Story by Ryan Lim/Red Sports. Photos by Jerald Ang/Red Sports
Ayyadarshan (ACJC #14) celebrates his goal with his teammates. (Photo 1 © Jerald Ang/Red Sports)
Nanyang Junior College, Tuesday, April 19, 2016 — Anglo-Chinese Junior College (ACJC) were made to work hard for their win over Temasek Junior College (TJC) in Round 2 of the National A Division Football Championship.
With the 1-0 win, ACJC are now joint top of Group X alongside Raffles Institution. Each team only has three games in Round 2, making every point more significant as compared to the previous stage of the championship.
ACJC were firm favourites in this contest after recording an impressive winning streak of five games. They have scored 19 goals and only conceded one goal so far, and have not dropped a single point in their quest for the title.
TJC came into the game as underdogs, with the team averaging two points per game in Round 1 of the championship. And with only six goals in five games, they are the lowest scoring team to qualify for this stage of the championship.
The game began with TJC having the better chances. Several dangerous through balls penetrated the ACJC defence. However, TJC’s bright start quickly faded, as ACJC took command of the game.
ACJC dominated the following 15 minutes of the game, but were wasteful in front of goal.
Oon Jinkuan (ACJC #11) deceived a TJC defender with a feint, before unleashing a left-footed shot that went over the crossbar.
Ayyadarshan (ACJC #14) sped down the left wing and rolled the ball into the middle of the box. Striker Eldon Foo (ACJC #20) made poor contact with the ball and missed the open opportunity.
Another chance went begging when Eldon Foo (ACJC #20) headed the ball wide from point blank range. The score remained 0-0.
TJC were quick in their offensive play, but their rash and inaccurate passing made them struggle to enter the attacking third. In contrast, ACJC were composed in their link-up play but could not apply the finishing touch.
TJC responded with a long range free kick that went straight into the arms of ACJC goalkeeper Ethan Koh (ACJC #1).
The second half started with lower intensity, with neither teams making any significant efforts on goal. Both teams were poor in the air, with the players also blinded by the afternoon sun. This led to scrappy play, and possession being given away easily.
TJC captain Chan Shao Jing (TJC #10) broke loose from his markers to fire a low strike from between the penalty box and halfway line. It was comfortably caught by the ACJC custodian, Ethan Koh (ACJC #1).
Ayyadarshan (ACJC #14) saw his intended pass deflect off a defender and back to him. He made the most of the situation with a respectable shot that was parried away by the TJC goalkeeper Esmond Li (TJC #1).
Both teams played with high defensive lines, causing a congested midfield. Because of that, the players had less time on the ball, and the pass completion rate was low.
The deadlock was finally broken in the middle of the second half after a spill by the TJC goalkeeper Esmond Li (TJC #1). A powerful free kick slipped through the fingers of the goalkeeper and bounced off an ACJC player. The deflected ball found its way to Ayyadarshan (ACJC #14) who side-footed it into the bottom left corner of the goal from a tight angle.
The goal opened up the game, with TJC aggressively trying to equalize.
A one-on-one opportunity was on the horizon for TJC after a well-weighted through pass went beyond the ACJC backline. However, Devon Gammon (ACJC #8), a defensive midfielder operating as a centre-back, tracked his opponent down and shielded the ball for the goalkeeper to clear.
ACJC successfully defended a last-minute free kick, and they hung on for a 1-0 win.
ACJC captain Devon Gammon (ACJC #8) commented after the game, “We had a lot of chances but did not convert them, so we had to press on and won with the single goal. We got the three points, but we always hope to do better. We will look to improve on our finishing aspect since it is the one that hurts us the most.”
ACJC will be pitted against Raffles Institution next while TJC will play against Nanyang Junior College.
Score by Half
TJC vs ACJC
1st Half: 0-0
2nd Half: 0-1
Full-time: 0-1
Scorers
ACJC
Ayyadarshan (#14) – 1 goal
TJC Roster
Li Qizing Esmond (#1), Goh Jin Hwa Marcus (#3), Tay Ying Jie Isaac (#4), Li Zhao Chen (#5), Willis Yang Xianzu (#6), Pho Jia Ren (#7), Benjamin Tey Qing Chun (#8), Vishnu Menon (#9), Chan Shao Jing (#10), Ryan Edward Tay Siang Ann (#11), Ong Xian Jet Isaac (#12), Kevin Bun (#13), Yasalapu Siva Sai Theja (#14), Hoon Yang Deng (#15), Zhong Shaojie (#16), Kee Kai Teng (#17), Wang Jiannan Victor (#19), Zhang Xiuping Raymond (#20), Wang Yaning (#22), Elroy Ang Wei Yong (#24)
ACJC Roster
Ethan Koh (#1), Suhas Ramanan (#2), Joel Tan (#4), Justinian Macpherson (#6), Kang Seong Soo (#7), Devon Gammon (#8), Leow Chun Kiat (#9), Tan Kayshin (#10), Oon Jinkuan (#11), Tan Xinwei (#12), Yao Zhikai (#13), Ayyadarshan (#14), Ryan Chew (#15), Jonathan Chia (#16), Chia Chong Jin (#18), Loy Huijing (#19), Eldon Foo (#20), Mark Lam (#21), Loo Wee Sing (#23), Jonathan Long (#24)
National A Division Football Championship – fixtures and results
More photos next page
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