Scorers (assists)
Azhari (Kelvin)
Man Of The Match
Amin (d) (5) - did well as DM and provided the key pass in the build-up to the goal, added role of DM to his portfolio to the team
Amin (4) - made blazing runs that literally crippled the opponent's defence, menace on the left flank
Firul (3) - great defending on the left, rarely misses air balls to help the defence
Rashid (2) - gutsy performance in defence
Azhari (1) - stable in midfield and string passes around
Kelvin (1) - assisted Azhari's goal
Yellow card:
Farhan 2nd half
Danial (GK)
Akim - Calvin - Rashid - Firul
Kelvin - Azman - Amin (d) - Azhari - Karim
Huang
Subs:
Wilson (gk)
Mubarak
Farhan
Amin
Muhammad
Kambing FC continued its mini-revival from successive defeats and are now unbeaten in 5 games following this fiercely-contested draw against Redbacks FC. We finally also moved off the bottom of the table in the league, above Ultras and Sarcofargo, albeit on goal difference.
KFC, starting with debutant Danial in goal, was content to let the opponents have possession of the ball given our less than ideal starting line-up. Despite that, we had a fairytale start and took the lead. Amin(d)'s probing lobbed pass set Kelvin on a path towards goal inside the penalty box. Kelvin shrugged off his marker and cleverly cut back a low cross for Azhari, who ignored the challenge by his own marker to turn the ball into goal. A simple set of moves, yet equally clinical. It was just the type of goal that we should score more often.
Danial provided KFC with a major ammunition with his long goal kicks, which was previously unmatched other than by Fazli. However, we still could not win a majority of those long balls in the air, which would have otherwise added extra dimension to our attacking play.
Ironically, it was Danial's poor kick that saw Redbacks equalized soon after we took our lead. The swift counter-attack found our opponents inside the penalty box and an unmarked Redbacks player lurked outside the box to receive the cutback from his team-mate. His shot sailed into a virtually empty net. To be fair, apart from that mishap, Danial had a commanding first half and is now part of the KFC team roster.
When our strong cavalry eventually arrived in the form of wingers Amin and Farhan, as well as our playmaker Muhammad, we almost regained the lead. Amin's cross from the left flank wickedly flashed across goal which Redbacks failed to cut out decisively. Huang, ever-present in the league this season, was on the verge of scoring his first league goal this season, but despite beating the GK, a Redbacks defender was quickly covering on the goal-line to clear the ball. Agonizingly close for KFC as we went into half-time level at 1 goal apiece.
The second half started well for both teams, each having a fair share of possession but Redbacks decidedly had the better of the chances. Wilson replaced Danial for the second half, but despite some nervy moments, was on the whole very comfortable in goal, as the Redbacks' chances did not test him directly. KFC struggled to get our strikers involved, Karim and Farhan starting in the role for the second half.
It did not help, which was obvious too, that our playmaker Muhammad was singled out as a major threat, thus depriving KFC of Muhammad's creativity and quality in the attacking third. One such ugly Redback challenge, which earned the offender a yellow card, was, paradoxically, a compliment to Muhammad's style of play.
However Amin (d), an ever-present starter this season, was a revelation in his central midfield role. Another of his lobbed pass from deep into the penalty box exhibited Azman-like vision and a flash of Muhammad-like creativity. Amin was a menace down the left flank, time and again beating man after man, and provided moments of gasps from our small group of spectators as his dribbles into the box constantly threatened the Redbacks defence. Farhan, who was switched to the right flank again after a couple of substitutions, had his moment in the match soon after. He won the ball inside our half, ran the length of Redbacks' half only to be thwarted at the penalty box when at the crucial moment, he lost his footing and the chance that almost materialized went begging. Rashid and Azman too had good chances from free-kicks, with Azman's shot thundering off the crossbar that would have sealed victory for us.
As the game gradually opened up in the second half, it further enhanced what was already an entertaining and exciting affair. The roles of our two centre-backs, Rashid and Calvin, were never prominently featured up till that point. The partnership was a monster, putting in tackles and winning the headers. Our full-backs, Firul and Mubarak, ably helped out with crucial challenges. It serves to highlight how our defence and goalkeeper really worked hard to play their part in earning the draw and limiting the opponents to a single goal. The game went back and forth from one end to the other. In the end, a draw was the fairest result for two teams that seemed evenly matched in all departments even if KFC only showed it in glimpses.
Our team in D2D league
Rest of results
Akim
KFC, starting with debutant Danial in goal, was content to let the opponents have possession of the ball given our less than ideal starting line-up. Despite that, we had a fairytale start and took the lead. Amin(d)'s probing lobbed pass set Kelvin on a path towards goal inside the penalty box. Kelvin shrugged off his marker and cleverly cut back a low cross for Azhari, who ignored the challenge by his own marker to turn the ball into goal. A simple set of moves, yet equally clinical. It was just the type of goal that we should score more often.
Danial provided KFC with a major ammunition with his long goal kicks, which was previously unmatched other than by Fazli. However, we still could not win a majority of those long balls in the air, which would have otherwise added extra dimension to our attacking play.
Ironically, it was Danial's poor kick that saw Redbacks equalized soon after we took our lead. The swift counter-attack found our opponents inside the penalty box and an unmarked Redbacks player lurked outside the box to receive the cutback from his team-mate. His shot sailed into a virtually empty net. To be fair, apart from that mishap, Danial had a commanding first half and is now part of the KFC team roster.
When our strong cavalry eventually arrived in the form of wingers Amin and Farhan, as well as our playmaker Muhammad, we almost regained the lead. Amin's cross from the left flank wickedly flashed across goal which Redbacks failed to cut out decisively. Huang, ever-present in the league this season, was on the verge of scoring his first league goal this season, but despite beating the GK, a Redbacks defender was quickly covering on the goal-line to clear the ball. Agonizingly close for KFC as we went into half-time level at 1 goal apiece.
The second half started well for both teams, each having a fair share of possession but Redbacks decidedly had the better of the chances. Wilson replaced Danial for the second half, but despite some nervy moments, was on the whole very comfortable in goal, as the Redbacks' chances did not test him directly. KFC struggled to get our strikers involved, Karim and Farhan starting in the role for the second half.
It did not help, which was obvious too, that our playmaker Muhammad was singled out as a major threat, thus depriving KFC of Muhammad's creativity and quality in the attacking third. One such ugly Redback challenge, which earned the offender a yellow card, was, paradoxically, a compliment to Muhammad's style of play.
However Amin (d), an ever-present starter this season, was a revelation in his central midfield role. Another of his lobbed pass from deep into the penalty box exhibited Azman-like vision and a flash of Muhammad-like creativity. Amin was a menace down the left flank, time and again beating man after man, and provided moments of gasps from our small group of spectators as his dribbles into the box constantly threatened the Redbacks defence. Farhan, who was switched to the right flank again after a couple of substitutions, had his moment in the match soon after. He won the ball inside our half, ran the length of Redbacks' half only to be thwarted at the penalty box when at the crucial moment, he lost his footing and the chance that almost materialized went begging. Rashid and Azman too had good chances from free-kicks, with Azman's shot thundering off the crossbar that would have sealed victory for us.
As the game gradually opened up in the second half, it further enhanced what was already an entertaining and exciting affair. The roles of our two centre-backs, Rashid and Calvin, were never prominently featured up till that point. The partnership was a monster, putting in tackles and winning the headers. Our full-backs, Firul and Mubarak, ably helped out with crucial challenges. It serves to highlight how our defence and goalkeeper really worked hard to play their part in earning the draw and limiting the opponents to a single goal. The game went back and forth from one end to the other. In the end, a draw was the fairest result for two teams that seemed evenly matched in all departments even if KFC only showed it in glimpses.
Our team in D2D league
Rest of results
Akim