Toh's landmark 100th ARFC goal in 2-2 draw

Playing its last match in 2018, ARFC was unlucky to draw 2-2 against Eagles FC at The Arena pitch.

ARFC was supported by Tiara and Dylan (Elvis’ children) and Lingzhi and Rio (Ron’s wife and son) for the match.

ARFC started with this line-up:

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

ARFC fired the first salvo when Tjioe let fly from 30 metres but their GK read his shot well.

The opponents then put up some good fight and was able to match ARFC in the opening 10 mins.  Retired Warrant Officer Sunny then produced a stunning low save to deny their striker.

ARFC then won a free kick about 37 metres on the left from their goal.  Sebastian then bend in a wicked curler that looked destined for the top corner until their GK leaped and palmed the ball away for a corner.

From Blackburn’s corner, Toh just failed to connect cleanly.

The opponents then took the lead when their 1.97 metres tall forward headed in a corner. 0-1

ARFC did not panic and responded immediately. Darren’s long throw-in from the left caused a mayhem in the box and the ball was half-cleared to Sebastian outside the box. Sebastian then teed up Guoxiong whose shot was just slightly over the bar.

Kenny then fired in a shot from almost the left touchline but the ball skimmed the crossbar.

In a quick switch of play, Darren passed the over to Alvin who then laid the ball for Sebastian. With a no-look pass, Sebastian put Guoxiong through with a perfectly-weighted diagonal ball which Guoxiong read perfectly. Unfortunately, their alert GK was quick to sprint out from his line and blocked Guoxiong’s sliding shot for a corner.

ARFC almost equalised in the 27 min.  Guoxiong, who was having a monster of a game down the right flank, chipped in a world-class hanging ball into the box.  Haron, who was deployed a centre mid role to fully utilise his intelligence, dashed in from deep and leaped highest to plant a firm downward header that had the crowd shouting for goal.  Unfirtunately again, their GK was equal to the task and produced a flying save to deny Haron.

In the 2^nd half, ARFC continued to press with Kenny and Wayne linking up very well.

Darren then pinged a long ball down the left for Kenny who eluded their defender with his speed. Kenny continued down the left flank and after hearing a call from Wayne, who had made a telling run into the box, squared the ball across.  Their recovering defender then turned the ball into his own net before Wayne could pounce.  1-1 and it was the 36^th own goal conceded to ARFC.

Wayne then made a perfectly-timed low ball for Kenny who again sped past their defender.  However, his lift and shot volley was just 0.77 cm over the bar.  What a move between the front two.

Sebastian then fired a poor free-kick about 0.77 cm over the bar.

After some relentless pressure, ARFC finally took the lead deservingly.  Sebastian took a quick throw-in on the right to Wayne.  Holding off the opponent very well, ala Didier Drogba, Wayne turned and crossed the ball into the box. Kenny’s shot was blocked by their impressive GK but thankfully, the ball spun upwards into the air and Toh was at the right place and time to nod the ball home into the empty net. 2-1 and this was Toh’s 100^th ARFC goal! 

With the landmark goal, Toh has become the 7^th member in the ARFC Centurion Goal Club.  What a fantastic achievement, especially since Toh is playing as a Stopper!

ARFC then conceded a late equaliser though their goal-scorer was at least 2 metres offside when he scored. 2-2

The only dampener of the match was that Soon suffered a fairly serious knock to his ribs.

Wish to highlight Kenny too as he had made several runs back to midfield area to rob the opponents off the ball on several occasions.

Voting results:

Kenny – 13

Guoxiong – 6

Soon – 6

Sebastian – 5

Chua – 3

Darren – 3

Ron – 3

Elvis – 3

Toh – 2

Wayne – 2

Tjioe – 1