Taking on Team BI for the 3rd time this season, ARFC took the lead first before losing 1-2 to Team BI, the reigning Div I League champions. The heart-breaking loss was witnessed by Anna, Cerine, Tracie and Irene, babes of Elvis, Jinzhong, Guoxiong and Alvin respectively.
ARFC started with this line-up:
GK - Dependable Jinzhong
RB - Hard-running Guoxiong
Sweeper - Astute-reading sweeper Elvis
Stopper - Towering Toh (captain)
LB - Unbeatable Darren
RM - Dynamic Soon
CM - Combative Ron
CM - Influential Sebastian
LM - Tricky Yoong
SC - Powerful Alvin
SC - Speedy Hee
Sub: Unpredictable Blackburn
ARFC was determined to put up a better show than its previous loss to the formidable Team BI. In the 17th min, ARFC took the lead after clever inter-play between Yoong, Alvin and Hee resulted in their defender handling the ball ala John Terry from Hee's flick ball. The referee had the easiest decision to point to the spot. Elvis stepped up and placed the ball to the right of their keeper who got a touch but could only touched the ball on to the post and the ball went in off the post. The goal, Elvis' 12th ARFC goal, also extended his unprecedented 100% penalty-taking record of 5 succesive kicks in as many matches. 1-0
ARFC then conceded a foul and they scored from the direct free-kick. 1-1
ARFC could have regained the lead when Yoong, who had an impressive match, was chopped down near the left by-line. Sebastian, who just had his theraphy session on his yet-to-be-fully-recovered left knee just this morning, floated in a high hanging ball which was missed by their keeper and defenders. Unfortunately, Ron's header rebounded off the cross-bar and was denied his first-ever ARFC goal. Unlucky!!
Team BI then scored again. 1-2
Jinzhong then pulled off 2 world-class saves in succession. First, he brilliantly tipped a fierce shot over the cross-bar and moments later, he got down quickly to block another venomous shot.
Half-time 1-2.
In the 2nd half, Jinzhong produced yet another world-class save after their pacy and tricky winger cut in from the right and unleashed a rising curling shot that looked to end up in the top right-hand corner. Jinzhong flung himself at full-stretch and tipped the ball over. Simply world-class and Singapore legend David Lee would be very proud.
ARFC did not give up and continued pressing for an equaliser. Yoong nearly capped his good performance when he came in from blind side to bring the ball, from Blackburn's right cross, down superbly. However, their keeper was quick off his line to smoother his shot. Unlucky!
Hee and Alvin were then denied after craving out some half-chances.
As the match progressed, the aging ARFC warriors started to tire out and the only available sub situation did not help its cause. Hence, the younger and hence fitter Team BI has more of the ball but was unable to pierce through the brilliant ARFC defence of Elvis, Toh, Darren and Guoxiong. Particularly, both full-backs did very well to keep them at bay.
This was a match where ARFC gave Team BI the best fight than its previous matches. Under such trying circumstances, the whole team did very well and Yoong finally showed ARFC fans why he was recruited with his best display for ARFC today from his few matches for ARFC. Soon also showed very acute tactical awareness by sticking to his position. Both forwards also performed well with their constant harassment.
Man-of-the-Match goes to Jinzhong for his 3 world-class saves.
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