Scorers; Dinesh headed in a corner by Khai Khai off a freekick he won himself Rahman at the backpost connecting to Aizad's cross Aiman dribbled in off Wan's long ball Khai assisted by Feroz Aiman assisted by Aizad Dinesh assisted by Shy
MOM; Feroz - like Aiman said, "I wouldnt want to be on his opposing side."
Al Caliph were to play their 2nd match of the new season, with another league debutant, a young team with the name of Hougang Panthers. Beatty Secondary was the venue. The un-kept all natural grass field was reminisce of the early 2000s where Astro Turfs was un-heard of.
Quietly confident or to a certain extent complacent on hearing of the 6-3 mauling of the Panthers on the hands of OMU, Al Caliph began the game on the back foot. Panther’s diminutive midfield and fast strikers were controlling the game as Al-Caliph sat deep. Then against the run of play like true champions, Al Caliph managed to squeeze in 2 quick goals from Dinesh and Khaguero. Despite Panthers attacking abilities, their defence and more notably their keeper were not up to par, and Al Caliph punished them.
However, the lead was short-lived as Panthers managed to pull back one, to make it 2-1 before Rahman restored the 2 goal cushion from a goal mouth scramble. Even though Al-Caliph was leading, the Panthers were still controlling the midfield and it was from midfield they scored their 2nd goal to make it 3-2, and the score remained that way till half time.
Then the moment that changed the game came - the half time team talk. Gaffer instructed all to pull up their socks and to stop “flinching” in midfield. That team talk coupled with the Khaguero’s self-proclaimed all inspiring huddle saw a different Al-Caliph at the start of the 2nd half.
With more urgency on pressing the man on the ball, the Panthers was on the back foot for large periods of the 2nd half. With no space and time to play, Panther’s midfield slid to oblivion and Al-Caliph’s midfield and strikeforce raised to prominence with an assured display that allowed Al-Caliph to knock in 4 goals courtesy of Aiman (2 goals), Khaguero and Dinesh who was no doubt inspired by his GF watching from the sides. The defence, Shafiq, Zaf, the rotating fullbacks and Wan in goal was on resolute form stopping the sporadic advances of the Panthers in the 2nd half.
2nd half score 4-0. Final score 7-2. One short of the gaffer’s half time target of 8-2. Much better than what Spurs could yield the night before, thus he didn’t really complain.
*Pardon the grammatical mistakes if any, this was done in 15 minutes with a toddler on hand. Family time after a good football game, that’s exactly how I pictured a perfect Sunday.
by Feroz