Story by REDintern Alyssa Almas. Photos by Iman Hashim/Red Sports

Muhammad Syafiee B Arman (SBW #9) celebrates after scoring his team's second goal. Sembawang Secondary beat Woodlands Secondary 4-1 to move on to the National B Division Football Schools Premier League 1. (Photo 1 © Iman Hashim/Red Sports)

Muhammad Syafiee B Arman (SBW #9) celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal. Sembawang Secondary beat Woodlands Secondary 4-1 to move on to the National B Division Football Schools Premier League 1. (Photo 1 © Iman Hashim/Red Sports)

Woodlands Secondary School Field, Monday, February 25, 2019 — Sembawang Secondary School (SBW) beat Woodlands Secondary School (WDL) in a clear-cut 4-1 win in the National B Division Boys’ Football League Qualifying Round to seal their spot in the School Premier League (SPL) 1.

Muhammad Syafiee Bin Arman (SBW #9) scored two goals in the match, as teammate Muhammad Danish Syafiq (SBW #17) scored in the second half to add on to the tally from Bryan Chee (SBW #10)’s first half goal. Ahmad Daniyel Bin Mohamed Rosman (WDL #12)’s first half penalty did little damage to the final score.

The first half started off well, both teams pressing hard and fighting for dominance from the get-go. There was good communication within the teams, as they shouted instructions to each other, and covered well defensively.

The first goal of the match came early in the sixth minute, when Woodlands were awarded a penalty for a foul inside the box. Ahmad Daniyel (WDL #12) stepped up to the spot and tapped in the goal in the bottom left of the net.

Sembawang responded quickly, setting the pace for the rest of the match, when Bryan Chee (SBW #10) blasted a shot into the top right corner of the goal from outside the box that looped over the keeper.

In the 25th minute, the opportunity to take the lead was presented to Sembawang in the form of a free-kick. However, the attempt by Muhammad Mikhail B Jasmani (SBW #11) flew mere inches above the crossbar. Just ten minutes later, Woodlands botched their free-kick as well, the effort flying way over the crossbar.

Just when the match was seemingly coming to a lull right before the end of the first half, Sembawang scored their second goal of the match in the 40th minute. Due to a defensive lapse on behalf of Woodlands, Muhammad Syafiee Bin Arman (SBW #9) managed to dribble into the box and chip the ball over the keeper.

At half time, the score stood at 2-1.

Speaking of his team’s morale at half-time, Sembawang captain Saiful Azhar Bin Saifuddin (SBW #7) commented: “After our first half, we were a bit nervous, so we came together to talk and motivate each other to get our heads in the game. Even though we were nervous, and feeling down after the first half, we pushed on and encouraged each other.”

With the hot afternoon sun beating down on the exhausted players, the second half was slower paced, each side struggling to put in their all. Woodlands were looking to take back the lead, while Sembawang were pushing hard to maintain it.

In the 50th minute, Woodlands were presented a chance to equalise the score with a free-kick taken by Mohamed Harith B Mohamed Zairi (WDL #13). However, the ball soon fell into Sembawang’s possession for a counter-attack. Nothing came out of it, however, as Wan Mohammad Reezman B Zakariah (SBW #12) fired his attempt over the crossbar.

Woodlands keeper Mohamad Darwin Iswandy (WDL #1) made an impressive save to maintain the score in the 60th minute, when he stopped a shot by Wan Mohammad Reezman (SBW #12) right in front of the goal line, to gasps from the supporters present.

Sembawang soon took a bigger lead in the 79th minute, when Muhammad Danish Syafiq (SBW #17) tore down the right flank, dribbling past Woodlands’ defenders. In a display of great skill, he fired the ball from an acute angle into the bottom left of the net, just out of reach of the Woodlands keeper.

Just minutes later, Sembawang confirmed their win when Muhammad Syafiee (SBW #9) sent a rocket at goal, that took a deflection off Imraan Khan B Abdul Aziz (WDL #6) and rolled into the bottom right of the goal. The Woodlands keeper was stunned, having been unable to anticipate the direction of the ball.

With the sound of the final whistle, the score at full-time stood at 4-1.

Happy with his team’s win, Sembawang team captain Saiful Azhar (SBW #7) quipped: “Everybody did very well — in the end, we ended up with a great win, 4-1, everybody was really happy we managed to qualify for League 1. Without their effort we wouldn’t get these results.”

“As what our coach says, we have to strive for our values — strive, serve and soar. Strive until the end, soar 100% and serve our school.”

On losing the lead that they held, Woodlands captain Amirul Azharri (WDL #17) said: “We were confident (at half time) that we would secure a win. However, during the second half, it was very intense, and the tables turned.”

“We’re still going to tier two, and I think we can look forward and try to win that. Just try and train hard, and we will eventually get that win.”

Score
Sembawang Secondary School vs Woodlands Secondary School
Half-time: 2-1
Full- time: 4-1

Scorers
Sembawang Secondary School
Bryan Chee Jia Jun (#10) — 1 goal
Muhammad Syafiee Bin Arman (#9) — 2 goals
Muhammad Danish Syafiq B S (#17) — 1 goal

Woodlands Secondary School
Ahmad Daniyel Bin Mohamed Rosman (#12) — 1 goal (penalty)

Sembawang Roster
Mohamed Irfan B Mohamed Nor (#1), Jonathan Michael Madlambayan Manzano (#13), Saiful Azhar Bin Saifuddin (#7), Hoang Nam Khanh (#4), Ahmad Danial B Azman (#2), Muhammad Danial B Ishak (#21), Wan Mohammad Reezman B Zakariah (#12), Muhammad Mikhail B Jasmani (#11), Muhammad Syafiee Bin Arman (#9), Lutful Hadi B Mohamed Amran (#3), Muhammad Thoha Harith B Jupri (#19), Muhammad Hidayat B Mohd Haniff (#6), Muhammad Rusyaidi Azhad B R (#15), Kishen A/L Kumarasamy (#8), Muhammad Danish Syafiq B S (#17), Bryan Chee Jia Jun (#10), Irfan B Hasni (#20), Muhammad Izzarif B Azhar (#18), Muhammad Haikal Bin Saheed (#5), Samuel Lim Zhi En (#22)

Woodlands Roster
Mohamad Darwin Iswandy B M D I (#1), Eriw Thaqif Bin Mohammad Taha (#2), Nur Mohammad Airil B Abdul H (#3), Koh Chee Xuan (#4), Muhammad Roy Sharil Bin CP Eruandee (#5), Imraan Khan B Abdul Aziz (#6), Vishaanth S/O Khanta Ruben (#7), Muhammad Norsyawal Rizwan B N (#8), Mohammad Aniq Danial B A (#10), Kenric Tan Yong Zhi (#11), Ahmad Daniyel Bin Mohamed Rosman (#12), Mohamed Harith B Mohamed Zairi (#13), Mohammad Harith Danial B M K (#14), Muhammad Nazrul Aqsha B J (#15), Muhammad Sufi B Azman (#16), Amirul Azharri B Mohamad R (#17), Mohammad Hariz Bin Mohd Walad (#18), Ahmad Izzul Al Faruq (#19), Muhammad Nur Hendra B M S (#20)

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