No stars, but still a star-studded performance

REPORTED BY Ken Wong
Full Time: ODS 3 - 2 Ex Singapore Poly 70-80s (Half time: 0 - 0)
Scorers: Liang Han, Faisal, Mark Teo (pen)
Man Of Match: Liang Han

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Starting Line-Up GK: Kee Yong
Def[L-R]: Hairy, Zabi, Mark Penu, Tony
Mid[L-R]: Osman, Faisal, Matthew, Mark Teo, Ken Wong
Striker: Liang Han

2nd Half Line-Up GK: Kee Yong
Def[L-R]: Hairy, Zabi, Mark Penu, Irwin
Mid[L-R]: Aidil, Mark Teo, Matthew, Fhirhad
Striker: Liang Han, Faisal

No stars, no issue.
ODS still gets the job done, through sheer class, determination and hard work.

Cheen Ming and Leonard may have to be contended with a spot on the bench when they return next week.

Opponents were asking if our speedy winger is coming today, if I'm not wrong, they were referring to Cheen Ming, but they failed to realise, we have got other plans prepared.

ODS started the game with 11players on the pitch and none on the bench.
But not long into the game, Osman had to be taken off because of his old injury.
Thankfully, Aidil chose today to return to action. And he took over Osman on the left midfield.

Both sides were playing cautiously, not daring to be over adventurous for fear of leaving too much gap at the back.
Osman later described the first 60minutes of the game as a typical Italian Serie A football match in the 80s, with both teams playing very disciplined football with fear of making mistakes.

The opponents were wasteful in their finishing, shooting wide on a few occasions.
On chances that they did manage to put on target, Kee Yong proved to be still the reliable man in between the sticks, pulling off fine saves after fine saves to deny the visitors.
Over at the other end, the keeper was hardly tested.
Liang Han did have 2 chances, the first, after a brillant flick-on by Ken Wong.
Ken Wong returned to action today after a chest injury, and determined to prove his worth to the team, was pushed up to support the attack. Faisal sent a cross forward to Ken Wong who had his back facing the goal. Ken Wong then cleverly flicked the ball to his left into Liang Han's path, and Liang Han was unfortunate to shoot into the side netting.

His next chance was when he robbed the ball off the defender after a poor goal kick, but his effort was directed straight at the keeper.

Matthew had a near miss as well, trying to connect with a Faisal's free kick, but his header was inches wide off the far post.

Towards the end of the first half, Ken Wong launched a counter attack after picking up a loose ball in midfield. He found Aidil on the left, but the final cross was disappointing as Liang Han, Ken Wong and Faisal were racing into the box, expecting the cross to come in.

That pretty much sums up the first half.

Second half, we saw the debut of Fhirhad in left midfield.

And we found a new partnership, one that might be even more dangerous with the usual Elango-Liang Han strike partnership.

With Liang Han spearheading the attack and Faisal support the attack, there seems to be more action in front of goal.
Or perhaps, it's because Faisal's wife is here to watch him for the first time, and Faisal is extra hardworking today.

Just as the game appears to be settling for a 0-0 draw, Liang Han's quick thinking and his quick feet won the ball after a poor back pass from the defenders. He rounded the keeper, and calmly slot the ball into goal.
The celebraion was wild and everyone was delighted at the goal.

1-0

And if you thought that goal was good, Faisal's goal was even better. He won the ball from midfield, skipped past a few challenges, and spotted the keeper off the line, His 40yards effort caught the keeper by surprise and the ball sailed neatly over the keeper into the goal. Simply world class.

2-0

Victory was secured, almost, but not without a scare.
There was a weak call for penalty as Mark Penu appeared to have handled the ball just inside the box.
The opponents pulled one goal back from the spot and game was on again.

2-1

But ODS's class was too much for the opponents to handle, Liang Han alone was more than a "handful".
He evaded the challenge of the first defender and waited for the second challenge to come in as he was then tripped. He fell "heavily" and a penalty was awarded to ODS.
Mark Teo stepped up and his composure ensured his coolly taken penalty went in.
Once again, Gary was not around to learn the "art of penalty taking".

3-1

But the game is not over yet, ODS was punished for some slack marking and the opponent pulled another one back.

3-2

ODS had a late scare when Kee Yong spilled a low shot. It had appeared to be a routine save but he failed to gather the ball, as the ball roll through his hands and in between his legs. Everyone held their breath as the ball rolled slowly past the far post.
PHEW!!!

Ken Wong then came back in for Mark Teo, and together with Liang Han, their immerse pressure up front limited the opponent time and space to pick up their own players or even to deliver decent crosses.
Full time whistle went out and ODS came out on top, despite missing some "stars".

After the game, Osman commented, "if I ever have to name the line-up, Tony will always be the first name I think of, and he will always be the first person I name into the starting 11, followed by Liang Han."