Chun Haw's wonder goal could not prevent ARFC's 1st defeat in 2023

 Playing on the excellent pitch at SJI, ARFC fell to its first defeat in 9 matches in 2023 after losing 3-6 to SGX Utd on a rainy day on 24 Sep 2023 at 9 am.

 

As it was a morning match, no supporters turned up.

 

ARFC had to call up 2 guest players (Syed and Delon) due to poor responses.  Thankfully, Chua turned up at the 11^th hour to play.

 

ARFC took to the pitch with this 4-4-2 line-up:

 

Jersey No.:	Name	Position
1	Agile Zhi Chong	Goalkeeper
xx	Syed (guest player)	Right back
3	Astute-reading sweeper Elvis	Sweeper
15	Towering Toh	Stopper
6	Unbeatable Darren	Left back
16	Marauding Guoxiong	Right mid
7	Influential Sebastian (captain)	Centre Mid
23	Talented Chun Haw	Centre Mid
xx	Delon (guest player)	Left Mid
9	ARFC Scoring Legend Haron	Striker
99	Powerful Alvin	Striker
Substitutes:
19	Skillful Wei Lit (late)
66	Vintage Chua (late)
Missing In Action:
2	Remarkable Rashid
4	Dynamic Soon
5	Energetic Kerwin
8	Precocious Javier
10	Sublime Khim
11	Speedy Hee
13	Talisman Derrick
14	Combative Ron
17	Nippy Kenny
18	Determined Huiming
20	Composed Eng Lai
26	Rampaging Raymond
27	Left-foot wizard Kejendran (KJ)
28	Hard-man Tjioe
29	Flying Fremont
31	Wonder Wayne
77	Dependable Jinzhong
78	Steely Tze Ern
98	Impeccable How Meng

 

 

Both teams were equally matched in the opening 15 minutes with both teams teasing and testing each other with passes though no headway was made by both teams.

 

However, the opponents grabbed a 2-goal lead with their first 2 shots at our goal.    0-2.

 

Chun Haw then pulled a goal back after some exquisite thinking, technique and power. 

 

After they scored their 2^nd goal, ARFC was preparing to re-start.  However, Chun Haw spotted their GK daydreaming and with a swing of his right foot, he whacked a high curling ball directly from the kick-off point that saw the ball sailed high over the entire opposing team and nestled nicely into the net!!!!    World class goal that stunned everyone.

 

1-2 and this was Chun Haw’s 110^th ARFC goal.

 

The half-time scored stayed at 1-2.

 

In the 2^nd half, ARFC nearly equalised 7 mins after the re-start.  Chun Haw, who has been superb all day long, found Guoxiong with a searching ball down the right.  As Guoxiong was preparing for a cut-back, Wei Lit made a call for the call and ran towards the near post. Guoxiong duly dragged the ball back which saw Wei Lit dummied the ball for Chun Haw, who was coming in from deep) to side-foot a powerful slicing grounder that eluded every opponents and their GK.   Alas, their stranded GK was totally relieved when the ball just rolled agonisingly wide of the left post!   Totally unlucky but what a great move.

 

The opponents scored another 2 goals to lead 4-1.

 

ARFC did not give up and pulled another goal back.

 

After exchange of play down the left between Darren, Wei Lit and Delon, Delon spotted Guoxiong’s galloping down the right and duly found him.  Guoxiong showed incredible first touch by seizing on to the ball, moved ahead of their defender before being upended by the defender in the box.

 

Alvin then notched his 357^th ARFC goal by firing a rising cannon to the top left corner of the goal that no GK in the world could have saved it.  2-4 now.

 

By now, ARFC was tiring which was not helped by Syed’s injury.  The opponents also fully utilised their 22-men playing roster by rotating their substitutes, giving them a superior fitness advantage aided by the rain-soaked pitch.

 

Hence, it was no surprise that ARFC conceded another 2 goals to trail 2-6.

 

ARFC did not give up and continued to press for goals. 

 

ARFC was rewarded when Darren’s long ball into the box was spilled by their GK.  Alvin showed predatory instinct when he reacted fastest to the loose ball before faking a shot that left their GK with his back on the ground.  With their covering defender on the line, Alvin took his time before calmly stroking the ball into the net for his 358^th ARFC goal.  3-6

Man-of-the-Match is jointly given to Darren and Chun Haw.

Soon nets ARFC's 2300th ARFC Open team goal in 2-1 win

 Playing Deaf United for the very first time, ARFC eked out a hard-fought 2-1 victory on 3 Sep 2023 at 5 pm at the very hard Pei Haw Sec Sch pitch to preserve its 8-match unbeaten run in 2023.

 

ARFC was supported by Tiara, Dylan and Gina (Elvis’ children).

 

ARFC took to the pitch with this 4-5-1 line-up:

 

Jersey No.:	Name	Position
29	Flying Fremont	Goalkeeper
66	Vintage Chua	Right back
20	Composed Eng Lai	Sweeper
14	Combative Ron	Stopper
6	Unbeatable Darren	Left back
16	Marauding Guoxiong	Right mid
7	Influential Sebastian (captain)	Centre Mid
4	Dynamic Soon	Centre Mid
2	Remarkable Rashid	Centre Mid
10	Sublime Khim	Left Mid
9	ARFC Scoring Legend Haron	Striker
Substitutes:
3	Astute-reading sweeper Elvis
15	Towering Toh
19	Skillful Wei Lit
xx	Syed (guest player)
xx	Akid (guest player) – Rashid’s son
Missing In Action:
1	Agile Zhi Chong
5	Energetic Kerwin
8	Precocious Javier
11	Speedy Hee
13	Talisman Derrick
17	Nippy Kenny
18	Determined Huiming
23	Talented Chun Haw
26	Rampaging Raymond
27	Left-foot wizard Kejendran (KJ)
28	Hard-man Tjioe
31	Wonder Wayne
77	Dependable Jinzhong
78	Steely Tze Ern
98	Impeccable How Meng
99	Powerful Alvin

 

 

ARFC totally dominated the early exchanges with Haron coming very close with a narrow miss in the 2^nd minute.

 

ARFC then squandered 5 corners in almost quick succession.

Khim then looked to have opened the scoring when he went one-on-one with their GK but the latter produced an incredulous save to deny Khim.

 

The history repeated itself 7 mins later when Khim found himself through on goal after cleverly eluding their defence’s line.  However, their GK stuck out his right foot to block Khim’s shot that seemed destined for goal. Unlucky Khim!

 

ARFC then made a string of substitutions with Elvis, Toh and Syed replacing Eng Lai, Ron and Guoxiong respectively.

 

Minutes later, Wei Lit took over from Khim.

 

ARFC was then made to pay for its profligacy when the opponents scored from a corner routine. 0-1

 

Fremont then kept ARFC in the match when the opponents a stiff grounder that took a wicked deflection off Elvis and looked to be ended up in the net.   Fremont was already heading the other way but somehow he managed to twist his body back and produced an outrageous sprawling save to his left to turn the ball away for a corner.

 

Simply world class save!!!

 

ARFC continued to press for the equaliser and Haron came close again with 2 chances while Rashi hit a curling shot but could not trouble their GK.

 

ARFC’s relentless efforts finally paid off after both Wei Lit and Rashid pressed their right back in their half.  The loose ball found its way to Soon who brought the ball inwards before calmly guiding the ball at the right bottom corner that left their GK rooted to the spot.  1-1 now and this was Soon’s 98^th ARFC goal.

 

Soon’s goal was also the 2300^th ARFC goal from Open team matches. A great milestone indeed!

 

The half ended 1-1.

 

In the 2^nd half, Khim went 3^rd time unluck when he wriggled free on the left but shot straight at their GK.

 

Syed then produced a stunning overhead kick from a corner but the ball just sailed agonisingly wide.

 

Rashid then dribbled past 2 opponents down the right but could only smack a shot against the right post.

 

Haron was next to miss when his shot went slightly off tangent.

 

ARFC finally grabbed the breakthrough in the 67^th min.

 

Rashid slalomed his way past 3 opponents before releasing Wei Lit with an exquisite slide rule pass.  Wei Lit gleefully latched on to the ball and slotted past their GK. 2-1 and this was Wei Lit’s 21^st ARFC goal, putting him on level terms with ex-ARFC warriors Hock and Jiong Jiong.

 

7 mins later, Wei Lit had a chance to double his tally after he ran in from deep to receive a through ball.  With their GK rushing out, however, Wei Lit could only lift the ball over the bar.

 

For this match, Haron played the full match and led the line extremely well and was really unlucky not to score.

 

Man-of-the-Match is jointly given to Rashid and Haron.

Birthday boy Tjioe the bedrock in ARFC Veterans' 4-1 win over Republic Poly staff team

 

Playing its 2^nd Veterans match in 2023, and playing its 35^th Veterans match overall, ARFC Veterans made light work of the Republic Polytechnic staff team with a well-earned 4-1 victory at the magnificent pitch at Republic Polytechnic on 28 Aug 2023 at 7 pm.

 

Both teams agreed to play at 3 30-min periods for the match.

 

ARFC Veterans was supported by:

 

·       Lingzhi – Ron’s beau

·       Akid and Daiyan - Rashid’s sons

 

ARFC welcomed back old guards Kiat and Daniel after their long hiatus, and also Rashid from his horrendous knee injury suffered a few years ago.

 

Credit to Darren, Haron and Tze Ern for volunteering to be GK for the 1^st, 2^nd an 3^rd period respectively.

 

Kudos to Eng Lai too who turned up after running 6 km just hours earlier in the day.

 

Special mention to Tjioe as well who came to play on his actual birthday and turned down birthday celebrations planned by his wife.

 

ARFC Veterans started with this 4-4-2 line-up:

 

GK – Darren

RB – Guoxiong

Sweeper – Elvis

Stopper – Toh

LB – Chua

RM – Soon

CM – Rashid

CM – Sebastian (captain)

LM – Tze Ern

SC – Alvin

SC – Haron

 

Subs:

 

Ron

Eng Lai

Daniel

Kiat

Tjioe

 

 

ARFC Veterans was at the front foot fright from get go and Haron and Alvin combined with wall-passes that created mayhem in their penalty box.  Alas, the ball was eventually scrambled away by the opponents.

 

From a left corner, Sebastian’s delivery was right into the 6-yard area but unfortunately, no ARFC warriors connected.

 

ARFC Veterans opened the scoring with Tze Ern the main architect.  He brought the ball down the left flank and exchanged wall passes with Alvin.  Alvin’s initial shot was saved by their GK but thankfully, the rebound fell kindly back to Alvin who paused before calmly placing the ball to the far corner. 

 

1-0 and this was Alvin’s 355^th ARFC goal, with 9 of those from Veterans’ matches.

 

7 mins later, Soon had a great opportunity to double the lead.  After bursting through on goal from a ball by Haron, and with their GK at his mercy with no defenders closing in, Soon hurried his shot straight at their GK.  Unlucky but what a lung-bursting run into the box.

 

Toh was next to miss a glorious opportunity after he glanced agonisingly wide from Sebastian’s corner on the right. 

 

The 1^st period ended 1-0.

 

In the 2^nd period, ARFC Veterans made a series of changes and was indebted to Haron who made 2 stunning saves.

 

Upfront, Kiat fired 2 missiles from distance and was really unlucky not to score.

 

However, it is fair to say that the opponents had the upper hands in the 2^nd period.

 

The 2^nd period remained 1-0.

 

In the 3^rd period, ARFC Veterans finally extended its lead 4 minutes after the re-start.  Chua did well to stop a ball and passed to Guoxiong.  Bringing the ball 3 metres ahead, Guoxiong looked up and hit an outrageous over-the-top ball ala Trent Alexander Arnold into the area just outside their penalty box.  Haron did very well as his cunning run to his right pulled an opponent away.  Concurrently, Alvin dashed in from the left and with their other defender confused, Alvin simply waited for the ball to bounce once before unleashing a outside right foot belter volley over their despairing GK.  This is a goal that bear some resemblance to Torres’ goal against Sunderland back then.

 

2-0 and this was Alvin’s 356^th ARFC goal, with 10 goals from Veterans’ matches.

 

Almost immediately, the opponents pulled a goal back. 2-1 now.

 

Elvis then showed all what he is made of when he faced their striker one-on-one.  Their striker tried his best to twist and turn Elvis but Elvis simply stood his ground and focused on the ball.  When their striker finally tried to dribble past Elvis’ inside, Elvis simply stuck out a leg to block the ball, followed by dribbling the ball away from their striker.  What a stunning defensive move that even Paolo Maldini would be very proud of.

 

Rashid then took the sails out of the opponents’ wind when his corner led to ARFC Veterans’ 3^rd goal in the match.  From the left, he swung in a left-foot beauty to the near post which saw Soon popping up and planted home a brilliant header!

 

3-1 and this was Soon’s 97^th ARFC goal which included 12 goals from Veterans’ matches.

 

At this juncture, Sebastian gave a debut to Rashid’s 15 year-old son, Akid.

 

Inspired by the presence of his son, Rashid chalked up another assist.  Again, his corner from the left sailed over every one and headed to the far post.  Toh powered in before stooping low at the far post to thump home header which saw both him and the ball in the net! 

 

4-1 and Toh has now scored 108 goals, including 4 goals from Veterans’ matches.

 

Haron almost put the icing on the cake after he wriggled his way through the left byline. Haron then tried to do a typical Mo Salah move with a curling shot to the right far post but their GK somehow just got a very faint touch to the ball to keep it out.  Unlucky Haron!

 

In the dying moments, Tze Ern produced a stunning right hand save to deny a certain goal from the opponents.

 

All in all, it was a good controlled performance from ARFC Veterans and the Man-of-the-Match is jointly given to both Tjioe and Soon.

 

 

These are the top 5 scorers only for ARFC Veterans’ 35 matches:

 

1.    Raymond – 18 goals

2.    Haron – 15 goals

3.    Darren – 13 goals

4.    Sebastian – 12 goals

5.    Soon – 12 goals