Soon, Chua and Darren powered ARFC Veterans to 3-1 win

Playing its 13^th veteran match, ARFC Veterans fought hard to emerge 3-1 victors against the OVA Veterans Team thanks to inspired performances from Soon, Chua and Darren.

ARFC Veterans was hit by late withdrawals of Derrick and Kiat and had no choice but to call up Rashid.

Sebastian also turned up despite being down with illness for the past 2 days.

ARFC Veterans started with this 4-5-1 line-up:

GK – Haron

RB – Huiming

Sweeper – Eng Lai

Stopper – Toh

LB – Chua

RM – Raymond

CM – Rashid

CM – Soon

CM – Tjioe

LM – Darren

SC – Blackburn

Subs:

Sebastian

Tze Ern

Hee

Within 7 mins, Tjioe fired 2 long-range missile which flew just wide.

ARFC Veterans also kept the opponents in their half for the first 20 mins.  The opponents totally could not get into our half and was almost breathless caused by ARFC Veterans’ breath-taking display.

In the 17^th min, ARFC Veterans took the lead which was so pleasing in the eyes. From Haron’s goalkick, the ball went to Chua at left back. Chua then passed to Darren at left mid who then passed to Rashid in the left-middle. Beating one opponents, Rashid then curled a precise grounder to Soon who had dashed in from centre mid area. Soon then used his right outside foot to bend a grounder past their GK.  What a stunning and flowing team movement. 1-0 and this was Soon’s 78^th ARFC goal.

Huiming, who had an impressive display, then sent a long ball down the right for Raymond.  Selling their left-back a dummy, Raymond flew down the right bye-line before crossing to the far post.  Darren came in from the left but managed to send the ball to row Z, probably not helped by the awkward bounce of the ball.

Hee and Tze Ern then came on for Blackburn and Raymond respectively.

With just 2 mins to go, Sebastian replaced Soon who requested to be taken off after taking a knock.

In the 2^nd half, ARFC continued its hold on the match though the opponents began to be more threatening.

7 mins into the 2^nd half, Sebastian sent a free-kick into the danger zone but Toh just narrowly failed to connect with a header.

Rashid then produced several cross-field balls to the flank but ARFC Veterans could not benefit from those balls.

ARFC then looked to have doubled its lead when Tze Ern's world-class corner was hit right into any GK's most dreaded zone (between penalty spot and 6-yard box).  Haron met the ball perfectly to beat their GK but the referee incorrectly ruled that Toh had impeded their GK. Unlucky!

With 10 mins to go, the referee cruelly awarded a penalty to the opponents after their striker; shot saw the ball hit Eng Lai’s hand which was clearly a ball-to-hand.  Tjioe, who gamely volunteered as a GK for the 2^nd half, could not keep out their penalty. 1-1

ARFC Veterans then woke up from its brief slumber and quickly regained the lead.  Rashid found his way on the left and fizzed a long cross-field ball to the right. Their GK came out to challenge for the ball but Raymond somehow managed to reach the ball first before guiding the ball home. 2-1 and this was Raymond’s 16^th ARFC goal.

3 mins later, ARFC finally out the result beyond reach of the opponents. Haron and Darren combined to harass their defence and Soon was the ultimate beneficiary when the loose ball found him about 20 metres away from goal. Soon then nonchalantly lifted the ball over their GK for his 79^th ARFC goal. 3-1

Though ARFC Veterans did not play that well, the victory was still deserving.  Eng Lai’s first-half commanding performance as a sweeper was probably the best we have seen him, while Chua continued to defy and betray his age with his supremely dominating display as left-back.

Darren also continued to show that he equally as good a left winger as left-back, while Raymond’s and Tze Ern’s energy was as power as ever.  Tjioe also souped all 1^st and 2^nd balls in the first half, while Soon was all over the pitch as always, with Rashid providing the creativity outlet.

Huiming, Toh and Sebastian put in assured display in defence, while Hee, Haron and Blackburn teamed up nicely with the midfielders as well.