Playing under a very cooling weather at the magnificent artificial pitch at Tampines SAFRA, ARFC recorded a come-from-behind 3-2 victory against a very good team powered by a Messi-lookalike player.
The victory was witnessed by Anna and the lovely wife and daughter of Soon.
ARFC started with this line-up:
GK - Weili (guest keeper from Rendezvous FC);
RB - Hard-running Guoxiong
Sweeper - Elegant Edwin
Stopper - Towering Toh
LB - Astute-reading Elvis
RM - Sublime Khim
CM - Influential Sebastian
CM - Hardworking Tong
LM - Nippy Kenny
SC - Powerful Alvin
SC - Unpredictable Blackburn
Dynamic Soon only arrived after the match started.
ARFC was troubled by their speedy and tricky player whose playing style is exactly like Messi (no joke!). However, ARFC's defence held firm and was ably supported by the midfielders.
In the 20th min mark, Khim asked to be substituted as he was exhausted due to long-term hiatus as a result of his new-born child. In came Soon to thunderous applause from the fans, with Sebastian switching to right-mid.
However, ARFC fell behind after their forward was given too much time and space to turn and shoot past Weili. 0-1.
Toh was cautioned in the 1st half after he sent their player flying with a hard-hitting tackle.
Khim then came back on for Kenny who suffered from cramps in the 30th min.
Blackburn came close on 2 occasions but was unable to score and the half-time remained at 0-1.
ARFC was determined to find an equaliser and it duly arrived in the 57th min. The ball found its way to Kenny, who just came in for Blackburn just minutes earlier, at the left flank. Kenny managed to find some space to fire in a shot that took a wicked deflection and wrong-footed their keeper for his 3rd ARFC goal. 1-1 now.
Strangely enough, ARFC fell behind again almost immediately after their "Messi" broke the off-side trap to tap past Weili. 1-2.
ARFC's desire to find the 2nd equaliser looked to have ended after Toh was given an early shower after being shown the 2nd yellow card for yet another heavy tackle though the decision was really questionable. The opponents, however, sportingly allowed ARFC to put in another player and Blackburn came back on.
Nevertheless, Kenny again succumbed to cramps and was out of the match, leaving ARFC with just 10 warriors.
ARFC's equalised again in the 77th min after Alvin's corner from the left was only half-cleared. Soon latched on to the ball just at the top of the box, eluded their player with a clever switch from right foot to left foot, and then lofted the ball home with his left foot over their despairing keeper for his 22nd goal. Wonderful goal that had his daughter erupting into laughter.
The best was yet to come 7 mins from time. Alvin shielded the ball expertly in the box and managed to wriggle free from their sea of defenders. The ball rolled out to just at the right edge outside the 6-yard box and he lookd to have lost his footing. Thankfully, Soon came from nowhere and side-footed the ball across their keeper and into the far bottom left-hand corner for his 23rd ARFC goal. This time round, his wife and daughter both cheered non-stop for 7 mins.
This was a match where ARFC showed its true character by fighting back from 1-2 down with 10 warriors. In defence, Guoxiong had yet another great game by shutting out their "Messi" rather effectively. The midfield also played one of its best match and Khim provided the skill and composure which the ARFC fans have been missing. Khim also covered at left-back for the latter part of the match after Toh was sent off. Even Blackburn played like the 10 years ago Blackburn. Tong combined well at central mid. Soon was his usual industrious self with his superb harassing and at times, strong tackles. It was really unfortunate that he was pipped to the Man-of-the-Match award by Alvin, who not only caused trouble to their defence throughout, but also put in great efforts to help close down their players. Particularly, his hold-up play that created the winning goal.
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