By REDintern Kenneth Tan

Republic Polytechnic Sports Complex, Tuesday, November 3, 2009 - Republic Polytechnic (RP) came from a goal down to beat Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) 2-1. This was RP’s second win out of four matches in the men's Polytechnic-Institute of Technical Education (POL-ITE) Football Championship.

The win allowed RP to remain in contention for the men’s POL-ITE football crown.

After a last minute goal denied them a 2-1 victory over NYP last Friday, RP set their sights on winning this game while NP were in search of their second win of the championship. RP captain Zuladly B Zulkeplie was ruled out of the match after suffering an injury on his right ankle against NYP and had to watch the game from the stands instead.

The first shot of the match was fired by RP stand-in skipper Mohammad Aliff Bin Azmi (#15) from just outside the box which the NP goalkeeper collected at his second attempt.

However, it was NP who drew first blood with a quickfire goal with just three minutes gone on the clock. The RP defence failed to clear their lines and Saiful Bin Bahari (NP, #29) was released down the right with a clear opportunity to shoot. Despite the attention of onrushing RP custodian Sharil Bin Satar (#21) and two backtracking defenders, he slotted in a clinical finish into the bottom left corner.

The match proceeded with both teams exchanging shots on goal with Danial Aizat (RP, #13) and Gary Loo (NP, #26) producing audacious shots from half field that sailed well wide.

NP then got a chance to extend their lead on 18 minutes as a strong challenge from Danial halted Jeremy Tan’s (NP, #6) run. The resulting free-kick saw Izmir Shah (NP, #22) with a full volley that was well held by Sharil.

NP were to rue that opportunity just three minutes later as an in-swinging corner from Amali Afiq (RP, #10) was headed through the crowd of players into the top right corner by captain Aliff Bin Azmi, making the score 1-1 on 21 mins.

The game took on a balanced note thereafter with both teams trading chances. On 26 mins, RP's Young Lions defender Madhu Mohana (#5) headed behind for a corner after a miscommunication with his goalkeeper. From the resulting corner, goalscorer Saiful's improvised back heel went just wide of Sharil's right hand post.

A slip up from RP's Suhari Muslim Bin Mustaffa (#8) led NP's Muhamed Sulaiman B Abdul (#17) to curl the ball from long range moments later but Sharil was equal to the task.

RP's winger Amos Vikram (#19)'s good run and cross down the left flank then created an opportunity for Aliff Bin Azmi but his header was not powerful enough to trouble the NP goalkeeper.

The first booking of the game was awarded to NP's Gary Loo after a clash in the centre midfield and that decision drew huge cheers from the RP supporters.

NP continued to create chances towards the end of the first half with Miftahul Arifin (#27) producing a powerful effort from outside the box which Sharil palmed away and Saiful Bin Bahari heading over from a free kick. Those misses proved costly as the game was soon to turn on its head.

RP coach Feiruz Hanib made a tactical switch, swapping winger Amos Vikram from the right flank to the left on 40 minutes and the move paid off just one minute later.

Aliff Bin Azmi controlled a pass from midfield and laid on his left to the oncoming Amos who showed composure by taking a touch and slotting it under the NP goalie's arm despite pressure from a NP defender. The RP supporters cheered deliriously at RP's fightback from a goal down and the first half ended 2-1 to RP.

The second half kicked off with NP doing most of the attacking as Saiful fired over after a long ball down the left from Zahrul Bahari Bin Zainnudin (#20) and a free kick earned by Ang Zhi Wei (#33) outside the box was palmed to safety by Shahril.

However it was a scrappy affair thereafter marred by lack of clear-cut chances and a string of injuries to both sides with NP's Jeremy Tan, RP's Suhairi and Muhammad Faiz (#16) all limping off for slight treatment on the sidelines.

On 65 minutes, NP's Mohamed Hazwan B Suradi (#12) produced a high challenge that landed straight on the head of RP's Benjamin Quah (#12) which the referee adjudged as a foul. His teammate Ang Zhi Wei (#33) vehemently protest the referee’s call and earned himself a yellow card.

RP's Muhammad Izzul (#9) then replaced the exhausted Amali Afiq and soon played a part in the turning point of the match.

Within two minutes of his entry, he was brought down as a result of a strong challenge by Zahrul Bahari which earned the latter a spot in the referee’s book. Teammate Ang Zhi Wei's constant protests to the referee about the call finally resulted in a second yellow card and an automatic red.

Being unhappy with the decision, he shouted expletives right in the face of the official and had to be hauled off the pitch by his teammate Gary Loo. The incident riled up the RP supporters who cursed in support from the stands.

As a result, NP had to play the remaining 23 minuntes with 10 men and Mohammad Firdaus B Jaffar (#28) soon came on to shore up the midfield of NP.

NP continued to dominate the game despite the setback but failed to create any clear cut chances. The best move of the half was instead carved out by RP on 82 minutes when Danial Aizat's long ball released Jass Nureddy Kurniawan (#7) who cut it back from the left touchline to the lurking Izzul in the 6-yard box. However he failed to get a clean shot away and it ended in the NP goalie's safe arms.

Injuries struck RP again when Danial and Suhairi both lay down on the pitch due to injuries and the latter has to come off for Muhammad Farhan (#6). Tempers flared for the second time on 85 minutes as the NP and RP players clashed near the left flank and had to be calmed down.

NP's frustrations showed during the last minute of regulation time as Zahrul Bahari gave Muhammad Farhan a shove in the face in an off-the-ball incident and Muhammad Farhan was carried off by his teammates onto a wheelchair after suspected concussion.

Deep into injury time, NP pushed forward in search for a desperate equaliser and gave RP supporters a huge scare. First a long shot from outside the box looped just over Sharil's bar, then Madhu cleared a cross from the left out of his 6-yard box for a corner.

From the resulting corner kick, a header sailed just wide of Sharil's left hand post, with anxious RP supporters having their hearts in their mouths for a moment. That proved to be the last chance of the match and the RP team received huge applause from their vocal supporters for their second win in four matches.

NP finished the tournament with 1 win, 1 draw and 3 losses while RP, having won 2, drawn 1 and lost 1, will play their last match of the championship against ITE on Friday to decide their final placing in the championship.

Match Result
NP 1 (Saiful Bin Bahari #29 – 3 mins)

RP 2 (Aliff Bin Azmi #15 – 21 mins, Amos Vikram #19 – 42 mins)