Lacking Passing but not Passion.

KDU College vs Chinese Wanderers

Adrian
Prashant - Fajar - Viet - Mikez
Lam
Acik - New Guy - Karthee
Ali - A2

It was going to be an interesting first half with 4 debutants (Acik, New Guy, Ali, A2 - sorry forgot your name) and 2 fairly new players in Prashant and Karthee. However with the experienced core of Adrian, Fajar, Viet and, even, Lam in front of goal, I thought it was worth seeing what the new guys could bring to the KDU tactics table.

Yes, that's the tactics board. Now with missing magnets!

As it turned out, it was a fairly neutral game - KDU College couldn't break down Chinese Wanderers and Chinese Wanderers couldn't break down KDU College. Of the two goalkeepers, Adrian certainly had more to do but I don't think there was anything for him to consider as a serious risk to goal. The red team also had the better passing by along way whilst the blue team really struggled to combine anything together - I don't think they managed to make 4 passes in a row in the whole 35 minutes.

However the highlight of the first half was the near brawl on the pitch between Mikez and the Chinese Wanderers player manager. Nobody had a clue what triggered it but there was a lot of shouting going on between the little and large man. We thought it was all over but after the Wanderers number 9 kicked out at Mikez after he had tackled the big guy, the shouting started again - and coach Derek had to walk Mikez out before the match was abandoned. However the coach also felt that the referee should have sent off the number 9 for a very deliberate attack on Mikez's heels.

To Mikez's credit, he apologised and talked to the referee at the half time break - during which the whole outfield team was turned around too.

Second Half Team:

Adrian
Bill - Chong - Mou Kheng - Sam
Derek - Muneer - Ren
Samson
Hung - Jay

It was a more solid side in midfield but a more inexperienced back line. However KDU College were actually able to make the keeper worried about the security to his goal - which actually wasn't that hard after a lacklustre first half. Indeed KDU got the first goal of the match after a run and cross by Derek down the left actually caused some danger in the Wanderers penalty area. After bouncing around the edge of the box, Hung lashed out at the ball and it flew past the goalkeeper's right hand with no chance of him saving it.

During the first 15 minutes, there only looked to be one winner. Derek had 2 snap shots from outside the area but both lacked the necessary curl and accuracy. Muneer was also put through by the left winger and if he had left his legs on the floor, he would have been given a penalty. Being a sensible man though, he elected to jump and not have any of his legs damaged.

However the game petered out for the KDU attack after this - for some reason, more long, high balls were being played up to Hung and Jay (and later Derek) whose game didn't really suit it - especially on a small bumpy pitch where the defence left little space behind them to exploit. Vincent did find himself in excellent crossing areas but failed to supply anything like a decent ball both times.

Bill seemed a bit preoccupied at left back (possibly thinking about German girls?) and generally there seemed to be a lack of communication (i.e. no shouting / talking) between Chong, Mou Kheng and Sam despite them all playing for the same junior team. This all led to Adrian being brought into action. He had to make 3 great one on one saves - one after Bill inexplicably passed to the centre forward, the other two were in quick succession after a long ball caught out the young right back, Sam, in the last minute of the game.

Heng (red shirt) was invited to play for us but he ended up on the red team instead!

Adrian might have broken the Wanderers hearts but Heng broke the deadlock for the maroon shirted team. The one thing any team should ever ever ever be wary of when Heng is on the ball is his left foot. Obviously the youngsters had never played against him before and obviously didn't know this. The 30 year old striker wriggled his way free from Bill before curling an inviting ball into the centre - which one of our young defenders sliced past our own goalkeeper!

Whilst one one was a fair reflection of the match , the KDU coach was quite worried about how bad the passing of the blue shirted players was - especially in the first half. It really truly showed how much training everyone needed - both individually and as a whole group. How can you expect to have good interplay between players when you've never seen your fellow team mate play before? It is impossible to come for matches, play well together immediately and be happy with your own performance - which is what KDU players have been doing in the last few matches.

Final result: KDU College 1 vs 1 Chinese Wanderers

Penalties

Penang Sports Club vs KDU College

The referee checks his watch but Penang Sports Club make one last foray into the KDU half in a desperate attempt to pull back that goal that they've been chasing all match. The Indian PSC midfielder, Chris, gets the ball to feet just inside the KDU half and accelerates in a straight line towards the arc of the blue's penalty area. Our Omani strongman, J.J., is shoulder to shoulder to him every step of the way but the Indian guy is fast. He slows down 10 yards outside the box, then puts on another burst of speed - J.J. now his hand to Chris's shoulder to him pursues him, half a step behind. J.J.'s centre half partner, Derek, reads the situation and sprints across to block the shot that will come and then the final whistle will surely blow, his first half penalty conversion being the winning goal.

But then everything happens so fast. The referee's whistle is heard. There is no shot. There are only bodies on the floor, a blur of action a second before. Chris is lying on the grass within the boundaries of the 18 yard box. J.J.'s voice said it was outside but everyone's eyes are only drawn to one thing. The referee's arm. It is horizontal, pointing towards the white spot twelve yards from Tony's goal line. The same small circle where KDU had taken the lead is now the same spot for Penang Sports Club's redemption.

It seemed cruel.

The young legs of the blue shirts had done so much to deny the swarming attacks of the yellow shirts for so long in the 2nd half. Pressured. Denied. Followed. Blocked. Saved. Viet. Bill. Lam. Au. Dayrion. Tony. All conscious of their movement, all straining every sinew to prevent the ball from passing them and ultimately Tony. Keon aiming to do the same to the Indian PSC goalkeeper, Jimmy and Samson being the link men, but the slim striker failed with shots missing their target, with shots too close to the custodian. But with his legs pounding the grass and chasing every of the 30 balls directed it at him, it was a wonder that Keon had any energy at all to fire the ball at all.

However it was Hoong's legs that proved to be the 1st half downfall of Penang Sports Club after quick feet brought him and the ball to the penalty area. A rash challenge, a cut in his running stride, the ball on that spot. And now Penang Sports Club found themselves with the ball on the same spot. A large portly man in a yellow shirt stepped up - Steven. Fifty years of age and feeling every day of it as all eyes were drawn to his run up. The KDU goalkeeper dived early to his right in anticipation but the ball was driven high into the roof of the net. And down went the hopes of a first win for KDU FC against the experienced and talented players of Penang Sports Club.

A draw that felt like a loss. But a coach proud of all his players that wore the blue shirts.

Penang Sports Club 1 vs 1 KDU College

Teaching Them A Lesson

KDU 4 vs 3 PFS Teachers

Venue: Penang Free School
Scorers: Chern 2, Derek, Hoong

1st Half Team:

Adrian
Vick - Samson - Viet - Fajar
Gavin - Derek - Norman - Dayrion
Hong - Chern

2nd Half Team:

Adrian
Adam - Karthee - Prashant - Jay
Mikez - Derek - Myrat - Lam
Max - Hoong