Soccer-for-Bibles Report [1st May]

The Soccer-for-Bibles tournament took place on Labour Day. Information on the tournament can be found here. It was extremely hot when both the Pandas and Panthers turned up at Tampines Stadium for the start of the tournament. After kitting up and some warm-up, the formal programme started with Aldersgate Methodist leading us in worship and Professor Ernest Chew sharing a short message, summarised by the term S.M.S. - Study (God's Word), Meditate & Succeed.

The 1st match of the tournament was between Team Managers and the Sponsors. Maurice and I took the field to use this as a warm-up. The match finished 1 - 1. From then on, the Pandas (Group B) and Panthers (Group C) started off their campaign. I will report on the Panthers matches while Pandas journey will be recounted by Jeremy Sin.

Panthers Squad:
4. Kevin 6. Jeremy Tan 9. Rusydi 22. Joel 25. Kris 27. Kee Min 69. Marcus 72. Leong Loo 74. Rajseran 83. Marvin 88. Bevan

Report:
Our campaign started off against St. Andrew’s Community Chapel (SACC). We decided to employ a 2-4-1 formation in order to win the midfield battle. However, against this slightly older team who employed the 'long ball game' we had to quickly adapt by deciding to launch long balls to ST Jeremy Tan. The match was fairly even and only a wicked shot from an opponent caused GK Kris to deflect the ball into the goal to give SACC the lead. We pressed to equalise and from a set-piece, an SACC player pushed Jeremy in the box, awarding us a penalty. Rajseran stepped up to the spot but his kick was well parried by the SACC GK. We certainly thought it was not going our way, but received a 2nd penalty after another nudge on Jeremy. This time, Rusydi made no mistake with the kick, ending the match 1-1.

Thinking we had started our campaign well could have lapsed us into complacency, especially when our 2nd opponents, Wesley Methodist Church (WMC), stepped onto the pitch with a mish-mash of uncoordinated jerseys. We were certainly taught a footballing lesson by them. Their speed and passing sliced our midfield up time and time again. On 1 attack, I remember Marcus and me having to deal with up to 4 opponents in the box. When the dust had settled, we we lost by at least 5 - 0.

Match 3 against Church of Victory (COV), familiar faces from the Agape Cup. Against this slightly older team, we had more space to play the ball on the ground and control the match. Some neat passing between Marvin and Jeremy on the left enabled Jeremy to steer the ball into goal for a 1-0 lead. We were in control all the way until the last moments of the match, where a COV player managed to get a shot off amidst a see of players, and the ball found its way right in the corner of our goal. Another draw meant that we had only 2 points from a possible 9.

Our next opponents were supposed to be Teen Challenge, but they did not turn up for the tournament. Also, we bade farewell to Rajseran, who had to leave. We thanked God that in his place, Bevan and Kee Min finally turned up before the next match. We played our 5th opponents, Chapel of the Resurrection (COR), again attempting to play the ball on the ground. It worked well but our inability to convert a few chances hurt us again. On a COR attack, they managed to fire a long range shot which beat Kris. Being pegged back drove us to equalise and this came when Rusydi found some space on the right. His cross-shot eluded the defence and wrong footed the keeper as the ball trickled into the net. At 1-1, the match was open to be won but a lack of composure and trying to devote too many resources forward caught us napping twice. Crosses from both wings ended in goals that put us down 3-1.

By the time the final match arrived, we were down to 7 players, with Leong Loo and Kris leaving. Thus, we had to 'borrow' 2 Pandas for our final match against Church of Singapore (COS). This was perhaps our 'best match' in terms of controlling the ball and playing it to one another. Unfortunately, failed attempts to score meant that we were at the mercy of a single goal defeat, which came from a COS left-wing attack.

With a final tally of 2 points from a possible 15, there was no way that the Panthers were going to progress into the knock-out phase of the tournament. Again, what we benefited from would be the experience of playing one-day tournament soccer and getting more practice with one another.

Pandas Squad:
1. Kelvin 2. Michael 7. Daniel 8. Jeremy Sin 11. Isaac 12. John 17. Jingzhong 20. Damien 26. Maurice 66. David Sng 67. Nigel 79. Damian

Report:
The Pandas kickoff the tournament with a 3-1 win over Wesley Methodist on a very hot sunny friday. Playing with a 2-4-1 formation as well, the Pandas were surprisingly given lots of space in the last 3rd field and got 3 quick goals in a very short space of time, Damien with 2 and Jingzhong with 1. WM manage to get a consolation goal from a corner that was somehow scrambled past the goal line. A great start to the tournament but our next opponent prove a more stringent test to us. Aldesgate Methodist, the current champion of the tournament and this year's favourite once again was up against us. Having observed their play from their first 2 games, the Pandas went into this match with a game plan of stopping afew quick players. The match went on well, with AMC constantly attacking but the Pandas defended well, allowing them mostly shots from outside the box. Unfortunately we couldnt hold them the whole game and a well driven shot into the bottom right corner condemn us to our 1st defeat.

Up next was New Creation and the game ended a boring 0-0 draw. Both sides have chances but failed to convert. This was probably the match where we should have won compared to the next few. So far, 1 win 1 draw 1 lost at this stage and we are still there to go on to the next round. Sadly the remaining games came at a very long break and many of us were 'barbequed' under the hot sun while waiting for our game. Against St Mathew Church, we lost horribly. They were winners in many aspects of the game, player to player they were physically stronger and faster and all long balls by the Pandas were easily dealt with by the giants at the back. Another long break before we played Convenant Presbyterian and most of the Panda's mind was abit 'off' under the noon sun now. This was a must win game having seen many other teams take 3 points of CP. Unfortunately the Pandas let themselves down and played another terrible game. We failed to defend as a team as we were constantly looking to win them. Probably due to the weather, the Pandas were not running as much as they did in their opening game.

Finally our last game came against The Going Church, which in fact is also the last game played for our group stage so you can imagine how long we have to wait, again, to play. David was able to join us for this last game and from the result, it is clear we have missed his presence up front. The game started at a much leisure pace as both sides have nothing much to play for already. TGC got infront first from a shot outside the box before David equalise in the penalty box. Again TGC got the lead back after some poor Panda defending before David once again brought us back at 2-2. David completed his hat-trick when he got his 3rd in the penalty box but TGC got the final goal just before ref blow the final whistle. That basically conclude Pandas journey in this tournament where the waiting time far outweigh the playing time.