men-of-the-match jointly goes to Toh, Blackburn and Elvis.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Elvis' ROM with Anna

On behalf of ARFC, I would like to extend heartiest congratulations to Elvis and Anna as they are getting ROM on 22 June 2009 (Mon)......

Their customary wedding dinner is likely to take place in 2010. It is expected that 77,777 Singaporeans and 7,777 Vietnamese will attend the dinner to be fully sponsored by the Singapore-Vietnam Association formed to "enhance ties" with both countries' citizens........

Monday, May 11, 2009

Statistics for Div III League championship

Dear ARFC warriors:

Pl see the stats (only appearances + goals scored) for our Div III Championship season. These might help you to cast your votes for the top-5 ARFC warriors for our awards night later......

I wish to also give special credit to Jinzhong, Blackburn and Alvin for having 100% attendance for this tournament......To me, this is the most important criteria than goals scored.....

Jinzhong - 14 / 0 goal;
Blackburn - 14 / 4 goals;
Alvin - 14 / 13 goals;
Guoxiong - 13 / 0 goal;
Soon - 13 / 2 goals;
Sebastian - 12 / 6 goals;
Haron - 12 / 9 goals;
Hee - 12 / 5 goals;
Toh - 11 / 3 goals;
Elvis - 11 / 0 goal;
Edwin - 11 / 3 goals;
Hock - 11 / 4 goals;
Tjioe - 10 / 1 goal;
Bernard - 10 / 0 goal;
Tong - 9 / 0 goal;
David - 7 / 0 goal;
Khim - 6 / 4 goals;
Boon - 3 / 0 goal;
Jeffrey - 3 / 1 goal;
Kiat - 2 / 0 goal;
Huiming - 1 / 0 goal

Cheers.....

Update of ARFC DVD

Dear ARFC warriors:

So much have happened since our last DVD. Hence, I am planning to do an update on our DVD.

You have already seen what were included in our previous DVD. However, if you have any additional information/data/pictures that you would like to be included, please send to my e-mail at punkjunkdunk@hotmail.com.

Hope to have any of yours soon.....

Cheers....