Story by Les Tan. Pictures contributed by reader Jolyn Ang. RedSportsTV by Les Tan.
Jalan Besar Stadium, Wednesday, May 14, 2008 – Victoria Junior College replaced the bitter memories of last year’s 0-1 final loss to St Andrew’s Junior College with sweeter ones, when they won a penalty shootout 6-5 against the same opponents last week in the final of the National A Division Girls’ Football Championship.
The game ended 1-1 at regulation time and extra-time failed to produce a match winner, thrusting both teams into the dreaded penalty kicks. Unfortunately for the defending champions, Saints, Narmadha Kamalanathan’s penalty was saved by goalkeeper Joan Huang of VJC after all five previous kicks were converted.
The job was still incomplete however, with striker Chen Wan Xin of VJC still needing to score to win the shootout. After kissing the ball, Wan Xin placed her shot to the left of Saints’ keeper Rebecca Chow. Rebecca guessed the right way but was unable to stop the shot, sparking an emotional celebration on the pitch as the VJ team poured onto the field.
In a game of few clear chances, Saints scored in the first half when VJ keeper Joan Huang spilled a free-kick, allowing Sherlyn Koh of SAJC to tap into an unguarded goal. Ang Kuan Ren of VJC, who won the Most Outstanding Player award at the end of the game, showed off some off her shooting power in a dead ball situation in the first half when the Saints keeper couldn’t hold her shot and dropped it. However, no VJ player was near enough to put the ball away.
Having lost last year’s final because of a goalkeeper error, VJC hearts would have been shattered if they went down 0-1 again for the same reason and so there was intense joy mixed with relief when Chen Wan Xin scored in the 55th minute of the second half off a corner. Kuan Ren, who took all the corners for her team, swung in a hard cross that eluded everyone. The ball bounced once and Wan Xin met it at the far post to head it into the net.
Saints, with key striker Maria Rowe with a knee injury that reduced her to hobbling pace towards the end of the game, were unable break down a stubborn VJ defence and it became inevitable that the game would head to extra-time. When extra-time produced no winner, penalties loomed, with the VJC coach allowing the players to volunteer for the penalties with a show of hands.
As with any penalty shootouts, only the brave take them, and even though Saints’ Narmadha missed, it could just as well have been somebody else on the day. As things turned out, it was goalscorer Wan Xin who had the responsibility to score the final penalty to ensure the win. When the penalty went in, she sank to her knees in tears as her teammates crowded around.
With that one kick, the memory of last year’s loss was washed away with the joyful tears of this year’s victory.
In the match for 3rd and 4th, Raffles Junior College beat Meridian Junior College 1-0 through a goal by Yeow Ting Wen.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI1CrBO9cYU
Anon, I believe the Saints and our girls have a good relationship off the field – saying things like that brings unnecessary and redundant tension.
And hi uncle les, I think you can call Mrs Foo the acting principal, though ‘stand-in’ works too, I guess… (: Thanks so much for the article.
i truly hope anon does not represent vjsg, or vjc for that matter, because a remark like that is a disgrace to anyone. i felt both teams played their hearts out and put up a good fight. congrats to vjc for coming out tops and kudos to sajc for making it an exciting final.
Kudos to VJC! no hard feelings saints, you guys played well too. Is there going to any update on the Cdiv soccer?
YEAH WELL DONE SAJC GIRLS YOU ALL ARE CHAMPIONS!
hahahaha YEAH GO MARIA TOP SCORER EVERYONE SHOULD JUST VOTE FOR HER! 😀
oh yeahh, she pretty too
ohh wow. that maria rowe scored 18 goals. wow. thats so cool. ive seen the girls play personally. at first i laughed but actually their NOT BAD AT ALL. congrats on the win VJC.
Uncle les, the first picture is not mine. Please credit Kelvin Lee. Thanks!
i am a member of the saints girls soccer team and i am appalled with what anon has to say, regardless of who anon is representing. yes there are saints in our team who were components of the vjc team initially but i think it is highly unnecessary for you to point out a ‘wrong turn they have made in their jc path’ i am sure they have never regretted their experience as a Saint. sure we may not have won the championship, but the Saints played their heart out and gave VJC a run for their money which i think is honourable and noble. someone once told me that a sportsman is defined not by the way he handles victory but the way he handles defeat. and the saints have lived up to the image of an ideal sportswomen, so don’t go saying things that’ll cause a stir.
We know the victorians are very proud of their school, but that is true for the saints too. Just look at the sajc girls and the supporters that day, and also the boys in their semi against mjc the following day. We all know the saints gave their best and probably they played for the only team they would play for. Like Junwei said, do not start an argument between the two schools. I don’t think what ‘anon’ wrote is a representative of the vj team.
anon, although we at Red Sports do not enforce strict censorship on comments, please do try to refrain from making such comments which are unsportsmanlike.
By doing so, you might just start another debate/argument here between the two schools.
If you wish to put forth your point, please do it in a mature manner. State your point, explain, and leave your name behind. Leave it open for an adult-like discussion. Don’t hide behind a nickname.
anon, pls just shut your trap.
HAHA! serve them right! those sa players who refused to join VEEJAYYY!
look whose the one celebrating now.
😀
well written article. thank u on behalf of Victoria.
thy triumphs see. 🙂
she’s mrs foo chui hoon, HOD of science in vj (:
Wan Xin was giving all the Glory to God (: Amen!
Maria won top scorer! 😀
Wah…so fast! You girls must be glued to the computer. 😉
So what do I call her – your stand-in principal? What is her name by the way? Would be nice to put it in.
that isn’t vj’s principal. she was just a “stand-in” (i dont really know what you call that position). our prinicpal mr chan was away in India and the vice principal mr fong was away for national service (reservice).
maria rowe won an award for overall top scorer. total of 18 goals i think (:
photo 3- vjc’s ang kuan ren
photo 8-maria won the season’s top scorer- tally of 18 goals