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Scorers (assists)
Imran (Omar)
Azman (Akim)
Man Of The Match
Akim (9) - doing a very good job past two games in central midfield
Imran (5) - scored one and led the attack well
Shahril (1) - defensive colossus and immense player
Yellow card:
Rashid (2nd half)
Wilson (GK)
Rashid - Shahril - Azmi - Fazli
Kelvin - Azman - Akim - Shafi
Omar
Imran
Subs:
Firdaus Masdar
Farid
Huang
Karim
Our team in D2D league
Rest of league results
Kambing FC fought hard to gain a 2-0 win over Unido FC, who was another promotee from Div 4, in a game played on the grassy turf of Damai Sec. This was our 2nd win on the trot. We did not quite play to the potential we showed last week but I was delighted with the voices within the team throughout, who made it clear they wanted a win too. The rare clean sheet was a fine bonus.
Shahril was a welcome commander in defence, in the surprise absence of Calvin, who up till now has not made clear the reason for his absence. Helmi, Farhan, Rafeeq, Mubarak and Azhari all were supposed to feature as well but for various reasons, in their place, a flurry of late call-ups ensured we had a variety of substitutes in reserve.
With the enforced absences, we started with Imran and Omar in attack and it paid instant dividends when both combined for Imran to score the opening goal early on. I won an header in the center circle from their goal-kick and found Omar. Omar took a couple of steps forward with the ball and picked out Imran on the left side inside the penalty box. Imran was strong enough to maintain his composure and prodded the ball past the GK. Good movement by Imran off the ball just then.
We were not able to stamp our authority however and Unido FC made it tough for us. Two opponents free-kicks in succession around our box were not dispatched on target. As Shahril rightly remarked during the game, we were not pacing ourselves, and while we tried to retain possession like in the previous game, both teams were scrapping it out for the ball in the first half in search of attacking impetus. It was quite end-to-end stuffs from both teams with Wilson having a pair of safe hands in goal.
We did enjoy rare spells of prolonged possession. One move saw Imran combining with Omar again that began in our half. In a controversial phase of play, Imran was tussling with his marker who was the last man. Imran was then hacked down just outside the box and though I am not one to call for yellow cards, we were all surprised that the defender was let off lightly. From the subsequent free-kick, I blazed my shot not far wide of the goal.
Another well-worked attack involving Shafi and Azman on our left flank deep inside the opponents' half led to another chance for me outside the box. Again, my shot from range was not far of the mark. We were also unjustly ruled out for offside on two occasions, another referee having a bad game in my opinion. Wilson was a virtual spectator in the first half as a few opponent shots failed to test our GK.
The second half was a brighter one for Unido FC. They had much more clear-cut chances but poor finishing and luck on our side kept the same 1-0 scoreline. Our defence and Wilson played their part in making it just that bit harder for the opponents to strike cleanly on target. That is not to say we rode our luck, various forays forwards had our opponents' back against the wall. Fazli's famed long throw-ins were on display once in the first half and a few times in the second half too.
Instructions for Kelvin to play off their last man was a strategy which almost led to one bright chance but broken down easily. I then had my third shot of the game, when back to goal, the GK had to make a save from my Henry-like effort. Huang also saw his header from Fazli's corner flashed over the bar.
After a reshuffle in defence that featured Imran and Shahril for the first time ever, Azman was called upon to lead the line and carried on where Kelvin had left off. The pressure was finally off when a superb build-up led to Azman scoring the all-important killer goal late in the match.
I won the ball in midfield in our half, and passed it to Fazli at right-back. Fazli knocked it forward to Huang on the right flank and I continued my run to receive Huang's nicely-weighted lobbed pass in stride. Chesting it down, I surged forward into the penalty box with the ball, and beat my marker. The ball took a fortunate deflection between his legs but through on goal now, I laid the ball across the 6-yards area for Azman who tapped in from close range.
The win ensured a fine start to our season so far. There are plenty of games to be played obviously but having won two games in Jekyll-and-Hyde manner, through patient possession, like last week, or by scrapping it out, like today, we could finally instill a newfound belief in keeping our lead. It also bodes well we have scored early in both matches, which gives us the initiative to play our game. The voices of leaders on the pitch today, such as Shahril's, serve to remind us that we cannot be complacent while at it.
Akim
Rest of league results
Kambing FC fought hard to gain a 2-0 win over Unido FC, who was another promotee from Div 4, in a game played on the grassy turf of Damai Sec. This was our 2nd win on the trot. We did not quite play to the potential we showed last week but I was delighted with the voices within the team throughout, who made it clear they wanted a win too. The rare clean sheet was a fine bonus.
Shahril was a welcome commander in defence, in the surprise absence of Calvin, who up till now has not made clear the reason for his absence. Helmi, Farhan, Rafeeq, Mubarak and Azhari all were supposed to feature as well but for various reasons, in their place, a flurry of late call-ups ensured we had a variety of substitutes in reserve.
With the enforced absences, we started with Imran and Omar in attack and it paid instant dividends when both combined for Imran to score the opening goal early on. I won an header in the center circle from their goal-kick and found Omar. Omar took a couple of steps forward with the ball and picked out Imran on the left side inside the penalty box. Imran was strong enough to maintain his composure and prodded the ball past the GK. Good movement by Imran off the ball just then.
We were not able to stamp our authority however and Unido FC made it tough for us. Two opponents free-kicks in succession around our box were not dispatched on target. As Shahril rightly remarked during the game, we were not pacing ourselves, and while we tried to retain possession like in the previous game, both teams were scrapping it out for the ball in the first half in search of attacking impetus. It was quite end-to-end stuffs from both teams with Wilson having a pair of safe hands in goal.
We did enjoy rare spells of prolonged possession. One move saw Imran combining with Omar again that began in our half. In a controversial phase of play, Imran was tussling with his marker who was the last man. Imran was then hacked down just outside the box and though I am not one to call for yellow cards, we were all surprised that the defender was let off lightly. From the subsequent free-kick, I blazed my shot not far wide of the goal.
Another well-worked attack involving Shafi and Azman on our left flank deep inside the opponents' half led to another chance for me outside the box. Again, my shot from range was not far of the mark. We were also unjustly ruled out for offside on two occasions, another referee having a bad game in my opinion. Wilson was a virtual spectator in the first half as a few opponent shots failed to test our GK.
The second half was a brighter one for Unido FC. They had much more clear-cut chances but poor finishing and luck on our side kept the same 1-0 scoreline. Our defence and Wilson played their part in making it just that bit harder for the opponents to strike cleanly on target. That is not to say we rode our luck, various forays forwards had our opponents' back against the wall. Fazli's famed long throw-ins were on display once in the first half and a few times in the second half too.
Instructions for Kelvin to play off their last man was a strategy which almost led to one bright chance but broken down easily. I then had my third shot of the game, when back to goal, the GK had to make a save from my Henry-like effort. Huang also saw his header from Fazli's corner flashed over the bar.
After a reshuffle in defence that featured Imran and Shahril for the first time ever, Azman was called upon to lead the line and carried on where Kelvin had left off. The pressure was finally off when a superb build-up led to Azman scoring the all-important killer goal late in the match.
I won the ball in midfield in our half, and passed it to Fazli at right-back. Fazli knocked it forward to Huang on the right flank and I continued my run to receive Huang's nicely-weighted lobbed pass in stride. Chesting it down, I surged forward into the penalty box with the ball, and beat my marker. The ball took a fortunate deflection between his legs but through on goal now, I laid the ball across the 6-yards area for Azman who tapped in from close range.
The win ensured a fine start to our season so far. There are plenty of games to be played obviously but having won two games in Jekyll-and-Hyde manner, through patient possession, like last week, or by scrapping it out, like today, we could finally instill a newfound belief in keeping our lead. It also bodes well we have scored early in both matches, which gives us the initiative to play our game. The voices of leaders on the pitch today, such as Shahril's, serve to remind us that we cannot be complacent while at it.
Akim