ARFC in credible 3-3 draw with SG Legends team at Jalan Besar Stadium

 

Playing for the very first time at the pristine Jalan Besar Stadium, ARFC led slipped a 3-goal lead to draw 3-3 against the SG Legends team comprising all the ex-Singapore internationals like Tay Peng Kee, super-sub Steven Tan, Rafi Ali, Zulkarnean Zainal, Samawira Basri, Nahar Daud and some others.

A total of 21 ARFC warriors turned up for the 7 pm match. ARFC was supported by these supporters:

• Caren and Kaizaree Jade-Eden Tan (Sebastian’s family)
• Sandy and Megan (Tjioe’s family)
• Joy (Kenny’s wife)
• Melissa (Hee’s wife)
   
  First of all, kudos to Haron for coming to play despite being a 3^rd-time father few days earlier in the week.
   
  Prior to the kick-off, the SG Legends decided on a 30/30/30 format.
   
  ARFC field this team for the first 30-min “half”: 

Jersey no.	Name	Position
45	Commanding Ismail	Goalkeeper
14	Combative Ron	Sweeper
15	Towering Toh	Stopper
31	Vintage Chua	Right-back
6	Unbeatable Darren	Left-back
16	Marauding Guoxiong	Right-mid
78	Steely Tze Ern	Left-mid
7	Influential Sebastian	Centre-mid
10	Sublime Khim	Centre-mid
99	Powerful Alvin	Striker
17	Nippy Kenny	Striker
Subs:
2	Unpredictable Blackburn
5	Impeccable How Meng
8	Talented Chun Haw
9	ARFC Scoring Legend Haron
11	Speedy Hee
20	Composed Eng Lai
21	Rampaging Raymond
28	Hard-man Tjioe
33	Talisman Derrick
66	Wonder Wayne
Absent:
3	Astute-reading sweeper Elvis
4	Dynamic Soon
18	Determined Huiming
19	Skillful Weilit
77	Dependable Jinzhong

 

Probably fired up by the pitch, ARFC flew off the blocks and immediately pegged the experienced SG legends team back. 

Within 7 minutes, ARFC opened the scoring after some intricate passing.  Khim released Guoxiong down the right flank and the latter broke their off-side trap.  Winning the duel with their GK who had sprang out from his line, Guoxiong spotted Tze Ern coming in from deep and his cross found Tze Ern in no man’s land. Though there was a covering defender on the line, Tze Ern’s exquisite chip-cum-shot sailed over that defender into the empty net.  1-0 and this was Tze Ern’s 13^th ARFC goal, moving him level with Elvis.  

ARFC doubled its lead 2 minutes later.  Chua, who had made the right-back position his own after some recent sterling displays, hit the ball down the right channel for Kenny to chase. Kenny broke free from their covering defender and fired in a stinging shot.  Their GK only got a hand to it and Alvin gleefully snapped up the loose ball to place the ball into the unguarded net.  2-0 and this was Alvin’s 275^th ARFC goal.

7 mins later, ARFC tripled its lead.  Guoxiong won a challenge just outside their box and played in a slide-rule grounder to Kenny.  Showing incredible speed and movement, Kenny simply lofted the ball over their on-rushing GK for his 66^th ARFC goal. 3-0 

ARFC could have scored its 4^th goal but Tze Ern’s close-range effort was correctly ruled out for off-side. 

Sebastian then almost repeated his free-kick goal-scoring feat on the same Jalan Besar Stadium pitch (his previous free-kick at JBS was for SHHK against the MP team about 2 years ago).  After Kenny was yet again fouled, Sebastian stepped up but saw his superb curling effort brilliantly clawed away by their flying GK.  Unlucky! 

This is the line-up for the 2^nd 30-min “half”: 

Jersey no.	Name	Position
33	Talisman Derrick	Goalkeeper
20	Composed Eng Lai	Sweeper
5	Impeccable How Meng	Stopper
16	Marauding Guoxiong	Right-back
66	Wonder Wayne	Left-back
21	Rampaging Raymond	Right-mid
11	Speedy Hee	Left-mid
8	Talented Chun Haw	Centre-mid
28	Hard-man Tjioe	Centre-mid
2	Unpredictable Blackburn	Striker
9	ARFC Scoring Legend Haron	Striker
Subs:
6	Unbeatable Darren
7	Influential Sebastian
10	Sublime Khim
14	Combative Ron
15	Towering Toh
17	Nippy Kenny
31	Vintage Chua
45	Commanding Ismail
78	Steely Tze Ern
99	Powerful Alvin
Absent:
3	Astute-reading sweeper Elvis
4	Dynamic Soon
18	Determined Huiming
19	Skillful Weilit
77	Dependable Jinzhong

 ARFC conceded a goal. 3-1 

Derrick then produced a flying save from a stinging Steven Tan shot.  

ARFC then conceded another goal. 3-2 

Derrick then stuck out a leg to deny a close-range effort from the SG Legends.  

Up front, Chun Haw let fly a missile from 30 metres but their GK palmed out for a corner.  

Toh then replaced Guoxiong who seemed to be tiring, with How Meng moving to right-back.

Haron demonstrated some nice touches and almost scored a goal. Raymond and How Meng combined down the right flank to square the ball into the box.  However, Haron’s touch was a tad too heavy when he scooped his shot just wide.  Wasted! 

ARFC field this team for the first 15 mins of the last 30-min “half”:  

Jersey no.	Name	Position
45	Commanding Ismail	Goalkeeper
14	Combative Ron	Sweeper
15	Towering Toh	Stopper
31	Vintage Chua	Right-back
6	Unbeatable Darren	Left-back
8	Talented Chun Haw	Right-mid
11	Speedy Hee	Left-mid
7	Influential Sebastian	Centre-mid
10	Sublime Khim	Centre-mid
99	Powerful Alvin	Striker
17	Nippy Kenny	Striker
Subs:
2	Unpredictable Blackburn
5	Impeccable How Meng
9	ARFC Scoring Legend Haron
16	Marauding Guoxiong
20	Composed Eng Lai
21	Rampaging Raymond
28	Hard-man Tjioe
33	Talisman Derrick
66	Wonder Wayne
78	Steely Tze Ern
Absent:
3	Astute-reading sweeper Elvis
4	Dynamic Soon
18	Determined Huiming
19	Skillful Weilit
77	Dependable Jinzhong

The 1^st 15 mins of this “half” was very evenly matched and both teams were going after each other’s throat to deliver the killer blow.

ARFC was really unfortunate when Kenny was 7777% brought down by the defender just near the 6-yard area.  The young referee, already appeared to blow for a penalty as the whistle was already in his mouth, seemed intimidated by the SG Legends players and waved play on!!! Unbelievable call!  

At the 76^th-min mark, this is the ARFC line-up: 

Jersey no.	Name	Position
45	Commanding Ismail	Goalkeeper
20	Composed Eng Lai	Sweeper
5	Impeccable How Meng	Stopper
2	Unpredictable Blackburn	Right-back
66	Wonder Wayne	Left-back
21	Rampaging Raymond	Right-mid
11	Speedy Hee	Left-mid
16	Marauding Guoxiong	Centre-mid
28	Hard-man Tjioe	Centre-mid
33	Talisman Derrick	Striker
9	ARFC Scoring Legend Haron	Striker
Subs:
6	Unbeatable Darren
7	Influential Sebastian
8	Talented Chun Haw
10	Sublime Khim
14	Combative Ron
15	Towering Toh
17	Nippy Kenny
31	Vintage Chua
78	Steely Tze Ern
99	Powerful Alvin
Absent:
3	Astute-reading sweeper Elvis
4	Dynamic Soon
18	Determined Huiming
19	Skillful Weilit
77	Dependable Jinzhong

Within mins, ARFC conceded a real clumsy penalty which was converted by Zulkarnaen Zainal. 3-3 

The closing minutes passed by without much goal-mouth action. 

Voting results:

Alvin – 15

Kenny – 15

Khim – 8

Darren – 7

Guoxiong – 6

Tze Ern – 5

Ron – 3

Sebastian – 2

Chua – 1

Toh – 1