Meridian Junior College beat Saints on penalties to make football championship final

Story and pictures by Les Tan

Delighted MJC teammates carry their keeper Edmund in celebration of the penalty shootout win. Edmund saved three penalties. (Photo 1 © Leslie Tan/Red Sports)

Jalan Besar Stadium, Thursday, May 15, 2008 – Meridian Junior College came back from 0-2 down to beat St Andrew’s Junior College 4-3 on penalties in a National A Division Football Championship semi-final this afternoon.

Saints missed four penalties in the shootout and MJC’s substitute keeper Edmund, nicknamed “Ah Seng” by his teammates, saved three penalties while another Saint penalty by Jeremy Ong hit the right post and bounced out. MJC were the favourites for this game but must count themselves fortunate for having made it through to the final after going down to two well-worked goals by a Saints team that had only three players with any B Division experience. Despite their seeming lack of experience, the Saints team showed an ability to play intelligent, beautiful, passing football that would warm the heart of any neutral.

MJC dominated the early proceedings and showed an aerial threat that would eventually prove the undoing of the Saints. MJC had the first good chance of the game but Hyder (#15) missed an open header from a cross coming in from the right. MJC continued to squat in the Saints’ half but their final ball was usually wanting.

While MJC were not able to translate their domination into goals, the Saints started imposing themselves on the game, showing a remarkable ability to hold, dribble and pass the ball around in a manner pleasing to the eye. Midfielder Augustus Set (#7) of the Saints showed a good football brain with his ability to dribble and thread passes to his forwards. A move started by Gus, as he is know to his teammates, saw him bring the ball forward with confidence before he relayed it to his teammate Billy (#9) on the right. He swung in a cross that fell nicely for teammate Fahrun (#11) but the shot was not hit with power and did not find the target.

MJC’s #6 Zaki then earned himself the game’s first and only yellow card of the day with his second hack on the Saints captain Nathaniel (#12). When play resumed, MJC created another good chance but Joseph (#16) missed an open header from a corner.

Saints then received a free-kick on the left flank and threw only three men forward, showing an unwillingness to commit too many players. From the free-kick, the ball sailed out off an MJC defender. The Saints attackers then lined up right on the goal line, causing a murmur among the spectators at this tactical play. Jeremy Ong (#2) swung in a corner from the right with pace, the ball sailed over the MJC keeper and Gus was on hand at the back post to power it into the MJC net for the first goal of the game.

MJC came right back to create scoring opportunities for themselves. First, Mahdi (#23) of MJC hit a well-struck volley that the Saints keeper Guang Hao saved excellently. Then MJC’s captain Md Khairyl (#8) made space for himself in the box but he miscued his attempt and the weakly-hit ball was saved.

The momentum then swung the way of the Saints briefly when Billy (#9) swung in a corner that was headed out. Nathaniel (#12) hit it back into the box for Kuo Loon but his attempt was weak and went past the right post. Then the Saints keeper Guang Hao pulled off another stupendous finger-tip save off an MJ header just before half-time to keep the 1-0 lead intact for his team.

The first clear chance of the second half fell to Jeremy Ong of the Saints but his weak shot from the edge of the box after a well-worked passing move went straight to the substitute MJC keeper, Edmund. MJC came back with a reply from Fazli (#7) but his shot at goal from outside the box went straight into the arms of the Guang Hao.

Then MJC found themselves with an opportunity to equalise when a free-kick taken from near the centre circle eluded all the Saints and was taken down with skill by an MJ player. But before he could shoot, he was closed down by a horde of Saints.

Then came the Saints second goal. Moving through the middle and employing their trademark passing game, Saints carved open the MJC defence with a through ball for Irwin Goh (#14) down the left flank. Sprinting into the box, he had the presence of mind to look up for a teammate and found Kuo Loon (#17) in the six-yard box with an accurate pass. Kuo Loon buried it first-time and the keeper had no chance.

2-0 up, the cheers from the Saints supporters had hardly died down when a free-kick swung in by Mahdi from the left saw Md Khairyl (#8) jump up and bury the header in the bottom right corner of the net. It was 2-1 just like that, and the momentum was now with MJC.

Khairyl and his teammate Mahdi made a mess of a free-kick from a dangerous position just outside the box and then their teammate Daniel Goh (#9) blazed over after a neat one-two with only the keeper to beat. Another free-kick was again wasted by MJC, then came the pivotal moment of the match.

As an MJC corner swung in, the referee, spotted Gus holding down Khairyl of MJC while the ball was in motion and awarded a penalty. The decision stunned both the Saints bench and the neutrals as the infraction was not obvious to anyone as all eyes were on the incoming ball. Up stepped Khairyl himself to take it. His shot was near enough for Guang Hao to save but it went in under his body. MJC were now back in it at 2-2.

In anticipation of penalties, Saints substituted their keeper Guang Hao with Andrew (#25) just before the end of the second half. The game ended 2-2 at the end of regulation time and the game went into extra-time. With both sides not wanting to make any mistakes, the extra-time was a cagey affair, and it was no surprise when the game went into penalties.

It became clear that the goalkeeping substitutions by both teams made a significant difference with both keepers saving their first penalties. Gus then scored for the Saints while Mahdi made no mistake with his to make it 1-1.

Saints’ Billy (#9) then saw his penalty saved by the tall and gangly Edmund and a weak shot by MJC’s Alan (#14) was easily saved by Andrew. With the score still at 1-1, Saints hearts melted when Jeremy Ong’s shot thundered off the right post. Up stepped MJC’s Gerald (#19) and he scored even though Andrew guessed the right way.

Saints’ captain Nathaniel (#12) now had to score to keep his side in the team. He retied both his boot laces to prepare himself but it was not to be as his shot was saved by Edmund.

As MJC celebrated their comeback victory, the Saints were left distraught after having come so close and their supporters mourned with them. However, a proud and sporting Saint said: “My boys played with the St. Andrew’s JC crests in their hearts and I am so proud of them. At the same time, I am disappointed that I could not bring them to the Final as they are such nice students who worked so hard. Still, they are my heroes. And from the SAJC Soccer Team, our utmost congratulations to the Meridian JC Soccer Team who played a great game, and we wish them well for the Final.”

MJC, who qualified also for the final last year, will meet the winner of the semi-final game between Anglo-Chinese Junior College and Victoria Junior College.

Chong Kuo Loon (left), scored the second Saints goal. He showed an ability to hold the ball and turn on a dime and play with his head up to look for teammates. (Photo 2 © Leslie Tan/Red Sports)

Augustus Set (second from left), or “Gus”, scored the first goal with a header off a well-worked corner set piece. He showed his ability to take on players and direct play for his team. Saints’ keeper (in grey) was outstanding between the post, denying MJC on a few occasions. From left to right: Ze Chao, Gus, Guang Hao (gk), Irwin. (Photo 3 © Leslie Tan/Red Sports)

Jeremy Ong of Saints takes a left-shoot before Khairyl (#8) of MJC can close him down. His shot was saved. (Photo 3 © Leslie Tan/Red Sports)