Akbar (GK)
Salleh - Ariel Shahril - Azmi - Farid
Shafi - Alim - Akim - Azman - Omar
Nas
Subs:
Kevin
Firdaus Masdar
Joharie
Rahman
Huang
Yazier
Our team in D2D league
Rest of league results
Bartley Sec 5pm - Kambing FC lost the chance to gain ground in Division 2 as our opponents handed a drubbing against a lethargic-looking team. The collective disappointment that I saw on the players' faces after the game was a positive sign that we all wanted to win this game badly. However, we were totally outclassed in all departments by a hungrier opponents and defensive calamities were far too evident today. Akbar, who was in goal, Shafi and Salleh all made their season debuts with a place in the starting line-up and a healthy bench rounding up the squad.
I almost gave the team the perfect start about 2 minutes into the game. Omar, our chief threat today, supplied a sublime chip through pass to me and I was through on goal. I failed to realize I had the time and space to take the GK one-on-one and could only meekly shot straight at the GK. It went downhill from then on. Having impressed in his one and only game previously, I was looking forward to see Akbar keeping up his fine form for us. Yet, he found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reason after he failed to handle an innocuous high ball and the opponent capitalized to head the ball into the net for KR to take the lead.
Following an energetic and enthusiastic start, we were suddenly putting up a lackluster team performance, which partially explained the circumstances that led to us going 0-2 down shortly after. KR patiently passed the ball and built up play towards our penalty area before activating their usual strategy of playing the ball crossfield. The winger drilled a low cross across goal to an unmarked player to tap in for an easy goal. It was a poor defensive performance to have given that goal away. Matters got worse when the opponents were awarded a penalty. Akbar got a hand to the ball, but the strike was powerful enough to hit the back of the net to make it 3-0.
We were looking down, but not out, despite our struggle to get any sort of momentum going. We were performing badly defensively especially. Offensively, Omar and Shafi continually found headway on both flanks, something that I hope will continue to be a part of our attacking approach this season, but we generally failed to find our groove with our passing and hardly threatened the opponents in the final third of the pitch. Nas was also looking lively and got involved actively and found himself with a good chance to reduce the deficit while Ariel Shahril (whom I have been calling 'Shahril S' in this blog) hit the bar with a long range effort as we went into half-time to find ideas to get back in the game.
During the break, with the damage already done, we made our team talk worthwhile with Azman, perhaps our best passer, assigned to supply through passes as part of our main strategy. In a formation more akin to a 4-4-2, Ariel Shahril was deployed upfront alongside Yazier to add aggression. Alim, who initially started in midfield, took up the centreback slot and again did well. Akbar kept the score down with a string of saves as KR continued to dominate and create chances. We did not do our pride any harm with a far better effort as our strategy paid off to a certain extent. Rahman was running his socks off in midfield in our revised formation while Azman, who played the entire match, was gradually wearing himself out to find our players with his passes. The defence was in a much better shape in the second half, perhaps in the knowledge that the result is almost immaterial.
We were threatening sporadically with one such chance saw the GK being forced to make a save after an opponent inexplicably headed Joharie's wonderful cross into his path. We had some half-chances falling to the likes of Rahman and Shahril too. Unfortunately, huffed and puffed as much as we like, and even sustained an injury to Joharie, KR was the stronger and better team. They added a gloss to the scoreline with a wonderful volley midway through to put the result beyond doubt.
Who knows what might have been if I had converted the gilt-edged chance early on? We started with a buzz, perhaps on the back of our memorable victory last week, but the energy level sagged horribly and we were generally poor in all areas today. Our performance definitely improved in the 2nd half though and we would need to sustain the belief that we can play as well on a more consistent basis. To quote Yazier's comment, there are better days to come definitely.
Akim
Rest of league results
Bartley Sec 5pm - Kambing FC lost the chance to gain ground in Division 2 as our opponents handed a drubbing against a lethargic-looking team. The collective disappointment that I saw on the players' faces after the game was a positive sign that we all wanted to win this game badly. However, we were totally outclassed in all departments by a hungrier opponents and defensive calamities were far too evident today. Akbar, who was in goal, Shafi and Salleh all made their season debuts with a place in the starting line-up and a healthy bench rounding up the squad.
I almost gave the team the perfect start about 2 minutes into the game. Omar, our chief threat today, supplied a sublime chip through pass to me and I was through on goal. I failed to realize I had the time and space to take the GK one-on-one and could only meekly shot straight at the GK. It went downhill from then on. Having impressed in his one and only game previously, I was looking forward to see Akbar keeping up his fine form for us. Yet, he found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reason after he failed to handle an innocuous high ball and the opponent capitalized to head the ball into the net for KR to take the lead.
Following an energetic and enthusiastic start, we were suddenly putting up a lackluster team performance, which partially explained the circumstances that led to us going 0-2 down shortly after. KR patiently passed the ball and built up play towards our penalty area before activating their usual strategy of playing the ball crossfield. The winger drilled a low cross across goal to an unmarked player to tap in for an easy goal. It was a poor defensive performance to have given that goal away. Matters got worse when the opponents were awarded a penalty. Akbar got a hand to the ball, but the strike was powerful enough to hit the back of the net to make it 3-0.
We were looking down, but not out, despite our struggle to get any sort of momentum going. We were performing badly defensively especially. Offensively, Omar and Shafi continually found headway on both flanks, something that I hope will continue to be a part of our attacking approach this season, but we generally failed to find our groove with our passing and hardly threatened the opponents in the final third of the pitch. Nas was also looking lively and got involved actively and found himself with a good chance to reduce the deficit while Ariel Shahril (whom I have been calling 'Shahril S' in this blog) hit the bar with a long range effort as we went into half-time to find ideas to get back in the game.
During the break, with the damage already done, we made our team talk worthwhile with Azman, perhaps our best passer, assigned to supply through passes as part of our main strategy. In a formation more akin to a 4-4-2, Ariel Shahril was deployed upfront alongside Yazier to add aggression. Alim, who initially started in midfield, took up the centreback slot and again did well. Akbar kept the score down with a string of saves as KR continued to dominate and create chances. We did not do our pride any harm with a far better effort as our strategy paid off to a certain extent. Rahman was running his socks off in midfield in our revised formation while Azman, who played the entire match, was gradually wearing himself out to find our players with his passes. The defence was in a much better shape in the second half, perhaps in the knowledge that the result is almost immaterial.
We were threatening sporadically with one such chance saw the GK being forced to make a save after an opponent inexplicably headed Joharie's wonderful cross into his path. We had some half-chances falling to the likes of Rahman and Shahril too. Unfortunately, huffed and puffed as much as we like, and even sustained an injury to Joharie, KR was the stronger and better team. They added a gloss to the scoreline with a wonderful volley midway through to put the result beyond doubt.
Who knows what might have been if I had converted the gilt-edged chance early on? We started with a buzz, perhaps on the back of our memorable victory last week, but the energy level sagged horribly and we were generally poor in all areas today. Our performance definitely improved in the 2nd half though and we would need to sustain the belief that we can play as well on a more consistent basis. To quote Yazier's comment, there are better days to come definitely.
Akim