By Les Tan
Muhd Khairil glances in the winning goal for VJC in second half stoppage time to ensure a 3-2 victory. (Photo 1 © Les Tan/Red Sports)
Jalan Besar Stadium, Monday, May 25, 2009 – Victoria Junior College scored a stoppage time goal to eke out a 3-2 victory over Meridian Junior College.
The 3pm start time under the scorching sun plus the adrenaline of a national football final meant fitness would come into play in this game. Added to that the heart-pounding and ear-splitting cheering from supporters of both schools – the loudest cheering you’ll hear at a football game on this island – the stage was set for an exciting game.
A blistering start saw VJC take an early 1-0. Alex (#10) found some space on the left flank and his cross was met by Asyraf who placed his header over Edmund Wong in the (#32) in the MJC goal. 1-0 to VJC.
But MJC came right back. Their constant pressure yielded them a free-kick from 30m out. Up stepped their captain Fazli Hisham (#7) who hit it straight at the VJC keeper Ifwat Wafiy. It was not a hard shot and everyone expected the keeper to pluck it safely from the air. To his and the collective horror of the VJC crowd, it squirmed from his outstretched hands and bounced over the line. 1-1 and the MJC crowd roared their approval.
Man for man, MJC had the measure of the VJC team, nullifying any attack, while their constant probing left VJC fans with the gnawing dread of another MJC goal.
Alex (VJC #10) then missed a one-on-one situation to leave the score unchanged and the miss would haunt VJC.
VJC’s Jasper gave away another free-kick to MJC and this time Attah Joseph (#21) stepped up. Of all the people in the VJC wall, Joseph’s blast chose to take a wicked deflection off the head of Jasper and the ball hit the back of the net while VJC keeper Ifwat was left flat footed. VJC, and Jasper, were feeling particularly unlucky by now.
With MJC holding their first lead of the game at 2-1, VJC did not look likely to score. But an individual piece of finishing by Alex changed the scoreline. VJC keeper Ifwat’s kick upfield was met by the head of Anders Aplin (VJC #9). Another teammate met Anders’ header with another flick on and the ball landed nicely in the path of Alex who bore down on the right side of the MJC penalty box.
VJC fans wondered: Was he going to shoot? His answer was instantaneous – a blast with his right leg that arrowed across the diving body of MJC keeper Edmund Wong to nestle in the far corner of the net. A predator’s goal and the score was now 2-2. Game on.
After the excitement of the first half with four goals and lots of action, the second half was an anti-climax. The 3pm start was taking its toll as players from both teams started going down with cramps. The most pained sufferer was Attah Joseph (MJC #21) whose cramp was so severe that his bulging thigh muscles were rigid with cramp and he had to be carried off the pitch.
With the injuries, the game was going nowhere as a spectacle but with the passing minutes, the tension ratcheted up. A goal at this late juncture would surely spell the winner.
MJC had two golden chances to score through Joseph Tai (MJC #23), the second of which was a header that was headed for goal but Ifwat pulled off a stupendous save to make up for his first half error.
The miss of the game though, was by Alex (VJC #10), this year’s top scorer with 16 goals.
A blistering shot by Anders (VJC #9) from outside the box was not held by MJC keeper Edmund. The ball spilled loose and bounced up nicely into the path of the onrushing Alex. However, from less than 2m from the goal line and with the whole goal gaping before him, he somehow contrived to put the ball over the bar.
Even though the ball fell to his weaker left leg, he pounded the ground in extreme frustration while the VJC bench saw coach Tan Yew Hwee sprawl to the ground like he had been shot. The VJC bench must have thought this was going to be a repeat of the 2008 final where Alex also missed chances that cost them the championship title.
By this time, everyone was expecting extra-time but the final act was yet to be played out. In the second minute of extra time, a throw in by Cephas Ong was headed on by Anders Aplin. In the middle was the waiting Muhammad Khairil (VJC #5). Rising with him were two MJ defenders but Khairil got his head to the ball first.
It was not a hard header but the ball’s bounce fooled MJC keeper Edmund and went in to send the VJC crowd into delirium. 3-2 to VJC was how it finished, and VJC put to bed their 1-2 loss to MJC in last year’s final.
In an on-field incident witnessed by many and sure to be discussed for days on end, the MJC taunt to VJC to “go fly kite” got the better of VJC’s Khairil and he made a mocking gesture – putting his thumb on his nose and wiggling his fingers – to the MJC crowd in return after teammate Alex scored the second VJC goal.
After getting scolded by coach Tan Yew Hwee immediately after the incident, Khairil was marched to the MJC principal after the game by his coach and made to apologise.
“That kind of game, heart attack!” said VJC coach Tan Yew Hwee. “The chances they missed!”
The winning goal was unexpected.
“The goal was a soft goal,” he said.
For MJC, this was their fifth A Division final appearance in a row.
“That’s football,” said MJC coach Fabio Fanticelle Da Silva. “It was a loss of concentration in the last two minutes.”
“It was a very good save by the VJC keeper,” said coach Fabio, referring to the save from Joseph Tai (MJC #23) in the dying moments of the second half.
“Last year was our year, this year is their time. Our boys worked very hard and we have very good support from the principal and teachers.”
MJC are also well placed for A Division football honours next year.
“Seven of the players will be back next year,” coach Fabio confirmed.
“It’s really honourable to score in the final on such a big stage,” said Muhd Khairil, the scorer of the winning goal and who also bagged the man-of-the-match award. “Lucky the ball went in. We had many chances to score but we threw it away.”
Khairil finished the season with four goals, but that last one will live long in the memory for him and VJC.
This is getting ridiculous and its making MJC appear like they cannot afford to lose. Carry on and YOU’ll tarnish YOUR school’s reputation. 🙂
Ouch, your words hurt.
I can’t on my own decide the views of MJCians, neither can anyone.
For there may be some harping on it, some who are not. Some like you, and others like me. And see, will you seriously take his sorry if his post it online? Would you believe if I said, even if he doesn’t, he’s forgiven? At least by me? Most probably wouldn’t. And what if he really does so? Will some people out there be satisfied? Anyone could easily comment that making appearance on the media for instance National school show on Chn5 would be more sincere so on and so forth. Everyone has their perspective. And still it aint right for you to criticise MJ in this manner. And I ain’t saying we doubt our principal’s judgement. All have been said and done. Nothing can be undone, but we know he had done something to correct his actions. So who’s the one harping on it now?
guys for the records, vj’s no.10 had a missed shot long before mj’s no.23’s header. mj’s no.23’s header was followed by a corner and followed by vj’s celebrations.
jay
since you claim to be at the venue, you would have seen that vj#5 went down during stoppage time when extra time was already given. he collapsed near his team bench and it was his coaches who carried him away while everyone else played on near the VJ goalpost. In what way is it then fair to speculate that he did it on purpose? In no way was play affected by it. You claim to have had YEARS of experience, have you never played a game under the hot sun and on an artificial pitch that retains heat? Think about it.
‘Likewise, such a lack of sportsmanship was displayed in MJ Soccer Girls’ game against HCJC. The HC defender attempted to prevent the MJ girl from scoring but to no avail, falling inside the goal. The MJ girl pointed at her mockingly and laughed, then ran off, rather than helping her up.
well.’
1) Please do not digress
2) Please do not exaggerate. She pointed her finger AT the goal,in disbelief, not to laugh at the defender. I know because I was there.
Wouldn’t you run off to your audience/supporters/coach if you scored a goal? please stop being so sensitive and put yourself in their shoes.
Girls’ Soccer have got nothing to do with this, thanks
to-vm
thanks for your reply vm. Yes there were mj players cramping up after the third goal by vj. You might call it unjustified speculation, but well, speculating and seeing it first hand is different. Like I had said, whether or not the cramp was genuine, its up to the player’s conscience and i will not comment on that further. About mj players cramping up, genuine or not, again i leave it to everyone’s opinion, would you wana go down in pain unnecessarily while youre a goal down? I was present at the venue and if you ask me after years of experience in football, i’ll put it down as a “smart” antic to waste time. The bemused faces of no.5’s teamates tell a story to all. His kicks at the mj keeper were nothing but accidents that happen in football.
To cap it all, vj won and had this incident not happen, it would have been a great game for the neutrals.
people! I believe it’s more worthwhile to discuss the rest of the game rather than argue about a fraction of it. How about MJC #17’s quick turns in the first half, or VJC #10’s wicked finish or VJC #1’s brilliant save? I guess other than the few incidents, the game was a real tight one and had been really exciting to watch!
his header was after, the last touch of the ball before the final whistle
alex’s goal was in the first half. #23 went on the field in the 2nd half
to xxx
erm no i think his header was before alex’s goal.
Uncle Les, I’m a tad confused. Joseph Tai’s (MJC #23) header was after Alex’s (VJC #10) miss, right before the final whistle, wasn’t it? sorry for the error for the post right before this one..
first of all, i would like to congratualate VJC for winning the match and the title. It was a well deserved win that can be attributed esp to #10 and #9, who always came so close to scoring. However, MJC gave a good fight and im sure almost everybody at the match expected a penalty shootout (which would have been an excellent end to the finals, pity).
However, regarding #5(VJ) i think that the action was uncalled for, unless he really interpretated the cheer as a taunt(which really wasnt, to those who think it is: are u from mjc? if u arent then how can u define other’s cheer for them?)
He didnt apologised out of his own accord. he was marched over by his coach, and the coach did the talking. I think he mumbled something, which i hopefully think is an apology.
To some of the comments about him kicking the MJ goalkeeper on the head, somebody with a clear view told me that #5’s foot was out of line with the ball and directed at the head. (which again i hope is a mere calculation error on #5’s part) But that kick proved to be quite useful since it gave the goalkeeper a bloody nose and mouth, and a dizzy spell that must have affected the game somehow <–but thats soccer, so im not suggesting anything
As for the man of the match award, i thought that #9 deserved it more because he was superb and gave many MJCians a fright everything he came close to scoring.
Oh and lastly, VJC should have brought their PA man to play their school song, or at least a disc with their school song so that they have a song to sing to. As a spectator, i didnt hear the VJCians singing, or the 3cheers for MJC for that matter.
All in all, it was a great game, one i would compare to professional soccer. i hope to see this again in the years to come.
the above was my two cents and i would appreciate readers to bear in mind that i stand on no side when commenting to my post.
SOCCER!!
yeah guys. i think although #5 made tht rash decision of “wiggling his fingers” (haha lol). he did apologise later after the match. and if im rite, i saw him putting his hands together in an apologetic manner and bowing towards the mj crowd several times when he was announced the man of the match. this was done even as the mj supporters were booing him. so i think he is really sincere in apologising. and you mj guys are no better by boing him while he was apologising. as for #5, all i have to say is it takes a real sportsman and gentleman to admit and apologise for his mistakes. well done.
Well now that you do know that he’s apologised and it’s apparent that your principal has accepted it, why are you guys still harping on it? Are you now questioning your principal’s judgement in accepting that apology? I just think that you’re making a huge deal out of something that took up five seconds of an entire match. And are you seriously telling me that you will accept the sincerity of an “apology” through the platform of an online comments section? The fact that #5 is keeping quiet shows the quiet dignity with which he has decided to deal with this controversy. He has nothing to prove to anyone of you baying for his blood, and everyone who is unbiased knows that his conscience is clear. For God’s sake MJ, get over it already. Go back to school, celebrate your soccer boys’ achievements and stop this ridiculous witch-hunt.
to jay
i think that its completely unfair to suggest that he, or anyone else, cramped just to delay time. its necessary to give him and everyone the benefit of the doubt, and it reflects badly on you to come up with attacks which are nothing but unjustified speculation. also, if i’m not wrong there were also mj players who cramped after the third goal by vj.
Since comment no. 78 said that ‘MJC did it in the heat of the moment’, why not khairil? It IS the finals and we shouldnt be focusing so much on what khairil did(or if he is sincere in apologising or not, because in the end HE STILL DID) but rather the fact that both MJ and VJ played their hearts out and both are winners despite the results. And, the worst of all is how this comments area became a battle ground for both schools to prove who has more sportsmanship. Lets all get a life. A Div is over.
to 83, you shouldn’t ask me that.
For I can’t ans your qn for him.
But, he apologised. And it’s the fact. And even if he does apologised here, would you really forgive and forget? So no point harping on it, It’ll just make one another go crazy.
Majority of the MJCian didn’t know he apologised. Not that we witnessed it till the principal told us he apologised. So it is too over generalising that MJC is ungraceful. But for me yes, I do doubt the profession of judging the best player. If the criteria for best player is based on skills, I have no say but VJ tops that for a higher percentage. However, it is at that moment when your actions defines what kind of person you are at that instant. And the best player should not literally have the skills, but also the attitude during the match. So I think it should be awarded to someone else who’s worth the title. Be it anyone from any school. And I believe there are people who would second that.
Anyway, everyone is just attacking one another’s own opinion. I don’t see why it’s causing such a big up roar for the two schools. An eye for an eye, makes the world go blind. Oh well, not what I would expect from JC students/ young adults.
First, i think vj deserved to win. After watching vj-acjc match, i thought they had really good substance. But i dont think Khairil deserve the man of match award.
If anyone was near to the field to see what had happened, it was clearly obvious that the MJ goalkeeper had already stretched out his arms to receive the ball. He was not even trying to save the ball by hugging it, which means that there was some distance between the two players but yet Khairil had took advantage of the chance to gave a kick in the goalkeeper’s face while the referee wasnt looking.
You should have seen the amount of blood on the field.
One of the coaches had witnessed the disgraceful act.(not vj or mj)
The issue about mjc cheer..That’s abit redundant though. Perhaps Khairil was really irritated by mjc cheer but throughout the whole match i cant really hear much cheering from vj either. maybe vj supporters had a part to play in incurring khairil’s wrath?
oh and his apology to meridian’s principal. i was close enough to witness the entire “apology”. only the vj teacher was sincere enough to apologize whereas Khairil was looking down all the time without muttering anything. is he really apologetic or is it because he did not dare to look into the principal’s eyes? there seems to be a lack of sincerity.
lastly the thing about giving each other respect during the playing of school’s anthemn. I guess it was due to the different level of enthusiasm from both schools. vj seems to be more reserved and not so supportive of their team, holding back their cheers etc. mj on the other hand seems to be a noisy bunch with high enthusiasm level which can be heard from their all sorts of cheers and they seemed to be giving their full support for the soccer team. also from what ive heard, in mj, it is not required for the students to stand still during the playing of schl’s song outside assembly hours, therefore whenever there’s playing of schl’s song in such events they are allowed to put their arms arnd each other and sing in a celebratory mood. hence my view is that the meridians had assumed that its okay to be noisy and just celebrate during the playing of vj schl’s song. so all in all it boils down to the different schl culture so chill, there’s nth to debate about. and fancy debating such a trivial issue that happened one yr ago.
im neither a supported of vj nor mj. im just a spectator who had the advantage of being near to the field. as such, i could clearly see the small dirty tricks the players are playing.
and for khairil’s case, it was a mistake on his side. if kicking the goalkeeper’s face was a strategy of him to win, there’s no talk about sportsmanship at all.
but anyway, this year it was a good match, an exciting one(albeit with a dirty factor involved).
To 78, he could just post a comment here to apologise if he want to…there is sth known as the new media nowadays=.=
And think about it…what if one MJC player walk to VJC side and mock at you guys? Are you going to say ‘ Oh nvm, he is just a 17 years old KID’ and forget totally about it? Can you and will you?
to -dos santos
well its a free world with everyone having the right to comment, so why not comment on the cramping? Youre right on the point where no one can predict a cramp, but you mentioned theres no motive except to drag time, and “but wont some more time be given? It is the A div final after all, a very important match”. Gee, youre a confused fella indeed i must say. It is indeed important thats why VJC’s no.5 decided to have a little suntan as the sun was wonderful on that afternoon. About added time, i must say youve no experience on football to know that such antics wont have time added on. Well at the end of the day, cramp or not, you’ll just have to touch your heart and ask yourself, have you done yourself and your conscience proud by that action? Winning is important, but sportsmanship supersedes all. Lets just say before you make head or tail of this part, let the relevant parties touch their heart first. Thanks.