NUS hand SMU a 4-1 defeat in IVP football

Story by REDintern Delle Chan. Photos by REDintern Lee Ying Quan.

National University of Singapore Sports and Recreation Complex, Friday, January 29, 2010 - Defending champions National University of Singapore (NUS) posted an emphatic 4-1 victory over Singapore Management University (SMU) in the group stages of the Institute-Varsity-Polytechnic (IVP) Football Championship (S.R. Nathan Challenge Cup). This puts NUS in good stead to qualify for the semi-finals.

Both sides fired on all cylinders from the kick-off, relentlessly piling on the pressure and tenaciously battling it out for possession of the ball. The two teams appeared to be evenly matched in terms of aggression and skill. However, neither side was able to really penetrate the other's tight defence during the initial stages of the game, and the bulk of the action was largely confined to the middle of the park.

The first real attempt at goal took place in the 19th minute, when NUS' Andy Ng (#9), fired a shot on target, only to see his attempt deflect off SMU's goalkeeper. NUS' Vincent Wong (#13), immediately went for the rebound, but his effort went wide.

The next few minutes of the game saw both sides effectively containing each other's attacking efforts. Both the NUS and SMU players constantly swung crosses into the penalty box, but these efforts were largely unable to find their intended targets.

SMU began to intensify their efforts late into the first half, with Ashwin Tiwari (#11), causing the NUS team some worry down the flanks. Against the flow of play, the stalemate was finally broken in the 44th minute. After some slight goalmouth confusion, NUS' Muhammad Elfi Bin Mustapa (#10), managed to put the ball into an undefended net for the first of his hat trick of goals. NUS ended the half with a slight edge at 1-0.

The second half started in a considerably quieter fashion, with the attacking efforts of both teams being nullified quite effectively by the defence. The game was revitalized in the 57th minute, when NUS' Elfi (#10), got onto the score sheet for the second time in a row, guiding the ball beyond the goalkeeper into the right corner of the net.

The scoreline read 3-0 to NUS a mere two minutes later. NUS' Mohammad Raihan Bin Mohammad Khalid (#23), struck a spectacular shot from approximately 40m out, striking the centre of the net. This virtually annihilated SMU's hopes of getting at least a point from the match.

The NUS team was evidently buoyed by their three goals, and this catalysed a marked improvement in their play. They started to dominate the match, monopolizing possession for stretches of time and registering yet more efforts on goal. The 64th minute saw NUS' Fabian Tan (#11) strike the ball against the crossbar agonizingly.

This increase in pressure from the NUS team eventually paid off, and they were duly rewarded with a fourth goal in the 83rd minute, courtesy of NUS' Elfi (#10), the hat trick hero of the evening.

SMU managed to grab a consolatory goal in the closing stages of the game, when Chen Weijian (#21) got onto the score sheet during the 90th minute. However, it came as a case of too little, too late, as the game concluded with NUS triumphing over SMU with a final scoreline of 4-1.

The SMU team coach, Mr. Ramesh, was visibly disappointed after the match, conceding that despite starting on par in terms of performance, his team lost control of the game after the first goal was scored.

When interviewed, NUS' Elfi (#10), the top scorer of the night, heaped praise on his teammates. "While I'm glad to have scored three goals, it was a great effort on the part of the whole team, and everyone played well. We managed to raise the game in the second half."

His coach, Mr. Arasu, echoed his sentiments. "My players knew their responsibilities and learned their tasks well. They also knew the importance of this game."

This match was indeed crucial for NUS, as they are level on points with two other contenders from their group (Temasek Polytechnic and Republic Polytechnic). "I'm very happy with the score margin today, as this now leaves us with a superior goal difference of six, as compared to RP's three," said Mr. Arasu.

In order to advance to the semi-final stages, NUS needs to avoid losing by more than two goals to Temasek Polytechnic in their next match.

N.B. If you know the names of the players featured, please let us know in the comments section and we’ll update the post. Thanks.