CRC2012 Match #4: PMC vs CMC (29th July)

Having notched only 1 win in the first 3 games of the season, PMC knew that their backs were against the wall as they took the long hike to The Cage Sports Park at Turf City for the match against old foes Christ Methodist Church (CMC). Furthermore, CMC was top of the Alpha Group table and had not lost all season. With all to play for, the PMC team had 23 men committing to the match, and 5 had to stand down. Still, 4 turned up to cheer their team mates on match day, a great testimony to the unity and camaraderie that has developed. It took awhile before all the players turned up, with some getting lost inside of Turf City.

Combined team photo a sign of the long-standing but respectful rivalry between the teams

  Isaiah shares about overcoming the giants in our lives

With the teams arrived and ready, Kevin led both sides in 'Lord I Lift Your Name on High' and Isaiah shared about boldness and courage to take on the giants in our lives, referencing the lives of Joshua and Caleb as they scouted the Promised Land (Numbers Chapter 13). Once done, teams had some time to talk through their tactics. Kevin emphasized the need to focus on playing playing the 'PMC way', keeping/using the ball well, and to be aware of the abundance of space the synthetic field offered. Mostly importantly, all players were encouraged to play with heart, for the team and one another. The starting line-up comprised of:

Martin

Jingzhong - Timothy - Rusydi

Isaiah - Dominic

Damien - Andrew - Daniel Low

Weijie

Maurice

Referee Shah started match proceedings and gathered the starting 11 for attire checks and blew for kick-off. Immediately from the get go, the players realised how much space they had, with both teams have time on the ball and using the space well. Rusydi in particular, seemed up for the challenge, taking the ball down the wings early and causing some havoc down that flank. Within 5min, the first goal came with both Jingzhong and Rusydi instrumental in the build-up. With space down the left, Jingzhong squared the ball, which Rusydi narrowly missed in the box. Recovering well, he returned the favour by crossing low in-between the CMC defence and GK. Jingzhong had the simplest of tap-ins to put PMC 1-0 up early in the match. Not content with their early lead, PMC continued to press for the 2nd goal, which arrived quite quickly. Martin's flick-on from the throw-in was met by a CMC defender, but Dominic was quick to rob him and face the CMC GK one-on-one. Dominic made no mistake by placing the ball into the corner of the net to notch his first goal of the season. Credit to CMC that they tried to climb out of the hole they found themselves in so early in the match. With Jansen orchestrating moves in midfield and winning balls, CMC started to foray into PMC's half, with some chances coming their way when Andrew took too much time on the ball, and the PMC players caught out on a swift counter-attack. On the latter occasion, it took a flying save by Maurice in a one-on-one situation to deny CMC a goal which would surely have changed the complexion of the match. PMC continued to use its direct approach via the wings to grab its 3rd goal. Rusydi again being key, he dribbled deep into the CMC half before releasing the overlapping Daniel on the right, whose stiff shot could not be handled by the CMC GK. The goal looked like a carbon copy of the 2nd goal from the MHC match. The front 4 of PMC was working well, just as they did against MHC, with Martin and Timothy being key pivots, allowing the wingers to find space and take on defenders. At 30min, Rusydi signaled the end of his run-out, fatigued from the running and fasting during Ramadan. On came Jacob to take his place and within 8min, made an immediate impact when Jingzhong again found space on the left, crossed the ball low for Jacob to place the ball into the back of the net after his late run into the box. At 4-0 up, it looked like it would be PMC's match to lose at half-time.

Rusydi in full flight on his way to assisting for the 3rd goal

 Jansen slides in on Isaiah to try to win the ball

Martin tries to hold off Joshua to win the high ball

Rusydi poised to take a free kick from just outside the box

The half-time team talk focused on keeping composure and making sure the substitutions would not disrupt the shape of the team. With CMC having nothing to lose, PMC knew that they would need to put in a stout defensive performance in the 2nd half. Timothy came off, replaced by Yi Jun and Damien off for Mark. It was CMC who started much brighter in the 2nd period, trying their best to get a goal back early. It took some good defending by Mark at CB and Andrew at LB to clear dangerous balls. The defensive midfield duo of Isaiah and Dominic were also putting in the extra defensive shift, with Yi Jun up top chasing the long balls. After 10min, Steve came on for Martin to be the link man between midfield and attack, but with the ball mostly in PMC's half, he was left with a tough task for the match. On the odd occasion that he found space, there were few options for him to utilise, with Yi Jun isolated. With fresh legs needed for defensive duties, Kee Min came on for Isaiah and did well by winning balls. Next to come off was Jingzhong, for Jeremy Tan, whose clear instruction was to chase long balls and put some pressure on CMC's defence. Both he and Yi Jun did that a bit too zealously, picking up 2 yellow cards in quick succession and incurring the wrath of the CMC players in the process. To prevent any unnecessary incidents, Jeremy Tan himself was taken off for Wenbin in the final stages of the match. Certainly it was rear-guard action for the remainder of the match, and as referee Shah blew for full-time, PMC took pride in their 2nd victory of the season and their 1st clean sheet. There were automatic hand-shakes all around, with CMC showing the grit to play hard in the face of being 4-0 down and giving their all during the match.

Maurice with the big boot. A safe pair of hands for the clean sheet!

 Weijie marking Mark, who saw plenty of the ball after coming on in the 2nd half

The full-time team talk was an encouragement of the things the team did well, especially in the 1st half, using speed and width to good effect. Having taken all 3 points, the only downside of the victory was chalking up another 6 demerit points which hopefully would not come back to haunt PMC when the league stage closes. As with all matches, the team continued to learn and grow together. David closed in prayer, thanking God for the victory and for keeping the team free from serious injuries.

Soccer Fellowship Report (21st July)

It seems like whenever we play at Greenview Secondary School, the sun would blaze the ground while the clouds colluded with the sun to give it its maximum glory. In short, it was superly duperly hot!

At three past, and in the heat of the afternoon sun, Kevin put out a notice on Facebook to enquire if anyone would be coming or would he be scoring goals and putting in diving saves at the same time. But praise God, players started filing in and soon after, the soccer fellowship saw a healthy turnout of 15. There were also a number of players who have joined us for the first time and we thank Jacob and Dominic, who brought their friends along.

The field looked too big for the players. We ended up just using 1/2. 

Lots of sunblock for protection!

Old is gold. One of these players still got 3 goals!

Jacob & friend warming up

Kevin shared devotion about how his great grand uncle, Mr Chia Boon Leong (featured in last Sunday's Sunday Times) had excelled beyond his physical stature - He stands at a mere 160cm. Mr Chia had gone on to represent China in the London Olympics in 1948. Respect! Kevin encouraged all to work hard for what they valued, just as Paul encouraged believers to work hard and treasure their salvation. After the opening prayer, the players parted themselves into two groups, the Coloured versus the Whites.

Kevin sharing devotion

The game was evenly matched - for the first 10 minutes - The Coloured displayed nice touches and very ably opened the scoring through Brian. The Whites then hit back with a thunderbolt of a shot. Whites 1-1 Coloured. From there on, the team comprising of the younger players started to "white-wash" the Coloured. The Whites started to score in quick succession and by half-time, the scoreline read Whites 4 - 1 Coloured.

After a couple of re-shuffling and player transfers, both teams looked more balanced and there was a better flow to the game. Both team tested each other. The Coloured, with more assured control of the game in the 2nd half, clawed back two goals before the White also put a few away. The Coloured scored one more goal before the man in yellow (field warden) waved his keys to bring the game to an end. Final score Whites 8 - 4 Coloured.

Adrian closed the session in prayer and thanked God for the weather and fellowship.

Soccer Fellowship (21st July)

Soccer Fellowship is back this Saturday, 21st July at Greenview Secondary School* (yes, the one in Pasir Ris). The session will be from 3 - 5 pm.

The long break has been due to the Soccer Team's participation in this year's CrossRoad Cup. As the season started late, the fixtures had to be packed within 2.5 months from July to September. However, PMC will continue to have Soccer Fellowship at least once a month during this time.

Please bring BOTH a BRIGHT and DARK jersey so that we can split the teams evenly.

Please pray for good weather! If you suspect the session is cancelled, please check the blog/email for more information before you head for the field. Cancellation of session will be broadcast on the blog and by email immediately when we are informed by Sports Council.

*The address of Greenview Secondary School is 15 Pasir Ris Street 21.

CRC2012 Match #3: PMC vs PPCC (15th July)

With a big victory in its last match against MHC, PMC was looking forward to start a run of wins in the CrossRoad Cup. Unfortunately, even before the match against Pasir Panjang Church of Christ (PPCC) the PMC team had to cope with the loss of at least 7 of its first team players due to work, injury, illness and personal commitments. With some players drafted in at the last minute and not having a full bench, the PMC team knew that they needed lots of heart and give 110% on the field as they gathered at MacPherson Secondary.

Goalkeepers Michael & Sean ready for the match

Warming up for the match

Nothing like quick passes to get ready for the match on the narrow pitch

With players from both teams having arrived before 3pm, Singspiration started with Kevin leading everyone in the familiar chorus of 'Lord I Lift Your Name on High', which relates the salvation message of Jesus coming to earth, dying on the cross and His resurrection to save us from our sins. Following the song, Jacob shared his testimony about how he developed a relationship with Jesus much later in his teens, even though he had been a Christian since 12-years-old. Recounting how he badly injured his wrist just before his A-level exams, Jacob shared how that incident allowed him to trust completely in Jesus to provide strength as he prepared to take his A-levels, culminating in good grades.

The PMC pre-match team talk focused on putting up a good defensive performance in the first half and taking a very direct approach to the PPCC goal, with the following line-up:

Isaiah

Jingzhong - Rusydi - Jacob

Kevin - Kee Min

Damien - Mark - Daniel Low

Marcus

Sean

From the kickoff, PPCC put pressure on the PMC defence, signalling what was to come for the rest of the half. It didn't help that from the 2nd kick of the game, Kee Min played a 'suicide' pass, short to Daniel, who had no choice but to obstruct the PPCC midfielder just outside the PMC box. Although nothing came out of the PPCC freekick, it started wave after wave of PPCC attacks on PMC, most notably from the wings, and much involvement from PPCC's #14, #11 and #20. It took more than 5min before PMC got some time on the ball, and Jingzhong immediately released Jacob on the right, who although had a straight path to goal, was quickly tracked down by PPCC's #3, who cleared the ball to safety. That was the significant edge that the PPCC players had over PMC in the early exchanges- quick acceleration and their ability to win the ball on the ground, leaving PMC to chase shadows for much of the first 20min.  When the ball did get to Isaiah, his flick-ons were either not followed-up or he was left isolated to take on the PPCC defence all by himself, to no avail. At the 25th min mark, the first incident took place near PMC's right corner. A robust physical exchange took between Daniel and PPCC's #14 as Daniel sought to stop his opponent from encroaching into the PMC box. An audible obscenity was uttered by the #14, a result of his frustration at the referee Dave for not blowing for a foul in his favour. The referee took the lenient approach and gave the #14 a warning. His leniency would see players from both teams not carded, even though there were some tough challenges going around. Clearly, PMC's defensive display was frustrating PPCC as they had not failed to score in their 2 previous matches. Mark and Marcus were putting on an excellent rearguard action, especially Marcus, who was drafted into the team late on Saturday, and whose last match was in April. Committing more players forward, PPCC left some gaps in midfield, allowing Jacob, Rusydi and Isaiah to find some space but without any clear-cut chances to show for their efforts. The closest PMC got was when Isaiah wiggled his way into the box and fired a cross-shot which Kee Min almost met earlier than the PPCC GK, but it was not to be. Nonetheless, as the referee blew for half-time, it was PMC who walked off more positive, having played well-disciplined defensive football, frustrating PPCC and making the 2nd half anybody's game.

As players caught their breath and had a drink following a rather brutal first half, Kevin commended the team on their excellent work. Encouraging the team to carry on playing with heart, Kevin also highlighted the need to keep the first 10min of the half goal-free, as PPCC would surely come at PMC from kickoff, looking for an early goal. Only 1 change was made at half-time, with Michael replacing Sean in goal. Substitutions would be made slowly so as not to de-stabilize the team.

As expected, the 2nd half kicked-off with PPCC coming straight at PMC. It was more rearguard heroics from PMC's back four and the PMC fullbacks were visibly tiring, with Damien slightly slower to the ball, and Daniel unable to support the attack. Still, PMC held firm and counter-attacks again proved fruitless with Isaiah still isolated, and the wingers unable to support him due to their commitment to defensive duties. With the score at 0-0 leading into the final 30min, it took a dead-ball situation paired with an obstructed referee to deliver the first goal to PPCC. From a corner, PMC was unable to clear the first ball. The 2nd ball in the box appeared clearly to be handled by a PPCC player, but the referee made no call, probably having been obstructed. As the ball trickled outside the box, an onrushing PPCC player fired a stiff shot with his left foot that gave Michael no chance. PPCC got the breakthrough that their possession deserved, but it was harsh for PMC. The game immediately opened up after that as PMC needed to pour more resources forward in search of an equalizer. Within 5min of the first goal, PMC conceded a 2nd. As all PMC players pushed up on an attack, the ball was lost and broke directly to the PPCC forward, who only had Mark to beat, and then Michael in a one-on-one situation. He was faultless as he put PPCC 2-0 up. Offensive substitutions were immediately made by PMC to see if they could turn things around, with Steve coming on for Jingzhong, and then Lincoln for Jacob. However, the space created in midfield left PMC's defence more exposed, which resulted in a 3rd goal conceded through similar circumstances as the 2nd. The nail in PMC's coffin was hammered in when Damien lost the ball on the left to PPCC's right winger, who confidently took the ball into the box. Daniel did his best to cover and tackle, but took the winger down instead, leading to a penalty being awarded and Daniel receiving a yellow card, PMC's first of this year's league. Although the first penalty attempt by PPCC's #3 was successful, it had to be re-taken as their #14 had encroached into the PMC box before the penalty was taken. Again, the referee chose to warn him without a card, even though it was more than his 3rd infringement of the match. At the 2nd attempt, PPCC's #3 was just as clinical, putting the ball well beyond Michael's reach. At 4-0 down, PMC brought on Jeremy Tan in place of Isaiah and Yi Jun for Damien, to signal an all-out attack, with just 3 at the back and the rest up front in search of goals. This appeared to pay quick dividends as Marcus' ability to hold up the ball and shoot from range gave Yi Jun half a chance, which he anticipated well. Running onto the ball and reaching it before the PPCC GK, Yi Jun got his 3rd goal of the league. This was also PPCC's 1st goal conceded this season, and PMC took the encouragement to launch its first wave of sustained attacks. Tried as they did, PMC could not breach the PPPC goal for the 2nd time, despite some chances. PMC also did not concede anymore goals despite 1 or 2 close shaves.

As the referee blew for full time, both sides strode to the centre of the pitch to shake hands, a sign of friendship despite the very competitive match played. For all the defensive heroics of the first half, the result was perhaps a fair one, with PPCC enjoying at least 70% of possession over the course of the match. Credit also to the PPCC players for competing hard but fair for most of the match.

The full-time team talk focused again on the positives first, with Mark encouraging the team for a much improved spirit and togetherness from previous years. Kevin echoed this and asked the team to reflect on their own performance and not to be discouraged if they had indeed given everything on the pitch. For the areas for improvement, PMC could continue to do better by clearing dangerous balls more effectively, and not taking too many touches, especially against very quick teams like PPCC. Isaiah closed in prayer at the end of the team talk.

CRC2012 Match #2: PMC vs MHC (8th July)

The PMC team took the long trek up north to face AC/CRC newcomers MHC. Although the journey was long and it took some players awhile to find the entrance to the Canberra Secondary field, the entire team of 18 players made it there on time! The weather was hot at 3pm but the field was soggy from the early morning rain and the team anticipated a slightly sloshy affair.

Singspiration and sharing was led by Silas of MHC, with the song 'Trust and Obey', afterwhich he shared his testimony about how he came to know Jesus, and how that changed his perspective on the importance life.

 
Silas leading all players in a time of singspiration & sharing

PMC players participating in singspiration.

Immediately upon completion of singspiration and sharing, Kevin briefed the team on the need to do the basic things well and to adhere to the newly adopted 4-2-3-1 formation as follows:

Martin

Jingzhong - Timothy - Rusydi

Dominic - Kee Min

Kevin - Mark - Daniel Low

Weijie

Maurice

The referee very quickly called all players to the centre of the field for the kit inspection. From there, we knew that we had a no-nonsense referee managing the match. From making sure we stood in a straight line with jerseys tucked in, to meticulously checking that no one had jewellery and illegal studs, the referee made his mark on the players. 

 
The referee asking PMC players to move to the right of MHC players as we were in the 'wrong' position for the kit inspection.

 

 Obedient PMC players with jerseys tucked in and hands out-stretched.

With the formalities completed, both sides took to the field under the hot sun for their 2nd CRC2012 match. The referee's whistle signaled the start of the match and it wasn't long before PMC made its intentions clear, badly wanting to recover from the 1st match loss against CAG. PMC strung neat passes together and used Timothy as the fulcrum to bring Jingzhong, Rusydi and Martin into play. Behind them, Dominic and Kee Min did the necessary dirty work of winning balls and trying to distribute forwards. The MHC team was also playing with 1 up front and more traditional wingers, looking for the counter-attack when they regained possession, which was not often. When the ball did find its way past Mark, Weijie was there to sweep things up. At the 10min mark, PMC made the breakthrough. A quick throw-in by Rusydi was flicked on in the box by Martin and Jingzhong ghosted in from the left to fire an unstoppable right foot volley past the rooted MHC GK. It was 1-0 to PMC. From there, PMC rightly pressed for more goals, drawing from the huge amount of possession in the final third of the field. Both Martin and Timothy had glorious chances to fire in the 2nd goal, but they were either wide, high or both. What could have been a flowing game was often stopped by the referee's whistle, which was blown to signal the smallest of indiscretions committed by both sets of players. Freekicks from both teams did not threaten either GK, until a MHC freekick floated above the PMC wall, skidded off the turf and into the PMC net, with both defence and Maurice rooted, thinking that the ball would spin wide. It was another one of those sucker-punches that PMC had to endure and overcome as until then, PMC's goal did not look like it was going to be threatened. It took some time for PMC team to regain its composure before taking the lead again. This time, it was another beautiful move down the right, with Rusydi and Daniel exchanging passes before the overlapping RB was played through in the box and fired a stunning drive into the top far corner of the net. With that, PMC had the wind in its sail for the rest of the 1st half. The 3rd goal came from a delightful combination between Timothy and Martin. Timothy's strong drive into the MHC box saw him play a reverse pass to the overlapping Martin and on his left foot, Martin gave the MHC GK no chance. The 4th goal arrived courtesy of Timothy's involvement again. This time, he took on the MHC defence on his own, only to find his shot ricocheting off the post, but Jingzhong was on hand to tap home from close range. The goal brought a good half to an end with 4 goals and no cards received, despite the many fouls that the referee had blown against the team.

It was all smiles during the half-time team talk but Kevin made sure that everyone stayed focused and substitutions would not be haphazardly made. Also, the midfielders were asked to keep the ball better and to stay any fast breaks from the MHC players. With Timothy leaving, Wenbin was brought on as the offensive midfielder as the only change at the half.

The 2nd half started with MHC intent on getting themselves back into the match. To their credit, they tried hard, using a very direct approach, with long balls and forays down the flanks. However, the defensive four of PMC was able to hold their line, and had the help of Dominic and Kee Min to assist in defence. After 10min, PMC made its 2nd substitution with Yi Jun coming on for Martin. After 15min, Lincoln was brought on for Jingzhong. This triggered MHC to also send 5 players on the field, which led to at least a 5min stoppage, with the referee insisting on inspecting all 5 players meticulously. In fact, he even called an MHC player back to the touchline when the MHC player ran onto the field without the inspection being completed. The break in play certainly benefited neither team. When play resumed, it was the PMC subs who made their mark on the match. Lincoln took on the MHC RB, found space and played a square pass to Yi Jun who was through on goal. Yi Jun's cool finish made it 5-1 in PMC's favour. Immediately after the re-start, Yi Jun punctuated his claim for a starting spot by confidently volleying in PMC's 6th goal from outside the box, catching the MHC defence and GK by surprise. Even Yi Jun's PMC players were surprised and there were calls from the bench for Yi Jun to give everyone a dinner treat! Being 6-1 down and having received 3 yellow cards for late challenges was certainly not a desired position for MHC to be in, but the AC/CRC newcomers carried themselves well for the rest of the match, continuing to play and get themselves back in the match. PMC made its final substitutions with Jacob (for Rusydi), Steve (for Kee Min), Neil (for Daniel) and Marcus (for Kevin). The subs were all expecting a bit more playing time, but only realised at the end that the referee had not stopped his watch for the lengthy substitutions that had taken place. There was however, still time for Steve to make his mark on the game by giving the referee a mouthful after an offside decision. It took the a team effort to hold Steve back and we were thankful that the referee saw that Steve was not malicious in questioning the call.

As the referee blew for full-time, the PMC players basked in victory and encouraged one another during the final team talk. Maurice closed the session in prayer, thanking God for his provision, the unity within the team and for injuries to heal.

CRC2012 Match #1: PMC vs CAG (1st July)

The CrossRoad Cup 2012 kicked off on a hot afternoon at Pasir Ris Crest Secondary School. The readiness of the team showed when almost all the players turned up before 3pm in anticipation of kick-off. Unfortunately, Rusydi was unable to make it before the start of Singspiration & Sharing and had to sit out the match. It could have happened to anyone, and a good reminder to everyone to turn up at the match venue early.

Calvary Assembly of God (CAG) started off with a time of Singspiration, and sharing led by Qiyang. Handshakes were also exchanged as a gesture that the game to be played in good spirits. The PMC team came together for the pre-match team talk, which emphasized playing together as a unit and playing a direct style to bring in the forwards as early as possible. The team lined up as follows:

Martin

Isaiah

Jingzhong - Wenbin - Kee Min - Jacob

Damien - Mark - Daniel Low

Weijie

Michael

PMC started off very brightly, keeping possession and threatening the CAG defence early on. CAG on their part, played the counter-attacking game well, using the flanks, especially on their left to bring the ball quickly into attacking areas. Daniel did well to cope with these, as did the defence. PMC pressed hard for the early goal and was rewarded with a number of throw-ins and corners. The breakthrough did come when Isaiah flicked a ball into the box, which caught both the CAG GK and last man standing, allowing Jacob to loop a controlled header over both players to give PMC the early 1-goal lead.

 High-fives for Jacob as his header gave PMC the early 1-goal lead

As the match wore on, it seemed that PMC was contented to sit back and defend its 1-goal lead, giving CAG lots of space and time on the ball. This spelt danger but the post and some last-ditch defending allowed PMC to keep a clean sheet for most of the first 30min of the half. Wenbin also cleared on the line to keep it at 1-1. However, a speculative first time volley from outside the box allowed CAG to level with both PMC defence and GK rooted, not expecting the shot from way out. With the game at 1-1, it was pretty even as both teams had chances to take the lead. CAG continued to threaten down the flanks and on corners. PMC had Martin and Isaiah but their shots were either off target or directly at the GK. With half-time approaching, a 5min spell of poor defending allowed CAG to claim 2 goals. On both occasions, it was the CAG players hungrier for the ball, as they beat the PMC defenders to 50-50 balls. For CAG's 3rd goal, even when Michael had parried the initial shot, the CAG forward beat Weijie to the ball to fire into the empty net. As the referee blew for half time, PMC knew that it was their own doing that had them behind by 2 goals. On the positive side, the match was played in good spirits, hard but fair.

Weijie takes a free-kick from deep in our half

Jacob takes on the CAG defence

 Isaiah in full flight

 
The half-time team talk focused on not allowing CAG so much time on the ball, and playing with more heart, definitely needing to challenge for the 50-50 balls all over the pitch. As Damien was ill, Andrew came in to cover at LB as Kevin got ready. Dominic replaced Wenbin in CM. The 2nd half team definitely gave a solid account of themselves in the 1st 15min of the half. They strung passes round and tried to involve the forwards, but to no avail. CAG seemed to be contented to sit on their 2-goal lead and gave PMC more time and space to play. 15min into the half, Kevin came on for Jacob, with Andrew moving to RM. Immediately, Kevin had a chance to pull a goal back, but his quick shot from outside the box was directly at the CAG GK. Andrew also had an effort high and wide. The first yellow card of the match came when Kevin was brought down by a CAG player. All the possession the PMC team had did not bring any goals, and when CAG had a corner, they did well to kill the match off. Moving faster to the ball (again!), the CAG forward planted a firm header in the corner of the net, and even Kevin on the line could not reach fast enough to clear it. Credit to the PMC though that they did not stop fighting even at 4-1 down. With fresh pairs of legs in the form of Lincoln (for Jingzhong), David (for Martin) and Yi Jun (for Isaiah), PMC continued to press for their 2nd goal. Both David and Yi Jun had chances, but they were off target. The consolation goal finally came during added time when a corner was not well dealt with by the CAG GK. The loose ball was first met by Andrew from close range to bring the final score to 4-2.

The match was certainly played in good spirits and it was another lesson in competitive soccer for the ever-evolving PMC team. The post-match team talk focused on the positives of the 2nd half and the never-give-up attitude of the PMC players. Also, the team stayed true to the 'team-philosophy' with everyone getting at least 10-15min of pitch time.

PMC thanks CAG for the good match played and look forward to the rest of CRC2012.

The team was still all-smiles after the match despite the loss

Friendly Match vs SAL Report (24th June)

This was the final warm-up game for the PMC Soccer Team, taking on the Salvation Army (SAL) before CrossRoad Cup 2012 kicks off on 1st July. The entire team arrived at Pasir Ris Crest Seconday School on time at 3pm, including Jacob, who had touched down from Cambodia at 1pm after his week-long mission trip. This gave the team valuable time for a team talk, led by Kevin who focused on attitude and tactics. As the referee blew for the start of the match, the following started the match for PMC in the well-defined 4-4-1-1 Sweeper system:

Yi Jun

Isaiah

Jingzhong - Wenbin - Kee Min - Rusydi

Daniel Chen - Mark - Daniel Low

Weijie

Michael

PMC started off very well, with good communication and retention of possession. Passes were short and crisp, with Isaiah being the first to have a shot saved by the SAL GK. A few long balls and crosses also gave the SAL defence some trouble, but Yi Jun and Isaiah did not trouble the GK further. In fact, it was SAL who came closest within the first 20min when they managed to crash a freekick against the upright. They also had a few long balls which the defence had to scramble clear. It took a while before PMC stamped its authority on the match, and this was through a set-piece. A nicely floated in corner by Rusydi was met with a glancing header by Daniel Low to put PMC 1-0 up. This clearly gave the players confidence as they went on wave after wave of attack. SAL was doing its part by not sitting back too much, and also gave the defence work to do, but Weijie, Mark and Kee Min did very well to clear the danger time and again. Before half-time, PMC went 2-0 up, again through a set-piece. This time from a more central position, Rusydi took matters into his own hands and curled a beauty into the corner of the net with the SAL GK stranded. PMC looked good for its lead as the referee blew for half-time.

Isaiah moving in on goal

Rusydi prepares to take a corner

PMC players readying themselves for a freekick

Kevin commended the team on a job well done in the 1st half, clearly putting into practice communication, and tactics that were emphasized in the pre-match team talk. Changes were made to the 2nd half team, and the following took the field:

 Isaiah

Rusydi

Jingzhong - Andrew - Jeremy Sin -Jacob

Kevin - Mark - Daniel Low

Weijie

Michael

The 2nd half team carried on the good work by dominating play from the start. SAL also seemed to have some added spark with the addition of 2 fresh attacking players, who kept the defence on their toes. Much of the good work however, was done by PMC. With the attacking trio of Isaiah, Rusydi and Jacob having lots of space and link-up play, it was a matter of time before PMC's 3rd goal arrived. Rusydi finding his way into the box, was clearly tripped by an SAL defender and the referee didn't hesitate to point to the spot. Isaiah stepped up and fired the penalty into the roof of the net to put PMC 3-0 up. Within minutes of the re-start, Jeremy Tan came on for Isaiah, and Lincoln on for Jingzhong. Immediately, both were involved in the 4th goal with Lincoln passing to Jeremy Tan, who although had his shot on goal stopped, held up the ball well enough before passing to Rusydi who made no mistake from outside the box with the GK stranded. Rusydi was clearly having a man-of-the-match game, having been involved in all 4 goals. PMC's final substitutions were made with Jacob limping off after 20min, replaced by Kee Min and Nigel coming on for Daniel Low. Continuing to press on, PMC enjoyed a 5th goal by Jeremy Sin, who fired a stiff shot that the GK could not handle. It was good way for him to sign off before heading to Korea for attachment for the rest of July. 

All in all, the match was well played by everyone who took the field. Confidence seemed to have returned to the team through good communication, unity and commitment. Players also focused on their roles instead of trying to do everything and play solo. This augurs well for the team as they start their CRC2012 campaign in a week's time.

Friendly Match PMC vs RLC Report (17th June)

It was a hot and sunny afternoon. PMC players gathered early to have a warm-up together. We were surprised to see the overwhelming number of RLC players present, particularly with the addition of 4 tall Russian players. 

PMC players warming up

PMC starting 11:

Isaiah - Martin

Jingzhong - Dominic - Kee Min - Jacob

Daniel Chen - Weijie - Jeremy Sin - Daniel Low

Sean

PMC started the brighter of the 2 teams, using our both wings to create chances for our 2 target men in front. With Dom and Kee Min bossing the mid-field with their tireless runs, PMC were able to keep more possession on the ball. Jacob had huge space on the right but was often holding the ball for too long and failed to make the cross. RLC only limited their play to long balls and the PMC defence was able to handle them splendidly. The combination of Isaiah and Martin proved to be a headache for RLC as our front two kept adding pressure to their defence. On one occasion, Isaiah sneaked through the RLC defence and was able to perform a tap-in but unfortunately for PMC, the ball hit the left pole with GK rooted to the ground. After waves of attacks from PMC, RLC took time to organise themselves and fought back in the last 15mins of the first half. However, both teams were unable to find the net and the halftime scoreline stayed at 0:0.

In an attempt to keep the team fresh and to prepare everybody for our upcoming tournament, PMC did a couple of changes to the starting line-up.

PMC starting 11:

Yi Jun - Jeremy Tan

Jingzhong - Wen Bin - Isaiah - Lincoln

Kee Min - Weijie - Dominic - Daniel Low

Sean

On the other hand, RLC changed almost the entire squad except the GK. Wenbin performed well as a DM after 2nd half kicked off and was able to distribute the ball nicely to our wings. Being the more energetic side, RLC immediately used the pace of their wings to carry out waves of attacks. With some neat and quick passes from their newly-established front three triangles, they were able to pull open PMC defence. First goal arrived early in the 2nd half as their right wing found some space on the right and scored with a clinical finish. And the 2nd goal followed soon after. Unfortunately for PMC, Weijie wasn't able to continue as he sustained a cramp and PMC found ourselves in a difficult situation without a recognised CB on the field. Changes were made with Isaiah dropped back to replace Weijie and Joel for Lincoln, Jacob on LB and Kee Min back to CM. After re-grouping, Yijun linked up well with JZ on the left and were able put in some crosses from the left. Jeremy Tan used his advantage in his pace to keep haunting RLC defence. On one occasion, Jeremy Tan blasted the ball on the right in an attempt to keep the ball in-play, and the ball flew just above the top right hand corner of the goal. The 3rd goal for RLC came when the PMC defence couldn't clear a free-kick on the right and a RLC player scored with a free header. The 4th and the 5th goals were scored from quick plays from the RLC front three triangles again. Late into the game, Jacob found a huge space on the left and learning from his prior mistakes, he swung in the ball early with a first-time effort, resulting a free header for Yijun but he sent it above the bar. The RLC No2, who was involved in our last strife, had a malicious and intentional stamp on Daniel Low's leg but was unpunished by the referee. Again, Daniel showed his professionalism by not reacting to it. And the final scoreline was a painful 0:5.

Isaiah gave some valuable reflections on our lost, stating that if the opponents were able to cause us internal problems as seen in this match, they had already won over our minds and we should learnt from today's lost. Martin and Sean also gave their thoughts on the game.

Soccer Fellowship Report (10th June)

It was a really really hot day on the Sunday afternoon and the field was well baked from the scorching heat. It was no surprise that it took awhile before players started to stream in and perhaps that also accounted for a slightly lower attendance of 14 players. It was good to see Samuel Pang return to soccer, and also to have a new face join us, Ivan (Dominic's friend).

Kevin started off the session with devotion, focusing on the topic of respect for one another, with the key verse being 1 Peter 2:17. He cited the lack of respect between fans and players in the early matches of Euro 2012 and encouraged everyone to not follow likewise during Soccer Fellowship and CRC2012 matches.

Players taking cover before play

We welcomed Ivan (middle)

It was Whites versus Colours for this session of Fellowship. Using half the field and chairs/bench for goalposts, play was fast paced and very energy sapping due to the heat. Both sides played short passes and there were some deft touches shown but the Colours led early with goals from Isaiah and Ronnie. Not to be outdone, the Whites also made sure they got themselves on the scoresheet with Yi Jun and Dominic. At half time, the Colours led 3-2, with Joel grabbing the Colours 3rd goal. 

After much needed rest, the teams swapped sides and played 6-on-6 with 1 player leaving from each side. With more space, there was more running and goals of course. Both teams chipped in with a couple of goals each before play ended and Isaiah closed the session in prayer.

Soccer Fellowship (10th June)

Soccer Fellowship is back this Sunday, 10th June at Greenview Secondary School* (yes, the one in Pasir Ris). The session will be from 3 - 5 pm.

Please bring BOTH a BRIGHT and DARK jersey so that we can split the teams evenly.

Please pray for good weather! If you suspect the session is cancelled, please check the blog/email for more information before you head for the field. Cancellation of session will be broadcast on the blog and by email immediately when we are informed by Sports Council.

*The address of Greenview Secondary School is 15 Pasir Ris Street 21.