“The loss to MJC was a total kick in the teeth.” – An interview with the St Andrew’s Junior College footballers (Part 1)

Interview by Les Tan

Earlier this year, the St. Andrew’s Junior College football team went unbeaten all the way to the semi-final of the A Division Football Championships before they lost to Meridian Junior College in a penalty shootout.

Remarkably, the SAJC team only had three players with B Division experience, yet they showed an ability to play intelligent, beautiful, passing football which warmed the heart of neutral fans.

In 2006, SAJC made it to the semi-finals and lost 0-2 to Victoria Junior College. In 2007, SAJC made it to the semi-finals again, this time meeting MJC. A 0-0 stalemate at the end of regulation time brought on the dreaded penalty kicks and MJC prevailed 4-3.

SAJC had their hearts broken again this year in 2008 when, after outplaying MJC to lead 2-0 in the semi-final, MJC came back to equalise and force extra-time. MJC’s equalising goal was a controversial penalty two minutes from the end of regulation time.

The game then went into penalty kicks with no further goals in extra-time and MJC prevailed 2-1 in penalties for a 4-3 overall win.

The SAJC squad is one of only two teams (the other being VJC) that went through the preliminary rounds unbeaten in the 2008 A Division Championship season. Their only loss over 90 minutes was a 0-1 defeat to Anglo-Chinese Junior College in the 3rd/4th placing game through a freak own goal.

The SAJC team shows that Singapore does have football talent but most of them don’t go on to play for Singapore in age-group or the full national team. This team has shown a brand of football that would stir hearts and ignite passion, such is their raw but obvious talents. If they played for Singapore, there would be long lines for tickets to watch them.

Red Sports caught up with the players for an interview.

Part 1

Red Sports: How did you feel about the loss to MJC? Did you think you guys were worth a place in the final?

Jeremy Ong (#2): I played in the semi-final (against MJC) and it was a match I will never forget. We took a 2-0 lead and the highlight was the second goal which to me was almost the nail in the coffin for MJC.

This was the best semi-final match as a team in 3 years but somehow things turned from a dream on the verge of coming true to a nightmare.

Shortly after our second goal, MJ pulled one back from a free kick which I supposedly conceded. Subsequent video replay showed the MJ player banging me and falling on me. Not a good call. Then two minutes from time, the unimaginable happened.

MJ were awarded a penalty and they equalized. It went down to penalties and our 2 best kickers, Irwin and Billy, saw their penalties saved with mine hitting the bar. Nathaniel missed and we were out. Again. On penalties.

I couldn’t believe our incredible luck or lack of it. After all our hard work, our attempts to play fluid football, we were knocked out on penalties of all things. It was cruel.

Mohammad Asyraf (#3): It was totally devastating as the team played really well and truly showed off the beautiful passing football that many have come to know about. However, in soccer, anything can happen and it was MJC who were the ones fated to be in the final. I personally feel we deserved a spot in the final with the exciting free-flowing football that was on display but credits to MJC who were deserved winners in the final.

Jeremy Tan (#4): I was devastated. Too shocked for words or tears. We played with lots of heart and desire and with our performance, I felt that we were worth a place in the final.

Sim Ze Choa (#5): Sad. Take it as a lesson learnt.

Benjamin Yeo (#6): To be honest, I was in disbelief when Nathaniel, our captain, saw his penalty saved. It was the first match that we lost after taking the lead and we had never lost to a college team when we play our friendly matches. After we lost the shootout, it felt as if the whole world came crashing down on us. The feeling was akin to those of 18th May 2007 when we crashed out of the semi-final against MJC on penalty shootout.

I really cannot believe our bad luck from the penalty spot for two consecutive years but I also recognise the fact that all teams participating in the A Division trained hard and we do not have the divine right to play in the final or win the championship.

However, the feeling to be knocked out on penalties is very demoralising and hard to take after training hard for the tournament for a year. But I hope our juniors can do us proud next year and go one better by reaching the finals in style.

Augustus Set (#7): I felt like we were the better team on that day. However, the ball is round (as quoted many times on redsports) so were just unlucky. Not taking away anything from MJC though, they are a great team and fought back hard.

Sean Seah (#8):The sense of deja vu from last year’s semi final penalty loss to MJC was just too hard to swallow. It is especially painful and devastating to actually allow history to repeat. It brought down whatever we have been fighting for, not for ourselves, but our school our friends our teammates from both the 2008 and 2007 team and our coaches and teacher, Mr. Lee. I felt both helpless and angry when I look at their faces.

Billy Wong (#9): It’s very painful. We were that close. It’s a kick in the teeth.

Since 18th May 2007, the day of the semifinal loss, we made a vow to make sure we train the hardest, ensure there will be no suspension and injuries and do all we can to make it to the final for our seniors. Failure never ever came across our minds and we knew victory was for our taking and we fought with the 2007 team (many of us in the 2008 team) and Mr. Lee in our hearts.

It was incredible to be 2-0 up and lose the game and there is no doubt we felt undone by justice. Outsiders will never understand how much the final meant to us.

Fahrun Anderson Tanamalo (#11): It definitely is a big disappointment to be knocked out of the tournament at the same stage two years in a row through penalties, especially this year because we really believed that we could do it and we were extremely close to get into the final.

But there’s a lesson learnt here for me to be a stronger person and this is a life example that things do not always go in your favour. To quote a famous line, “Tough times don’t last but tough people do”. I’m thankful enough for the opportunity to play in this team, so never mind the final.

Nathaniel Mark Gregory (captain, #12): I still feel we deserve a place in the final. My team fought really hard against MJC. To face the previous year’s finalist is definitely not an easy task but my team fought hard and pushed MJC to their very limits. Losing through penalties is devastating cos it’s all about luck. The penalty awarded was a bit harsh but what has been done cannot be undone.

Zhao Zimu (#13): Unlucky (to have lost to MJC). Yes (we deserved to be in the final).

Irwin Goh (#14): Naturally devastated but life goes on. Well, both teams gave their best and it’s hard to determine whether any team deserves to be in the final but I felt that the way we exited was hard to accept.

Brandon Low (#16): I felt that it was a cruel result and we absolutely deserved to be in the final. We played better, more beautiful football and created more chances. We looked more lethal and convincing in our attack. i think the penalty decision was harsh because the player who was fouled clearly could not reach the ball. however, this is football and we have to accept it and move on. i feel we still won the hearts of many neutrals though. kudos to mjc too, for not giving up and i guess it was their experience that gave them the edge during the penalty shootout.

Chong Kuo Loon (#17 – two-time Golden Boot winner): Disappointed definitely, because we wanted to win it very badly for the previous team who lost out on penalties in the semi-final to MJC as well, and we couldn’t. But I felt each one of us gave our all and I don’t think there were any regrets. On whether we’re worthy of the final spot, I thought so. But how MJC fought back from two goals down is really remarkable and for that they deserve it more than us.

Cheng Guang Hao (#18, first-choice keeper): The loss to MJC was a total kick in the teeth. We were cruising 2-0 up and ended up drawing 2-2 in normal time. This is definitely a hard lesson. A bitterly hard one that we have to take in life. Do not count your chickens before they are hatched is all I can say about that match which i felt that we should have won. By saying that, I definitely feel that we are worthy of going to the final and beat VJC. Why that was not achieved, only us as players are to blame. The tactics, players starting, players substituted and the calibre of the MJC players were not a factor at all. The loss in that semi, although hard to swallow, taught us a valuable lesson in life.

Benny Ng (#19): I can never accept the fact that we had lost. I thought that we were unlucky. But I am very grateful to my teammates who fought their hearts out that day, I though we deserve to go to the final at least, but credit to MJC who put up a great display as well and are deserved champions of the A Division.

Kevin Liam (#21): It was disappointing and heartbreaking to lose on penalties for the second year in a row, against the same opposition at the same stage of the competition. We played well and created chances throughout the game, and I think we equally deserved a spot in the final, but credit to MJC for keeping their composure during the penalty shootout, and putting up a great display of football and sportsmanship on and off the pitch. They are well deserved winners of the A division this year.

Ng Kian Hong (#22): For the game against MJC, I think we did not deserve to lose. Though I did not play, I thought that the MJC team were struggling to cope with us at times. However, they punished us for the 2 mistakes we made. In football, its not always the best team who wins, there’s always a thing called smash and grab. To lose again in penalties revived the painful memories of last year. This team could go all the way this year, but perhaps it was just not meant to be.

Lionel Wee (#23):I was heartbroken and wrenched. We didn’t deserve to go out in this way after how we had outplayed the favourites MJC. We were defitnitely worth a place in the final for our brand of entertaining football and for how hardly my teammates fought for each other during the game of their life.

Andrew Ng (#25): I think we really deserved a place in the final but that is soccer. What I feel may not always happen.

Related stories:
Part 2: "The highlight was the 4-0 win over RJC." – An interview with the St Andrew's Junior College footballers
Part 3: "I dislocated my knee. It popped right out of the socket." An interview with the St Andrew's Junior College footballers
Part 4: "…we were knocked out on penalties, of all things. It was cruel." – An interview with the St Andrew's Junior College footballers