LIVE UPDATE FROM VICTORIA JUNIOR COLLEGE
National ‘A’ Division Boys First Round1st
Victoria Junior College vs Temasek Junior College
Thursday, 10 May 2007, at Victoria Junior College
Story by Lee Hwee Cheng. © Red Sports /soulbreath pictures
The pictures in this report have been very kindly contributed by Shaun Chook, a student-photographer from Victoria Junior College. Thanks, Shaun!
VJC’s Nicholas Kang (no.17) jumps over a sliding tackle. © Shaun Chook
The VJC boys huddle for a pep talk just before kick-off. © Lee Hwee Cheng
Victoria Junior College hosted Temasek Junior College for their respective second-last match in the first round of the National ‘A’ Boys Football tournament, and pleased the home crowd with a 1-0 victory, despite having two earlier goals disallowed.
VJC’s Justin (no.9) attempts a header. © Shaun Chook
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Hello, everybody!
This is Cheng, coming to you live on a hot, sunny but rather breezy Thursday afternoon from Victoria Junior College, where the home team is about to take on Temasek Junior College in their second-last first-round match.
Stay tuned for the live highlights!
VJC’s goalie Najid takes a goal-kick. © Shaun Chook
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Second Half
80th minute: There goes the final whistle. And VJC win 1-0 at full-time.
80th minute: The whistle can go off anytime now, yet VJC continue to harass TJC’s goal.
74th minute: In a counter-attack where three VJC players charge towards the goal, a tussle of the ball takes place amongst defenders and attackers, and in the midst, the ball is deflected into the net! VJC score a third on TJC’s deflection! And this time it’s allowed!
73rd minute: Only seven minutes left in the game, and TJC have been find it very tough to hold possession, much less execute attacks, in the entire second half.
70th minute: VJC’s captain Charles Teo (no.4) takes a long shot from the top of the box, and TJC’s goalie saves it, but loses grip of the ball again! He grabs it back before VJC have a second chance at shot.
66th minute: VJC’s Parkin (no.8) takes a free-kick right outside the left-corner of the penalty box. The ball curls right into TJC’s goalie’s arms but again, he loses grip of the ball and VJC attempts to counter attack.
64th minute: VJC’s Justin (no.9) exhibits good ball control as he keeps the ball alive on a counter-attack, slows the pace then sends a sudden cross into the penalty box only to have it saved by the TJC goalie Si Yao. The ball slips out of goalie’s grab and ends up being another corner kick for VJC.
59th minute: VJC’s Redzuan (no.7) takes yet another corner for his team, the ball pumps into the penalty area and is headed towards the goal, but it lands on top of the net.
57th minute: Apologies for the slight reporting downtime, as my best friend, known as "Wi-fi", decided to take a rest and I have to coax it back.
49th minute: TJC have a chance at counter-attack, the ball is crossed into penalty area but VJC goalie Najid catches it.
44th minute: A VJC free-kick sends the ball into the penalty box, where there ensues a tussle for the ball. VJC’s Parkin (no.8), positioned at the left corner of the goalpost, finds the ball in his possession and swiftly kicks the ball with his right foot into the net. VJC score but it’s disallowed again! We don’t know why.
40th minute: Second half kicks off.
VJC’s Parkin (no.8) pops a long ball. © Shaun Chook
Half-time Report
Both camps started off playing defensively while trying to gain possession for offense. But it was ultimately the home team who shifted into high gears and went on a few quick counter-attacks that caught TJC offguard. With their hard runs on the counter-attacks and the near-misses in the first half, a goal was inevitable. By the end of the first half, TJC were starting to look a little tired out and unable to contain VJC’s aggression.
VJC’s Redzuan (no.7) in action. © Shaun Chook
First Half
40th minute: Half-time whistle goes off, and the score is 0-0.
40th minute: Another tussle of high kicks takes place in the danger zone of TJC’s penalty area, but TJC manage to clear the ball.
37th minute: TJC’s Lee Ee Pin (no.10) goes on a one-on-three attack, but the ball is stripped away.
34th minute: VJC’s Gavin (no.13) takes a long free-kick from half-line and the ball flies right into the penalty area, setting up a header for Parkin (no.8) but the ball is punched out by TJC goalie Nee Si Yao. VJC’s Redzuan (no.7) receives the rebound and slides the ball into the net. VJC scores! But the goal is disallowed!
28th minute: VJC go on another counter-attack, with Justin (no.9) dribbling the ball down the middle after receiving a long pass. He goes one-on-one with the goalie who pounces out to stop the ball. Justin jumps over the goalie to chase the ball, but TJC’s Ronald Koh (no.6) rushes up to clear the ball.
25th minute: VJC make a sudden counter attack, with Justin (no.9) dribbling the ball down the right flank. He crosses the ball into the penalty area, teammate Parkin (no.8) rushes in but misses the ball. The ball still in danger zone, the TJC boys defend hard, stumbling to the ground, to keep VJC from making another attack.
21st minute: VJC’s Redzuan (no.7) takes a corner kick into the penalty area, and teammate Justin (no.9) leaps for a on-target header but TJC goalie Nee Si Yao punches the ball out, losing balance.
20th minute: TJC find a sudden attacking chance as the ball flies towards VJC goalie Najid but the ball is saved.
19th minute: VJC’s Justin (no.9) takes a free-kick, but the ball flies just above the goalpost.
17th minute: VJC take their first corner, but fail to take a good shot at goal.
12th minute: Both sides are not getting many chances at goals. Much play revolves around keeping possession at mid-field and TJC is putting up good resistance.
3rd minute: TJC’s Rahman (no.23) is shown a yellow card for a bad tackle.
1st minute: VJC’s player is taken down and the home team is awarded an early free-kick right outside the right corner of the penalty box. TJC defenders manage to clear the danger ball.
0th minute: Game kicks off.
Edwin Loke is no.3.
oops sorry no.6 is Edwin Loke
isn’t ronald like no. 5? i kinda remembered him as having the same jersey no. as his twin in vj, who is roland (no.5)
Thanks for the name update, tjcian.
the names of the TJC footballers are wrong! no.23 is Rahman, goalie is Nee Si Yao, no.6 is Ronald Koh.
well, it would be interesting now. Since its VJ-AC and MJ-SA for the semis. Who would have thought that SA will lose to MI. I think that the VJ and AC game would be interesting because it would be a game where both team depends on their fitness and counter attack rather than skills. I think that Vj have the physical edge over AC but im very sure that the AC boys will shock VJ with their ” i can” spirit in the field.
For the MJ-SA game, i have predicted it to be the FINALs but with yesterday surprise, these two teams are going face to face with each other in a clash of the titans game. We have all heard about SA attacking power and very physical game but we have not heard alot about MJ. Honestly, i’ve only see the MJ-NJ game and i would definately say that we are really going to hear about MJ after thise game. A MUST WATCH . the other semi would be a bore if you compare to this.
you can train ability to match your enemies. SA and MJ play a more pleasing kind of football. BUT they can’t emulate VJ’s mental strength in the short term. with VJ matching wits with strong teams for quite a long time, they have lots of mental resolve that they just kinda like to play mind games with all of us
i agree with what Cannavaro said. VJ is really overrated this year i guess. we should really look at the likes of SA and MJ. i personally feel that they stand a better chance with their play this year.
i beg to differ with peter pan’s opinion. “dont you think its a feat to be unbeaten in all their matches?” i think its just unfair that u have to put it that way because we’re not talking about teams with good quality players here. afterall, they are all students first, athletes second. so being in a jc obviously means that they’re somewhat like bookworms thus obviously u wouldnt be expecting someone like kaka to be playing on the field would you?
all in all, i still think that VJ is quite lucky till the last game that they played. no hard feelings whatsoever and im not putting VJ down. its just that i feel that VJ has been given too much undeserved attention this year.
its kind of sad that everyone loves to go about putting down VJC. it seems that they’re the team everyone wants to beat and therefore, most teams will end up defending like crazy, as what UltrAJCurvaNOrd suggested. dont you think it is a feat by itself to be unbeaten in all their matches (since last year! if i remember correctly) despite the fact that every team they meet packs their defences and claims a draw to be a victory.
food for thought? but i’ll still be putting my bets on VJC this year =P
judging from the fact that this is the Marine Parade Derby, TJC were lucky to keep the damage low. VJC don’t seem to attack much nowadays,but their resilience is commendable
don’t expect too much goals in the semis. VJ’s opponents will defend like crazy and VJ will have to keep their nerve in order to qualify.
vjc is not as good as they were before anyway.. in fact if not for their fitness they wouldn’t be good at all. but i give it to them for mental strength
should have been a draw… resilient defending by TJ. but unlucky to concede a goal like that…
NIce picture!
i guess VJC gonna win…. or the least a draw….