Match 124 - Draw

Songbo FC 2:2 Opponents

Date: 18th Oct 2009
Venue: Westwood Sec Sch
Jersey: Black

Starting Line-Up
Junbing(GK), Kaiseng(LB), Swee Chao(CB), Kenny(CB), Kelvin(RB), Jackie(LM), T.Weijie(DM), Alvin Cai(CM), Rujia(CM), Mervin(RM), Jeremy(ST)

Subtitutes:
Binghong, Jiaxiang


Scores:
HT: 0-0
FT: 2-2

Our opponents for the day were youngsters (nasi lemak). As usual, the team went thru the pre-match routine of shooting and crossing and getting some touches. The team is still missing our "mascherano" due to injury but dunno whether he wayang or not.

While sizing up our opponents, instruction were clear. We are to hold the fort against our younger opponents and to counter attack them, with high balls nto their box. While this may seem like a cliche, it is found to be one of the most reliable and effective tactic against our nasi lemak opponents.

The match started without much fan fare and the first half was a stalemate. Songbo FC were doing their part in holding out their younger and fitter opponents and chances were few and far between. Most of the battles were fought in the mig-field and neither sides had any clear-cut chances to take the lead under the afternoon heat.

The second half was a different story altogether! Instructions were to keep up the focus and not make mistakes. So far, our defence were holding out well and midfielders were matching thir younger counterparts stride for stride. Songbo FC were finally rewarded when Torres open the scoring after some nice work by Jackie Chan. 1-0! The lead seems so against the run of play and came out of a searching cross by Jackie chan but ever the nasi lemak, opponents underestimated the heading prowess of our toress and allow him to slip in unnoticed to nod the ball home!

After taking the lead, the opponents seems to find strength from some unknown sources and kept piling up the pressure on the team's defence. Alas, the City Wall was finally breached after a lapse of concentration by our defenders. A hopeful cross field ball was punted upfield and our ever-reliable C-cup collided with botak Kel and the ball fell invitingly to their winger who needed no invitation to lash home a first time shot past the helpless Papa Soh. 1-1!

Songbo FC are not to be beaten so easily. Recently we have had the training of gifting our opponents simple and silly goals in the hope of training our fighting back mental abilities. This training proved to be quite useful as SongBo FC capitalised on a set piece. A free kick was punted into their penalty box and Sparrow seems to be a tad too late to the ball but somehow managed to toe-poked or slice the ball past their lumbering goal keeper. 2-1!

On better days, SongBo Fc would have closed shop, lock up the grilles and prepare for the Mee-Pok session later. Somehow, C-cup seem to be thinking whether to eat "xiao wan mian" or normal mee-pok when another diagonal ball was punted into the danger area. It was exactly the same type of ball like the opponents first goal and this time, our two defenders seems to know how to get out of each others way but problem is both stood watching and thought the other will attack the ball. The end result was a first time volley by the thankful rightwinger again past papasoh. 2-2!!

Its a shame really not to hold on to the lead on both occasiona but then again, SongBo FC will be back fighting because we know we are better than this!!!

Summary by:
Junbing

AGM 2009

For those not in the know, AGM 2009 has been confirmed to be on this Friday, 16th of Oct (yes, this post is late I know). From the response (or lack of), there has been no one who voiced out that he will be unavailable. There was one, but now he isn't flying anymore...

As for the venue and time, I'm pretty sure Capt Sparrow is getting the details down and we should receive a confirmation from him soon. We will have after AGM activities which will be decided later.

Therefore, get ready this Friday for an evening of fun, laughter, surprises and a great time.

Match 123 - Lost

Songbo FC 2:3 Opponents

Date: 10th Oct 2009
Venue: Hua Yi Sec Sch
Jersey: Black

Starting Line-Up
Junbing(GK), H.Weijie(LB), Swee Chao(CB), Kenny(CB), Kaiseng(RB), Jackie(LM), Alvin Cai(CM), Rujia(CM), Kelvin(RM), Yanshou(ST), Jeremy(ST)

Subtitutes:
Kaiseng


Scores:
HT: 2-2
FT: 2-3

Typically Songbo FC always recovers slowly from any round of testimonial match. Just after a 5-0 mauling in last week’s testimonial match, Songbo FC remains very much to be in holiday mood and playing pre-season football.

The day did not get off to the best of start when SSC sort of screw up and had no one to open up the field. After an impatient wait, a lumbering man finally turned up to open the field at half past nine.

Worse still, the opponents Songbo were facing in this match were a bunch of new fit and energized Non-Chinese. They seemed to have brought along their whole families for the match, judging by the amount of noise heard from the sidelines.

Songbo was hit with a mini injury crisis with Wayang Quan injured over the meaningless testimonial match and Mervin suffering from a strained hamstring. The long-term hernia injury of Sybian and the absence of JX and ComTan meant that Songbo came into the match with only 12 players. The day which 17 players turned up for a match didn’t seem too long ago though. Instructions for the match were clear: stay healthy to last the full match and use aerial balls to attack the opponents.

The match started on a fast pace as the opponents seem to settle in very quickly and started to dominate the game. It was all too apparent that Songbo was overwhelmed and intimidated by the sheer noise and style of the opponents. It was no surprise that given a quarter of the match gone, the opponents capitalized on a mix-up in the last line of defence and its striker coolly slotted the ball home in an one-on-one situation. 1-0!

Songbo had their heads hung low and the holiday mood didn’t seem to go off after last week’s match. However, they were constantly reminded that the opponents were not as strong as they seem. Against a run of play, El Nino planted a firm header to the back of the net from a corner and Songbo appeared to be right back into the match. 1-1!

Hopes were starting to pick up but it did not take long before another lapse in concentration allowed the opponents to break free and regained their lead with a simple finish. 1-2!

Songbo has been known in recent times for their tenacity in coming back from behind. The team quickly re-organised and out of a mistake by the opponent’s defence, El Nino broke free and put Songbo back on level terms. 2-2!

The entertaining and topsy-turvy first half soon came to a close and once again, Songbo was reminded to attack its opponents with aerial balls and pressuring their wobbly defenders into making mistakes.

The second half started as the pattern of the first half, with Songbo being forced back to defend its goal. However, the attacks weren’t exactly threatening and the score remained. Chances were few and far between and it became evident that either a moment of magic or a mistake would change the scoreline.

Unfortunately, the latter came true and out of a harmless-looking long ball into Songbo’s penalty area, Papasoh, who were to be crowned as Player of the Year, slipped and allowed the opponent to tap into an empty net. Songbo was left dejected as they had finally succumbed to the incessant pressure. In all fairness, Songbo did not deserve anything out of this match, given their lacklustre performance.

On hindsight, it would have been a better move to reward Papasoh with a new pair of boots instead of a set of gloves, given his costly. Or it might probably been the curse of the award, Player of the Year, which Kenny can bear real life testaments to its adverse effects. Is Papasoh being the ‘cursed’ one for this season? It shall remain to be seen and it can be assured that Papasoh would be closely scrutinized in the upcoming matches.

Summary by,
Captain Sparrow

Match 122 - Lost (Testimonial Match for Binghong)

Songbo FC 0:5 Opponents

Date: 04th Oct 2009
Venue: Fuhua Sec Sch
Jersey: Black

Starting Line-Up
Hweequan(GK), Yanshou(LB), Rujia(CB), T.Weijie(CB), Jeremy(RB), Kaiseng(CM), Junbing(CM), H.Weijie(CM), Swee Chao(ST), Binghong(ST), Kenny(ST)

Subtitutes:
Alvin Cai


Scores:
HT: 0-0
FT: 0-5

Today marks the return of robinho back to playing for songbo fc.It's his first match since his knee operation in Jan. Capt Sparrow decided to plan this match as a testimonial for him as he was suppose to fly off on the 6th. But plans have changed, and it might be kenny's testimonial instead, as he is going for overseas for his ict on the 20th.

Our opponent for today is wellington galaticos, one team that does not have much respect for their opponents. They are always fooling around and laughing without showing team discipline and Professionalism

We are starting most of the songbo members in unfamiliar positions. strike partners el nino jeremy and goo-ba yan are playing in RB and LB position respectively. Did their blooming bromance help to keep a clean sheets for songbo fc? it seems a big NO, they are better suited terrorising opponents defences instead.

Next as CBs are capt sparrow and mando tan, off the field these 2 are always poking at each other from behind, hopefully they can team up well to command the whole defence. But alas, they were torn apart by the younger opponenets. In goal will be zouk chua performing the goalie duties. He injured his ankle in the last match and has volunteer to be GK.

As we are playing 4-3-3 formation for the first time, the 3 midfielders under the command of papa soh are SME seng and Rebond huang. Among all 3, papa soh has the most experience of playing in that role. True enough, in the first half, he anticipate well the balls, and supply it to the front and let the 3 forwards do their jobs. Seng was doing well too, running around holding the opponents at bay, as for huang, he looked abit lost but nonethless gave his all for the team.

For the 3 forwards, all 3 were all used to playing defensive role for the team. Anyway robinho is the target man, while quick feet ken is on the left, c cup chao on the right. all 3 have a chance each to score but their finishing disappoints them. On the bench were teacher cai and speculator mer. Cai is taking a break while mer pulled his hamstring.

First half was a close fight, with both sides testing each other. and it ended 0-0. Our el nino playing his first time as RB for songbo, was full of energy running up to join in the attack but left a big hole for the others to cover it up. goo ba yan must have prayed to rio ferdinand the night before, as he was raising his hand up and standing on the spot everytime the opponent pumped long ball into our half!

The midfield was in disarray but papa soh was there to control and spray the passes to the forwards and winning the headers. c cup and quick feet ken were playing ping pong with each other. when either one have the ball, they will just swing the ball to the other side leaving robinho clueless what they are going to do. robinho playing for his first time since his operation try his best to avoid getting injured.

2nd half started with no changes. But galaticos scored and the flood gates opened. songbo have few chances up front, notably a freekick outside the penalty area. Robinho who is incharge of free kicks and corners stepped up to take it and curled it over the wall but explosion head gk was there to push it over the ball. The resultant corner ends up with gooba yan heading towards goal but he missed.

In the end a 5-0 loss to an unworthy opponent, whom we can win easily if everyone were in their familiar position. Next time we meet them, we will slaughter them and spare no prisoners!!!

*ps: robinho thanks all songbo fc members for the understanding and concern during his comeback match!

Summary by
Binghong