Powered by powerful Alvin’s (pun fully intended) brilliantly-taken brace, ARFC came from behind to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory over K-1-K at Serangoon SS in front of 77,777 fans.
ARFC started with this line-up:
Keeper: Dependable Jinzhong
Right-back: Hard-running Guoxiong
Sweeper: Astute-reading Elvis
Stopper: Towering Toh (captain)
Left-back: Unpredictable Blackburn
Right-mid: Hardworking Tong
Centre-mid: Dynamic Soon
Centre-mid: Influential Sebastian
Left-mid: Sublime Khim
Striker: Speedy Hee
Striker: Powerful Alvin
Subs:
Combative Ron
Hardman Tjioe
Ron was called up to assist as there were not enough warriors to form a team initially. Thankfully, Soon’s trip to Hong Kong (attachment to Happy Valley FC) was cancelled due to the flu and Guoxiong also recovered from dengue fever to take the field.
ARFC met K-1-K twice in the 3rd Division of the same league last year and both times, K-1-K provided stiff opposition. This time was no different and ARFC knew it would have its hands full playing them. True enough, the opponents impressed with some slick passing and movements and ARFC was all at seas in the opening minutes.
However, the first real threat came from ARFC after Alvin was fouled just outside the penalty box on the left. Sebastian stepped up and curled the free-kick beyond the wall but the ball struck the left-hand post and rebounded to Tong. Tong latched on to the rebound and calmly slotted home but the referee incorrectly ruled that Tong was off-side when in fact Tong had came in from an on-side position. Real unlucky!!
The opponents opened the scoring after a mix-up in the ARFC defence, resulting in Elvis netting an own goal. 0-1 which stayed as the half-time score.
ARFC was determined to put things right in the second half so as not to disappoint the fans who braved the flu to attend the match. Thus, ARFC came out with fire in their pot-bellies.
7 mins after the re-start, ARFC drew level after an exquisite slide-rule through pass to Alvin who took a touch, shrugged off their defender’s challenge and shot home with his right-outside foot for his 96th ARFC goal. 1-1
ARFC took the lead just mins later. Jinzhong, who had a superb match, punted a long kick right over their defence but Alvin still had lots to do. Using his well-trained upper muscular strength, he fended off their defender’s shirt-tugging and pulling ala Didier Drogba to fire home his 97th ARFC goal, sparking off wild celebrations in the stands. 2-1 now.
ARFC could have scored its 3rd goal but Khim was once again unlucky to struck the wood-work. Alvin could have also scored his hat-trick but his curling shot came off the post.
ARFC was indebted to Jinzhong who came up with a stunning one-hand save from their powerful drive from almost 30.7 metres. He also came up tops with a couple of great saves to preserve ARFC’s lead.
Man of the match is jointly given to Elvis (who showed us the art of great defending ala Franco Baresi with his commanding display) as well as Jinzhong whose saves were really world-class ala Gordon Banks.
No comments:
Post a Comment