Keppel Monaco

FULL REPORT BY KEN WONG

Full Time: ODS 8 - 2 Keppel Monaco (Half Time: 2-1)
Scorers: Liang Han (x03), Mark Teo (x02), Kiran (x01), Elango (x01), Ken Wong (x01)
Man Of Match: Liang Han (9votes!!! I wonder if Liang Han voted for himself...) The man personally has testified that he will not be so thick skin like Mr K.W who voted for himself.

Having rested for one Saturday, most of the players are experiencing boredom for their previous Saturday evening. Mark Penu who didn't read the blog, turned up last Saturday only to realise that there was no game. (Hopefully, more people will read the blog from now on.)

Despite the heavy downpour, ODS players' spirits are not dampen. Definitely not Ken Wong (he abandoned attending a Victoria School Concert Band concert and not playing for the alumni band), who arrived at 4pm on his motorbike under the pouring rain. (Talk about COMMITMENT and DEDICATION!!!)

Today also saw the return of some "veterans" players who has just returned from their "international" call-ups. And Elango made his presence felt almost immediately when he ordered Melvin to come in black socks for the next game, otherwise he would be benched.

Elango then name the starting line-up, starting the game himself, and leaving Kiran on the bench, only because he doesn't want to partner Mr Sng in the second half. He still strongly believes, their partnership doesn't work as well.

Before the match kicks off, captain-cum-team manager Mr Sng said that today's game will be on a rolling substitutions system for ODS. (I think this is much to Liang Han's delight, read on to find out why.)

Starting XI
Keeper: Kumar
Def (L-R): Tony, Mark Penu, Rosk, Kee Yong
Mid (L-R): Irwin, Melvin, Mark Teo, Ken Wong
Att: Elango, Liang Han

The game kicks off. ODS, despite a week break and missing some key players for this match, does not look the least bit rusty, dominating the game early on and missing a couple of chances.

First chance fell to Liang Han, who could only shoot at the keeper on his first attempt. Next was Elango. From a shot by Liang Han, the keeper could only do as well as to parry it out. Elango did the follow-up, and shot from a tight angle. But his shot was palmed away to safety by the keeper. Ken Wong was the culprit next. After a beautiful cross from the left by Irwin, Ken Wong failed to bring the ball under control and volley the bouncing ball wide of the target.

Shortly after, ODS conceded a corner. During this corner, the opponents did well to hassle inside the penalty area, with one player shooting from 15yards out, which Kumar did well to push it out for another corner. For a moment, it looked like it was going in, top corner, until Kumar's big hands showed safety there.
Failing to learn from this mistake in lustre in marking, ODS was punished. The opponents took the corner, and Kumar came out strong to punch the ball, but the ball fell to an unmarked player who blast the ball for the opener from 11yards out.

0-1

Not wanting to be pushovers, ODS Liang Han did his fair share of pushing. Ken Wong played a nice ball to Liang Han, but Liang Han had this pest opponent stuck to him like a leech, therefore, Liang Han did some pushing and out muscle the opponent, but his shot went straight at the keeper's legs.

Ken Wong then provided another beautiful pin-point cross for Liang Han, with the ball landing at his feet just outside the penalty area. But Liang Han was unable to score on this occasion, shooting at the keeper again.

Perhaps, Liang Han likes to score difficult and spectacular goals.
From a throw-in, Ken Wong threw the ball to Liang Han who had his back facing the goal and an opponent sticking to him. But Liang Han was able to turn his marker, and shot with his left foot, into the side netting at the far post.

1-1

Immediately after his goal, Liang Han substituted himself out for Kiran.

And Kiran proved he is just as good as the person he replaced, scoring after coming onto the pitch for 5minutes. Irwin played a pass in between the defence, and Kiran run on to meet it, taking the ball away from the oncoming keeper in the process, before tapping it into an empty net.

2-1

Kiran's involvement in the game ended shortly after his goal. Racing to meet a long ball, he crashed into the keeper and twisted his ankle in the process. He had to be helped off the pitch.

Matthew made his rare appearance, coming on for the injured Kiran.
Matthew's towering physical size intimidated the opponents.
He won a free kick from 40yards out, which Ken Wong ambitiously tried, but missed the target completely.

Half Time

During half time, Ken Wong was questioning Liang Han, on his misses (poor finishing according to Kiran). Which Liang Han said, it was very difficult, as he had to do a lot of pushing. He was saying and describing it as he pushed Ken Wong's head.

Second Half XI
Keeper: Kumar
Def (L-R): Yang Song, Mark Penu, Rosk, Kee Yong
Mid (L-R): Irwin, Matthew, Mark Teo, Melvin
Att: Mr Sng, Liang Han

After the restart, ODS ran riot.

Liang Han got his second from a cross by Melvin from the right. What seemed to be a harmless cross was not dealt with by the keeper and the defender, who appeared to have some mis-communication and allowed the ball to roll slowly past and in between 2 of them. Liang Han seized this chance and tapped the ball into the empty net.

3-1

Next was Mark Teo. After a scuffle in the penalty area, Mark Teo took a shot from the edge of the box that went into the top corner.

4-1

With victory seemingly in the bag, Liang Han and Mr Sng took their exit and in went Tony and Ken Wong.
Tony went in to right back, Ken Wong in right midfield, pushing Kee Yong and Melvin up to attack.

Opponents replied back, with a chip that caught ODS static, and calling for offside, and the opponent just ran through and finish it with a goal.

4-2

Liang Han made use of the "rolling substitution" and came in for Tony.
He then turned provider, crossing from the left to Mark Teo who made a good run into the box, and meeting the ball first time with a tap-in.

5-2

Elango came in for Melvin.

With defeat looming in the opponents' minds, they pushed their back line even higher, and it was very flat.
ODS took advantage of that, and the strikers did dummies, standing still when the ball is being played, with the midfielders ran through to meet the ball.

Mark Teo had a chance to get his hat-trick, but his run ended up with the ball getting stuck under his legs, and he shot wild.

But Liang Han would get his. With a simple chip from midfield, that saw both Ken Wong and Liang Han breaking free from the opponent's offside trap and chasing for the same ball.
Liang Han took a fast shot from 35yards away and lobbed the keeper for his hat-trick... IN STYLE!!! His number 16Th goal so far this season.

6-2

Liang Han assisted in another goal before making his FINAL exit from this game. He squared the ball from the left to Elango who took a first time shot that saw the ball sailing into the top right hand corner to mark his return to ODS with a goal.

7-2

Liang Han FINALLY made his exit and in came Tony. Direct replacement this time, meaning Tony was playing as a striker. At this moment, many ODS are really keeping their fingers crossed, as Tony promised a celebration dinner if he scored.

Dribbling the ball to midfield from defence, Rosk chipped the ball over the opponents' defence. Ken Wong beat the offside trap again and beat the defender for pace showing him his clean set of heels. One on one with the keeper, and Ken Wong calmly (and COOLLY) slotted the ball past the keeper in the near post, scoring his third goal in as many games. This is also his third goal of the season. Two more to the target Osman set for him. (Osman, are you reading this??? I'm serious about reaching that 5goal mark!!!)

8-2

With little time left on the clock, ODS did not seem like they are contented to just play the ball around and wait for the final whistle. Perhaps we all want Tony to score. Thus, the attack continued.

Mark Teo crossed the ball for Ken Wong to chase. And Ken Wong was able to nip the ball past the defender. He was clear on goal but he UNSELFISHLY squared the ball to Irwin who was waiting and shouting and unmarked at the far post. But all Irwin could manage to do is hit the post from that (close) range.

The ball bounced off the post and fell to Tony. Tony did a "faint" and shook off the defender and cannoned a powerful shot at the top corner. Perhaps Irwin is a really strong (but BAD) influence, and Tony followed suit, hitting the post with that shot!!! And there goes the dinner for the team.

That was the last action for this game.

There will be NO games for the next 3weeks.
We will resume on 28/06/08, and we will be playing a Vietnamese team.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to urge all players to read this blog regularly, and if possible leave a comment or 2.
It is not easy to write all this reports, especially when ODS is scoring so many nowadays, it's getting kind of hard to remember all the actions.
Perhaps you can provide some form of encouragement to the dedicated reporters of this blog, so at least we know that there are people who do read our blog.
(I think I deserve a reporter of the year award!!!)