Team Marine Terrace & Ole Locomotive emerge victorious in adidas +challenge

By Lee Hwee Cheng

Ngee Ann Civic Plaza, Sunday, June 3, 2007 – Four days of football action culminated in one final day of revelation for the top 32 teams in both the Under-16 and Under-19 categories of the adidas +Challenge Tournament 2007 yesterday at the Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza.

The boys had come as early as eight in the morning for the start of the knock-out stages in Round Three knowing full well that they be knocked out and sent home after one game, or they could be the one to win all five games and S$3,000 worth of adidas football products. The sweetest prize of the day awaited the Under-16 champions – a coveted ticket to Hong Kong to represent Singapore in the regional grand finals and a chance to rub shoulders with the Liverpool Reds at Anfield.

As if having to face the other top teams wasn’t a challenging enough a task, the boys had to grapple with the heat and humidity.  Despite the curious stares from Sunday shoppers, the boys kept running into the comforts of the cool lobby of the shopping mall and of the Old Chang Kee store after every game to cool off.

It was only close to nine hours later that the organizers of the event finally shut one court and centred all attention on the other where both the Under-16 and the Under-19 Finals were finally about to kick off.

Team Marine Terrace took centrestage against Rovers in the most anticipated event of the day, the two teams vying for the chance to travel to Hong Kong for the regional Under-16 Final.  Team Marine Terrace had come a long way, having ousted Nerdy Noobs in the quarterfinal 2-1, but just barely making it through their semifinal where they won a penalty shootout after a goalless draw with Bola Boys at full-time.  But it was Rovers who had created a deeper impression amongst the crowds at the start of the final.  They had been playing since Round Three in the morning with just four players – in a five-a-side game – and they had arrived at the final after beating Documentary 3-0 in the quarterfinal and edging YTSA 1-0 in the semifinal. 

The Under-16 Final was a rather dramatic one, as crowds around the court cheered on the one-man-down Rovers and then gasped in horror as one Team Marine Terrace player fell and hit the back of his head after tripping over an over-zealous defender and seemed so concussed he had to be dragged out of the court.  But Team Marine Terrace, despite the loss and subsequent substitution of one starting player, played on like real winners should, and proved their overwhelming prowess with a 2-0 lead at half-time.

The exhaustion from the extra running to make up for the one-man disadvantage must have taken its final toll on the Rovers at the end of the day.  Unable to counter Team Marine Terrace’s speed and relentless attacks, the Rovers conceded another goal to the leaders in the second half, and the boys from Marine Terrace convincingly clinched the Under-16 title with a 3-0 win.

In the Under-19 Final that took place earlier, Ole Locomotive, winners of last year’s Under-16 category, returned this year to prove they were indeed no fluke.  Cruising through the day, having beaten Adiboss 2-1 in the quarterfinal and Chin Chai Bo Chai (Yes, that’s their team name. I’m not making it up!) 2-0 in the semifinal, the 17-year-olds booked themselves yet another slot in the Final and faced their final opponent of the day in ‘D’ United FC ‘B’.  ‘D’ United had, in turn, their own impressive run in the day, thrashing Tekong Boyz 3-0 in the quarterfinal and then Fajar Youngsters ‘B’ 3-0 as well in the semifinal.

It was all grit and all defense in the first half, as neither side would concede a goal to the other and neither could convert any scoring effort into goals.  After a goal-less half, the situation took a turn in favour of Ole Locomotive whose superior ball skills finally broke down the defenses of the opponents and powered in two impressive goals to take home the Tournament Trophy with a 2-0 win.

Evidently ecstatic about their unbeaten run in two straight years on the hardground, the boys could not wait to make it a hat-trick for themselves – in next year’s tournament.

"We are only 17 this year!  Next year, we will be back!"

Earlier in the afternoon, the spectators at the event were treated to some fun-filled action and star-gazing in two exhibition matches.  The S. League All-Stars took on the very sporting girls from Sneakers Netball Club who were all ready and decked out in Liverpool jerseys.  Led by the likes of Lionel Lewis and Mustafic Faharudin, the S. League All-Stars showed their fun side, albeit with hardcourt shoes in place of their football cleats, teasing their opponents with their playful taunts yet impressing with their showcase of skills and deft footwork.  But it was the girls who wowed the entire crowd, proving they were as good at handling a ball with their feet as with their hands.  Chasing the boys down at defense, showing off their well-trained athleticism, the girls made themselves proud with one goal in the game.  The S. League All-Stars won the match 3-1.

In the other exhibition match, the boys from the media industry took on the celebrities led by Gurmit "Mr Phua Chu Kang" Singh and Glenn Ong, DJ from Class 95FM.  Proving that they could play the game of football as well as they write about it, the media team edged the celebrity team 1-0 to win the match.

What a great week it had been to mark the start of the school holidays for the football boys.

Congratulations to all winners, and to Team Marine Terrace, good luck in the Regional Grand Finals in Hong Kong!

Editor’s note:  If you do recognize yourselves or any of your friends in these pictures, do drop us a note in the "Comments" section and we’ll update the captions accordingly.  Thanks!