Story by REDintern Darren Ho. Photos by Les Tan/Red Sports.
Abu Isa (MI #7, left) scored the opening goal of the game for MI. (Photo 1 © Les Tan/Red Sports)
Millennia Institute, Friday, April 22, 2016 – Victoria Junior College (VJC) edged closer to the semi-finals after a 2-1 victory over Millennia Institute (MI) in the National A Division Football Championship.
Two strikes in quick succession from CT Karuppiah Arasu (VJC #9) and Sheffield Lok (VJC #8) was exactly what the team needed after falling behind and conceding their first goal of the competition to Abu Isa bin Abdullah’s (MI #7) 29th-minute headed goal.
MI had a glorious chance to draw level in the 77th minute. Abu Isa (MI #7) delivered a looped cross into the box, but Mazharul Altaf S/O Mazhar Ali’s (MI #8) mis-timed header, followed by Lenny Chua‘s (MI #9) weak attempt on goal, left MI without a point after two games in Round 2.
Prior to this match, VJC were sitting in second spot in Group Y with one point following their 0-0 draw with St. Andrew’s Junior College in their opening match. MI were bottom after falling 1-6 to Meridian Junior College (MJC).
Both teams came into this tie with great attacking intentions, and had insatiable appetites for goals.
The first chance of the game came in the 10th minute, when MI goalkeeper Mukundan Malaiya Maran (MI #13), who had an outstanding game, swung in a pass from his own half into VJC’s goalmouth.
VJC’s goalkeeper Jonas Andersen (VJC #1) came out to fist the ball, but his clearance flew into the path of MI’s captain Abu Isa (MI #7) whose shot was deflected off a VJC defender and went out of play.
MI retained their momentum and had another chance in the 14th minute. A swift exchange of passing between Gary Tran (MI #10) and Abu Isa (MI #7) ended with a through ball to Tham Wei Xun (MI #11), who sprinted down the right flank and flighted in a cross. However, his attempt to pick up Gary (MI #10) was met by Jonas (VJC #1) who ensured that he was first to the ball.
MI soon got the goal they deserved in the 29th minute. A sneaky chip shot from Gary (MI #10) mislead Jonas (VJC #1) into coming off of his line, leaving the goal exposed for Abu Isa (MI #7) to head home the opener.
The MI crowd burst into cheers, but the pendulum quickly swung the other way as VJC responded with two goals in the next four minutes to stun the MI support in the stands.
Muhammad Sollehin (VJC #10) displayed skill to hold off MI defenders in the penalty box and supply a pass for Karuppiah Arasu (VJC #9) to steer the ball into the net for an equaliser.
VJC grabbed the lead in the 33rd minute when a corner kick from Michael Collins (VJC #7) bounced about in the penalty box, and landed right in front of Sheffield Lok (VJC #8) who stabbed the ball into goal.
VJC had two excellent chances in the opening 10 minutes of the second half but they could not put them away. Arasu’s (VJC #9) miss in the six-yard box with the goal at his mercy was particularly glaring.
MI came close at the hour mark when Sollehin (VJC #10) conceded a free-kick after a handball. Gary (MI #10) stepped up for the set piece, but his attempt towards the top left corner was only a whisker wide.
Louis Joel Chng (MI #14) MI also had a clear chance at an equaliser but he put his effort wide from inside the box. Mazharul Altaf (MI #8) then rocked the crossbar with a header and it looked like it just was not MI’s day.
As to the mood of the team after their equaliser, Karuppiah Arasu (VJC #9) said, “The team felt pumped up to score the second goal. We continued to fight hard and chase every ball to win the game.”
He added that it wasn’t the best game which VJC has played and admitted that MI had given VJC a tough fight.
With MJC and SAJC playing out a 1-1 draw in another game played at the same time, the group is now left finely poised. MJC and VJC are tied on four points but MJC are top of the group with a better goal difference.
SAJC are third with two points while MI are winless and out of the running for the semi-finals.
VJC will next take on MJC on Tuesday, 26 April, while MI will face SAJC on the same day. Kick-offs are at 4pm.
VJC need a win over MJC to confirm a semi-final place. A draw will leave them dependent on SAJC’s result against MI.
Score by Half
Millennia Institute vs Victoria Junior College
1st Half: 1-2
2nd Half: 0-0
Full-time: 1-2
Scorers
Millennia Institute
Abu Isa B Abdullah (#7) – 1 goal (29th min)
Victoria Junior College
Arasu (#9) – 1 goal (30th min)
Sheffield Lok (#8) – 1 goal (33rd min)
Millennia Institute Roster
Kim Zi Jie (#1), Tan Keng Liang (#2), Alfian Noorhaqim B Rahmat (#3), Kannappan Annamalai (#4), Lim Chyn Swen, Miel (#5), Danial Syakir B Fauzilan (#6), Abu Isa B Abdullah (#7), Mazharul Altaf S/O Mazhar Ali (#8), Chua Boon Kiat Lenny (#9), Gary Tran Ngoc Long (#10), Tham Wei Xun (#11), Mohamed Umar Danial B M N (#12), Mukundan Malaiya Maran (#13), Louis Joel Chng Yong Ern (#14), Mohamad Farez B Abdul Rahman (#15), Mu’Izzudin B Maswadi (#16), J Santhosh (#17), Isaac Sharma Restan (#18), Muhammad Hariz B Khamis (#19), Muhammad Hannan B Hassan (#20)
Victoria Junior College Roster
Jonas Andersen (#1), Muhammad B Haa-Meed (#2), Xu Ang (#3), Ashwin Kalaichelvan (#4), Toe Keng Yong, Miguel (#5), Ryan Shane Chen (#6), Michael Sheng-En Collins (#7), Sheffield Lok Yu Chen (#8), CT Karuppiah Arasu (#9), Muhammad Sollehin B Muhd F B G (#10), Teo Weiheng, Nicholas (#12), Mark Lim Bo-Yang (#13), Jeff Teo Jiunn (#14), Dashmesh Singh Bajaj (#16), Muhammad Syakir B Mohd Azahar (#17), Desmond Chia Bing Yan (#18), Ahmad Taufiq B Rohaimi (#19), Foong Kah Meng Scott (#21), Tan Wei Hao Malcom (#22), Chia Han Xuan, Shaun (#23)
National A Division Football Championship – fixtures and results
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