Story by Stefanus Ian/Red Sports and Photos by Cheah Wenqi/Red Sports
Goalkeeper Wong Hong Xiang (IJC #13) reacting to a shot by Wang Yaning (TJC #22) which he eventually palmed away for a corner. (Photo 1 © Cheah Wenqi/Red Sports)
St. Andrew’s Junior College, Tuesday, April 4, 2017 — Two top-drawer saves from Wong Hong Xiang (IJC #13) of Innova Junior College helped his team to their first point of the season against Temasek Junior College (TJC) after their match ended 0-0 in the National A Division Football Championship.
The custodian made a series of saves and tackles in both halves as both schools failed to convert a host of gilt-edged chances. The result meant that both teams drift further away from the top of the Group C table.
Innova’s coach Manjett Singh said the two saves by Wong “saved the team from defeat”.
“Based on his personal game approach, he’s very nervous. Every time he comes up to me and says, ‘Coach, what if I make mistake’,” said the 41-year-old coach.
“I just tell him, ‘Do what you can do best … you are a good keeper’ and then the two saves I think showed it,” he added.
“It saved the team from defeat.”
TJC began the match having the upper hand and even managed to cause some panic in the IJC box with their high pressing and fast attacks.
As early as the fourth minute, a shaky IJC defence failed to clear the ball from a corner as the ball found its way to captain Wang Yaning (TJC #22), who was lurking outside the box. The TJC skipper lined up his shot and struck the ball sweetly towards the top left-hand corner but was denied by Wong, who somehow managed to react in time to palm the ball out for a corner.
IJC took their time to settle into the game and were only able to register their first shot in the 15th minute after some quick passing in the final third. Although it did not go in, the good combination up front seemed to galvanise the boys in white.
As both sides battled for possession, the play began to get stuck in the middle of the pitch with the two teams taking one too many touches or waiting too long to release the ball.
In the second half, TJC had less possession but still looked dangerous when given the chance as shown in the 61st minute.
Innova’s Wong was called into action again midway through the second half when his defence scuffed a clearance from a throw in. The loose ball fell kindly to Muhd Danial (TJC #18) who lashed a stinging shot towards the top right-hand corner but Wong was equal to the task again, leaping up and parrying the shot away for a corner to the relief of his teammates.
Both teams had chances late in the game to grab all three points but they could not seem to convert in front of goal.
In the 75th minute, Ryan Tan (IJC #11) had a golden opportunity to break the stalemate after TJC failed to deal with his earlier corner.
Temasek’s clearance was picked up on the left flank by captain Amar Pandey (IJC #10) as he sent a pinpoint lob across the penalty area to Ryan, who was near the six-yard box. With no defenders marking him, Ryan attempted to volley the ball first time but his shot was wide off the mark.
Towards the end, the players were beginning to cramp up and minutes from the final whistle, Temasek were handed a last-gasp chance in the box. A deflected cross by Kee Kai Teng (TJC #10) bounced kindly towards an unmarked Wyatt Lau (TJC #24) in the box.
Innova quickly scrambled to close him down and in the rush, IJC’s centre back Amar Pandey slipped and fell. But Wyatt could not react quickly enough as Pandey quickly recovered to deal with the danger.
Temasek’s teacher-in-charge Francis Tong, said nerves might have gotten to his charges during the match.
“Apart from the fact that the goalkeeper was good, I think maybe at times when we pull the trigger, nerves got to them, but they will learn from this,” said Tong, 57.
“If you ask me, without offence to the opposition, we had more chances, certainly we brought out two good saves from the goalkeeper so that was the two points that were dropped,” he added.
With this result, TJC are third in Group C with four points after three matches while IJC lie fourth with one point from two matches.
Both teams will play their next matches at their respective home grounds. TJC will play Pioneer Junior College while Innova take on NUS High School of Mathematics and Science.
Score by Half
PJC vs ACS(I)
1st Half: 0-0
2nd Half: 0-0
Full-time: 0-0
IJC Roster
Christian Praseti (IJC #1), Khairul Amirin B Azman (IJC #3), Lim Zheng Feng (IJC #4), Shamin B Shaik Othuman (IJC #5), Teo Chor Rong Lionel (IJC #6), Chua Yee Siong Danyel (IJC #7), Muhammad Afiq B Azman (IJC #8), Muhammad Noor Irfan B Abdul Karim (IJC #9), Amar Pandey (IJC #10), Ryan Tan Jun Kai (IJC #11), Josiah Olyver Lee Yong Zhi (IJC #12), Wong Hong Xiang (IJC #13), Luke Emmanuel Teo Jianan (IJC #16), Md Raziur Rahman (IJC #17), Ronald Khiew Yue Xin (IJC #18), Sabbath Teo (IJC #20), Halifi Hakim B Mohammad Yusman (IJC #21), Muhammad Dzulfadhl B Mohd Iska (IJC #22), Muhammad Shukery B Anuar (IJC #23), Phan Vu Lan (IJC #24)
TJC Roster
Hoon Yang Deng (TJC #1), Marcus Goh (TJC #2), Damien Gee (TJC #3), Austin Teo (TJC #4), Kee Kai Teng (TJC #10), Zhong Shaojie (TJC #11), Nicky Loo (TJC #12), Muhd Hasif (TJC #14), Muhd Danial (TJC #18), Yohnsen Ang (TJC #19), Isaac Ong (TJC #20), Wang Yaning (TJC #22), Wyatt Lau (TJC #24)
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