Scorers (assists)
Rashid (-)
Omar (Helmi)
Man Of The Match
Amin (d) (4) - started in defence, later provided a strong and physical presence in the centre of midfield
Shafi (4) - impressive at left-back
Rashid (4) - commanded the defence to his best and scored the first equalizer
Helmi (1)
Huang (1)
Yellow card:
Mubarak (2nd half)
Danial (GK)
Fazli - Amin (d) - Rashid - Shafi
Omar - Akim - Rahman - Farhan
Helmi
Huang
Subs:
Mubarak
Calvin
Kelvin
Rafeeq
Kambing FC clawed back twice to level the game at 1-1 and 2-2 before a controversial referee decision led to a gloriously-struck free-kick by Macheda's man of the match. A clinical volley killed off KFC's hopes of gaining a league point. In truth, Macheda deserved all 3 points. Such was the number of chances they had in the game. Time and again, their shots were narrowly off target and on a few other occasions, the ball would either just grazed or crashed against the crossbar. Yet KFC had done well to equalize the match twice even though we were playing badly as a team.
Farhan came close to giving us the lead but his free-kick, just minutes into the match, agonizingly went over the bar. Helmi came close later with another free-kick but his shot was comfortably saved by the GK. Macheda suddenly hit their stride as they probed for weakness in our defence. We were punished when Macheda took the lead. I felt I had started the game poorly in central midfield and my lacklustre pass was intercepted right in the middle of the pitch. Just as sudden, the lobbed through pass over our backline came to the feet of a Macheda player. We called for offside, which looked genuine, but the referee was having none of it as the opponents finished off the swift counter-attack to score the opening goal.
Helmi, Farhan, Huang, Omar and Kelvin, who came on for Omar later, were not getting the best service from Rahman and myself in central midfield. Our long passes, either from Danial's goal kicks and punts, or deep from defence, were easily cut out by the opponents. Farhan and Helmi took turns to dribble around their markers but was caught out by Macheda's gamesmanship in trying to hold our players off. I eventually made way for Amin (d) with Calvin coming in at centre-back while Kelvin replaced Omar, who was still carrying a niggly knee injury. The change proved to be far more effective as Amin (d) gave a better account than I had.
It was from an unlikely source and against the run of play that we equalized. Rashid, who has only one goal to his name from a friendly, opened his league account with a wonder goal from a free-kick just around the halfway line. The ball sailed over the GK who should have done much better to keep it out. Macheda had been torturing our full-backs before our goal, with Fazli suffering another injury to be replaced by Mubarak, but Macheda pressed on with their gameplan. However, Shafi in particular, who lasted the full game, acquitted himself impressively at left-back. While both teams eventually went into the break level at 1-1, KFC being the happier of the two teams, Macheda had every right to be aggrieved.
The second half started very bizzarely for KFC. A poor passage of passing almost saw us quickly concede again but there was no denying the spotlight shining on their man-of-the-match and no.9 striker. The man was giving our defence constant problems but we had managed to keep him at bay. There had seemed to be no danger when he received a high ball from the left flank outside our penalty box. But just as quickly, he managed to hit a snap volley on the turn that gave Danial no chance as Macheda took a 2-1 lead. Such was the instantaneous action that Danial was actually still rooted on his goal-line. That goal stunned us for sure but manfully, we carried on. Macheda came close to scoring on numerous occasions only to be shy when hitting the actual target.
When we equalized to bring the score to 2-2, the build-up to the goal was what we should have been working on the whole game. Macheda was on the offensive and found their defence being stretched when we won the ball back and launched a counter-attack. Helmi had the ball on the left flank and his pass found Farhan on the right flank. Farhan attempted an early low cross outside the penalty box that Helmi received almost by accident. This time, he threaded it to Omar on the left flank. Omar easily beat his marker with that fleet-footed feet of his and his exquisite chip gleefully beat the GK to bring glorious delight all around. This was Omar's 1st league goal this season as well, making him our 10th different scorer so far.
We smelled blood and who is to say we could not have continued our momentum to go for all three points. After all, despite Macheda's dominance, they were firing blanks. Yet, I say this now as I got caught in a conflicted emotion between being either a team player or a lover of the beautiful game; I would like to say justice prevailed for football. However, the cruel way in which the justice was meted out was not what I had in mind.
The referee was at the centre of controversy again when he called for a free-kick in Macheda's favour in a dangerous area. Danial was adjudged to have gone out of the penalty box when he punted a kick out. Despite Danial's protest, we defended the free-kick. The no.9 executed the set-piece to add to his earlier stunning striker with an equally wonderful goal. The ball floated over our wall right into the corner of the net that again gave Danial no chance. Macheda now led 3-2.
As KFC tried to score an unlikely equalizer for the third time in the match, there was a sense of a despondent feeling perhaps, knowing we had done what we could to stay in the game. Macheda killed off the game when a cross from the right flank was met by a volley from their winger. The finish crashed in underneath our crossbar and KFC's fight was effectively over as we succumbed to a 4-2 defeat.
We are now halfway into the season. Nine games remained. Overall, we have had a tough season. We will continue to battle it out, mix it up with the obviously better teams around the league and try to end the season with a flourish. While it is healthy we are scoring goals at one end, we must shut them out at the other. Heads up, guys. Let's keep it going.
Our team in D2D league
Rest of results
Akim
Farhan came close to giving us the lead but his free-kick, just minutes into the match, agonizingly went over the bar. Helmi came close later with another free-kick but his shot was comfortably saved by the GK. Macheda suddenly hit their stride as they probed for weakness in our defence. We were punished when Macheda took the lead. I felt I had started the game poorly in central midfield and my lacklustre pass was intercepted right in the middle of the pitch. Just as sudden, the lobbed through pass over our backline came to the feet of a Macheda player. We called for offside, which looked genuine, but the referee was having none of it as the opponents finished off the swift counter-attack to score the opening goal.
Helmi, Farhan, Huang, Omar and Kelvin, who came on for Omar later, were not getting the best service from Rahman and myself in central midfield. Our long passes, either from Danial's goal kicks and punts, or deep from defence, were easily cut out by the opponents. Farhan and Helmi took turns to dribble around their markers but was caught out by Macheda's gamesmanship in trying to hold our players off. I eventually made way for Amin (d) with Calvin coming in at centre-back while Kelvin replaced Omar, who was still carrying a niggly knee injury. The change proved to be far more effective as Amin (d) gave a better account than I had.
It was from an unlikely source and against the run of play that we equalized. Rashid, who has only one goal to his name from a friendly, opened his league account with a wonder goal from a free-kick just around the halfway line. The ball sailed over the GK who should have done much better to keep it out. Macheda had been torturing our full-backs before our goal, with Fazli suffering another injury to be replaced by Mubarak, but Macheda pressed on with their gameplan. However, Shafi in particular, who lasted the full game, acquitted himself impressively at left-back. While both teams eventually went into the break level at 1-1, KFC being the happier of the two teams, Macheda had every right to be aggrieved.
The second half started very bizzarely for KFC. A poor passage of passing almost saw us quickly concede again but there was no denying the spotlight shining on their man-of-the-match and no.9 striker. The man was giving our defence constant problems but we had managed to keep him at bay. There had seemed to be no danger when he received a high ball from the left flank outside our penalty box. But just as quickly, he managed to hit a snap volley on the turn that gave Danial no chance as Macheda took a 2-1 lead. Such was the instantaneous action that Danial was actually still rooted on his goal-line. That goal stunned us for sure but manfully, we carried on. Macheda came close to scoring on numerous occasions only to be shy when hitting the actual target.
When we equalized to bring the score to 2-2, the build-up to the goal was what we should have been working on the whole game. Macheda was on the offensive and found their defence being stretched when we won the ball back and launched a counter-attack. Helmi had the ball on the left flank and his pass found Farhan on the right flank. Farhan attempted an early low cross outside the penalty box that Helmi received almost by accident. This time, he threaded it to Omar on the left flank. Omar easily beat his marker with that fleet-footed feet of his and his exquisite chip gleefully beat the GK to bring glorious delight all around. This was Omar's 1st league goal this season as well, making him our 10th different scorer so far.
We smelled blood and who is to say we could not have continued our momentum to go for all three points. After all, despite Macheda's dominance, they were firing blanks. Yet, I say this now as I got caught in a conflicted emotion between being either a team player or a lover of the beautiful game; I would like to say justice prevailed for football. However, the cruel way in which the justice was meted out was not what I had in mind.
The referee was at the centre of controversy again when he called for a free-kick in Macheda's favour in a dangerous area. Danial was adjudged to have gone out of the penalty box when he punted a kick out. Despite Danial's protest, we defended the free-kick. The no.9 executed the set-piece to add to his earlier stunning striker with an equally wonderful goal. The ball floated over our wall right into the corner of the net that again gave Danial no chance. Macheda now led 3-2.
As KFC tried to score an unlikely equalizer for the third time in the match, there was a sense of a despondent feeling perhaps, knowing we had done what we could to stay in the game. Macheda killed off the game when a cross from the right flank was met by a volley from their winger. The finish crashed in underneath our crossbar and KFC's fight was effectively over as we succumbed to a 4-2 defeat.
We are now halfway into the season. Nine games remained. Overall, we have had a tough season. We will continue to battle it out, mix it up with the obviously better teams around the league and try to end the season with a flourish. While it is healthy we are scoring goals at one end, we must shut them out at the other. Heads up, guys. Let's keep it going.
Our team in D2D league
Rest of results
Akim