Rantau Rovers

Full Time: ODS 6 - 2 Rantau Rovers(Half time: 4 - 0)
Scorers: Ken Wong(x01), Liang Han(x03), Osman(x02)
Man Of Match: Tony

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Starting Line-up
GK: Kumar
Def (L-R): Tony, Kiran, Mark Penu, Ken Wong
Mid (L-R): Osman, Irwin, Gary, Yang Song
Att: Liang Han, Vincent

Today, we saw the return of Vincent to action after almost more then a year. But he did not expect the sort of "welcome" from Elango, as the moment he stepped out of the car, Elango was there to greet him, by saying that he was in the wrong colours. Fancy getting a "warning" for wrong attire on his return...

Game started with ODS enjoying majority of the possession, seeming contented to just play the ball around with no urgency of wanting to go for goal.

Occassionals quick attacks from the flanks left the opponents chasing for the ball, and they had to make a few changes early in the game in order to keep up with us.

A goalmouth scramble resulted in a corner.
Yang Song went over to the left side to take the corner. With a beautiful in-swinger, a totally unmarked Ken Wong was lurking at the far post. And he made no mistake, floating high up into the air, and with a glancing header, headed the ball into the side netting and opened the flood gate for the goals to come.

1-0

The opponents had no answer to our style of football. Especially when the defence was super tight, they find it hard to penetrate through, be it on the flanks, or direct through the centre.
In-form Tony cut out all the balls on the left, and even had a few chances to show off his skills, shaking off the opponents, dribbling the ball around them.
Kiran and Mark Penu were the walls for today. Kumar hardly had any saves to make.

A long clearance from Ken Wong found Osman sprinting down the left. Osman took the ball down under control, and dribble past the defenders before slotting the ball past the keeper with his right foot. And my, he made that looked simple.

2-0

The third goal came from Liang Han, who did what he does best, using his body to shake off the defenders and a direct run towards goal, and placing the ball beyond the reach of the keeper.

3-0

Tony read the game well, and intercepted the ball, before passing it to Irwin, who with one touch, played the ball into space for Osman to run onto it.
Osman after bringing the ball under control, unselfishly laid it for Liang Han who was waiting in the six yards box who tapped home for an easy goal.

4-0

Vincent almost marked his return after almost a year of injury, when he was set up for a header. He timed his run perfectly, and was in perfect position and height to head the ball. BUT he closed his eyes at the crucial moment, and the ball brushed against his head and went out for a goalkick.

Half Time

Second Half XI
Keeper: Kumar
Def (L-R): Tony, Chee Man, Mark Penu, Ken Wong
Mid (L-R): Osman, Aidil, Gary, Elango
Att: Liang Han, Kee Yong

ODS restarted the game. And ODS were playing the ball around themselves, with the opponents not too keen on chasing after the ball.
But a weak pass allowed the opponents to intercept the ball. And a hopeful cross down the middle had one of the strikers and Mark Penu both chasing after the ball.
Mark Penu managed to muscle off the striker and was expecting Kumar to come off the line to pick up the ball.
But Kumar was waiting Mark Penu to clear the ball. This miscommunication allowed the striker to sneak in again, and stole the ball from Mark Penu and put the ball past Kumar.

4-1

The opponents seemingly more encouraged with that goal, pressed on a bit harder.
A similar long ball down the middle, and one of the strikers and Mark Penu were chasing for the bouncing ball again.
This time round, Mark Penu headed the ball back to Kumar, but Kumar, on this occassion, came off his line to pick up the ball. But when Mark Penu headed the ball back, he headed the ball past Kumar, and collided into him.
The striker then have the easy job of ensuring the ball goes into the open goal with the easiest of touches.

4-2

Worried by the comeback, ODS started to pick up more pace in their game.
Liang Han was working hard for his hat-trick, perhaps trying to catch up with Osman in the scoring board for the total goals tally. And at times, he seemed to work too hard, with his arms flying everywhere and his body charging into the opponents. There was an incident, where his elbow knock the midfielder down, and the opponent was not too happy with that sort of challenge.
But Liang Han was lucky to get away with a warning only.

Osman then unselfishly set up Liang Han for his hat-trick, releasing Liang Han, who managed to stretch his leg out, despite a strong challenge from his marker, and toe-poke the ball past the on-charging keeper.

5-2

Gary then came off, and in came Irwin again.

With the match winner already decided at this point, the opponents were waiting for the game to end.
But the game has not ended until the final whistle is blown. And ODS continued to rant down the attacks, and Osman, yet again, wanting to be the provider, crossed the ball from the byline for Ken Wong who was waiting in the six yard box, but the keeper anticipated that, and parried the ball away at full stretch.

Osman would get his second goal of this evening, from a free kick about 20yards out. He curled the ball powerfully, and the keeper tried to tip the ball over the bar, but the ball was too powerful, and he could do nothing except see the ball fly past him into the back of the net.

6-2

Game has not ended. Not yet. And that was when a corner from Osman found Tony on the edge of the box. Tony met the dropping ball with a half volley using his left foot, (that kind of remains me of Zidane's goal from Beckham's cross from the corner, during Beckham's first season at Real Madrid) but his effort was just off the target.

Game ended after this.

Tony won the man of the match with 6votes, for his brillant defending and occassional attacks, and playing a full 90minutes!!!
Salute to Tony. You are getting younger!!!

And we welcomed back Vincent. But please remember that our attire is black shorts and black socks.

And Melvin was fined $5 last week for the wrong attire yet again, despite repeated warnings from "discipline master" Elango.