By Kenneth Tan/Red Sports

football c div semi-finals

Sports School teacher-in-charge Mr Teng Wei Ken (middle, in white) prepares his team for the penalty shootout which they won 5-4 to go into the final. (Photo 1 © Kenneth Tan/Red Sports)

Victoria Junior College, Monday, August 2, 2010 — Powerhouse Singapore Sports School reached the National C Division Football Championship final via a 5-4 penalty shootout win over Siglap Secondary. Both teams were tied at 1-1 after extra time.

Siglap took the lead in the first half but were pegged back in the second half by Sport School. Despite 10 minutes of extra time, the match had to be decided by a penalty shootout where Siglap lost out in the game of nerves.

Despite being the underdogs, Siglap took the game to their more illustrious opponents in the first half. Zulkhairi B Zainal fired the first warning for Sports School on 15 minutes as his angled shot from the left went into the side netting.

Five minutes later, they managed to take a deserved lead through their direct style of football. Centre back Muhd Daniel B Masral’s free kick from the middle picked out Mohd Nurhakim B Daud who produced a looping header inside the box that went over the head of the stranded Sports School goalie Muhd Zharfan and into the right hand corner of the net.

Siglap could have have extended their lead on two occasions thereafter. Muhd Daniel’s 40m free kick went just over the bar on 24 minutes while forward Muhd Aiman B Idris had a one-on-one opportunity which was well blocked by Sports School’s Dominic Tan.

Sports School appeared rejuvenated after the break as forward Andin Addie Djayady had a 30m free kick that sailed just over the bar on 40 minutes.

Nine minutes later, they managed to equalise matters. A great through ball down the middle from Andin picked out captain Richard Pun who was through on goal. The forward remained composed inside the box to slot into the bottom right corner of the goal. It meant the match had to go into extra time.

Sports School went the closest to scoring the winner five minutes into the period when a right-wing cross was not cleared by the Siglap defence. The ball fell to Richard Pun who nipped just ahead of the onrushing Siglap keeper Nurhasbi B Mohd Hussin but with the goal gaping, he somehow fired wide of the left-hand post.

Eventually it went down to the dreaded penalty shootout.

Siglap made a peculiar decision to replace starting goalkeeper Nurhasbi B Mohd Hussin with centre back Muhd Daniel B Masral midway through which caused a slight delay.

Both teams converted their first three efforts before Siglap missed from the spot. Adli B Saiful Bahri’s shot flew wide of the right-hand post.

Syed Syazwan converted Sports School’s next spot kick to put the pressure on Siglap captain Mahathir B Azeman. Mahathir had to score to keep his team in the game and that was what he did as he slotted into the bottom left corner of the net.

That goal proved crucial as Sports School’s Muhd Danial fired a feeble shot down the middle which Muhd Daniel easily smothered.

With the shootout going into sudden death, Siglap starting goalkeeper Nurhasbi B Mohd Hussin was the first to crack as he dragged his shot wide of the left-hand post.

It all came down to Sports School’s Muhd Danial B Azman who did not disappoint as he slotted into the left-hand post to send his team into the final.

Sport School teacher-in-charge Mr Teng Wei Ken appeared a relieved man when interviewed after the match.

“In normal time, it was rather even,” he said. “We did not play well in the first half but second half, we did not do too bad. In extra time, we were much stronger. I felt the boys showed nice movement off the ball. When it gets to penalties, sometimes it’s a matter of luck.”

When quizzed about whether his team trained for the penalty shootout, he admitted: “No, we didn’t train. Most of these boys are 13 years old. Being young and inexperienced, they were hesitant to take penalties. In the end we’ll have to give credit to those who stood up.”

Sports School will now go on to face Victoria School in the final scheduled on Thursday, August 5th at the same venue.

Final Result

End of Extra Time
Sports School 1
Richard Pun 49′
Siglap 1
Mohd Nurhakim B Daud 20′

Penalty Shootout
Sports School 5
Ahmad Danish Ismail (scored)
Andin Addie Djayady (scored)
Lionel Tan (scored)
Syed Syazwan (scored)
Muhd Danial (saved)
Muhd Danial B Azman (scored)

Siglap 4
Muhd Daniel B Masral (scored)
Muhd Aiman B Idris (scored)
Zulkhairi B Zainal (scored)
Adli B Saiful Bahri (missed)
Mathathir B Azeman (scored)
Nurhasbi B Mohd Hussin (missed)

Sports School lineup
Muhd Zharfan B Rohaizad (#17, GK), Syed Syazwan Bin Syed Sulaiman (#2), T R Vishaal (#3), Ahmad Danish Ismail (#4), Randall Au Yong Kin Hoong (#5), Dominic Tan Jun Jin (#6), Lionel Tan Han Wei (#7), Mohd Nasrul B Mohumed Taib (#8), Richard Pun (#9, captain), Chaichote Panasampon (#10), Shaun Teo Hong Kai (#11), Syed Alwi Bin Syed Abdul Kadir Aljailani Alsri (#12), Aide Shazwandi Bin Abd Talib (#13), Andin Addie Djayady Bin Agustino Saman (#14), Joshua Bernard Pereira (#15), Lucas Issac Lee Siong Wei (#16), Delf Zachary James (#22), Haiqal Bin Sulaiman (#33), Nicholas Yong Chung Wai (#34)

Siglap lineup
Nurhasbi B Mohd Hussin (#1, GK), Akmal Aqil B Salman (#2), Muhd Aidil B Rashid (#3), Mathathir B Azeman (#4, captain), Muhd Danial (#5), Muhd Danial B Azman (#6), Muhd Raihan B Akbar (#7), Ruzaini Zulkarnain (#8), Muhd Aiman B Idris (#9), Nurulhaq B Anuar (#10), Mohd Nurhakim B Daud (#11), Muhd Salihin B Kasim (#12), Muhd Fadlullah (#13), Zulkhairi B Zainal (#14), Adli B Saiful Bahri (#15), Mohd Afiq Septianto (#16), Ahmad Rusyaidee B Razali (#18), Shaikh Mohd Raziq (#19), Muhd Daniel B Masral (#20), Muhd Azrul Abdullah (#25)

football c div semi-finals

Siglap coach Mr Fabio Da Silva (in light blue) giving tips to his players prior to the shootout. It was not enough as his team lost out in the game of nerves. (Photo 2 © Kenneth Tan/Red Sports)