In an encounter against Swee Swee 1 FC, both sides ended the game with a point each. However, the Falcons should have secured all 3 points with the opportunities they had.
The game started with the opponents launching several attacks against the Falcons, and one of them was a free kick several steps behind the penalty box. A deft chip by the opponent over the wall found their player, who in turn had a go at goal. The shot was spilled by Jing Xiang and the opposing striker tapped it home. However, the effort was disallowed as he had strayed offside.
8 minutes into the game, the Falcons had their first attempt on goal. A clearance found Yang Sheng on the right flank, who in turn played it to Yen. Yen went past a man before laying it off for Yang Sheng, who fired just wide of the far post.
From that point on, the game was evenly fought out between both sides. Substitutions were carried out on the 20th minute, where Leon and Ishak went in for Yen and Satnam.
Several waves of attack launched at the Falcons’ goal was cut out effectively by the defensive pair Leonie and Dennis. There were scares for the team when the defence hesitated on several occasions, but were able to correct them quickly.
The team were incensed by the decision to award a penalty to the opponents, after Roy made minimal contact with the opponent in the box. Jing Xiang correctly dived low to his right, but the ball was just a fingertip further from him, and found the back of the net.
Peter, at the centre of the park, spotted the run of Yang Sheng and switched the ball across the pitch to him. Yang Sheng made a run down the right but lost the chance to whip a cross in as he was closed down. The equalizer soon arrived, when a free kick of a similiar distance to the one awarded to the opponent, was taken by Roy. Roy went for goal and his right footed effort nestled in the top right corner of the goal, just out of the keeper’s reach, who was at full stretch.
Instructed to harass the back four, Leon nicked the ball of the opponents twice to stop them in their tracks but were unable to take over the loose ball. He was later involved in a link up play with Leslie on the left flank. Leslie took the ball down the right but was dispossessed. Leon went for the loose ball and chested the ball before flicking a lofted pass over the defender. Leslie took control of the ball but was eventually muscled out when he was closed down by two defenders.
Another attempt on goal in the first half fell to Leon after a build-up play between Peter and Yang Sheng. Identical to the previous pass, Peter switched the ball to Yang Sheng, who made a run down the right flank. This time round, he managed to whip the cross in, and found Leon at the far post. Declining to take it first time on his stronger left foot, he flicked the ball to his right before lashing a goalbound volley. However, the timely intervention of the defender blocked the shot, and cut out the opportunity.
The last chance of the half fell for Peter, who took a volley from range that the opponent’s keeper comfortably held to. The half ended with the Schwarzians having more chances than their opponents and certainly looked to keep that up in the second half.
The second half started with the same players that ended the first half, and the opponents quickly sprang into life. A pass from their defender found their winger, who cut in and attempted a shot that went just over the bar.
More opportunities fell for Schwarz Star at the second half, when a series of passes between Peter, Melvin and Leslie brought the ball up the left flank. Leslie attempted a cross that was blocked and Melvin picked up the loose ball. He played it to Peter, who in turn played it for Leon. Leon took the ball and opted to turn his defender before taking a shot at goal. Once again, the effort was cut out by a last ditch block from the defender.
The game continued as more attacks were launched down the left flank. Leslie cut the cross behind the defense and a shot from Peter was not fast enough to threaten the keeper.
A series of substitutions were made by Coach Jason to change things on the pitch. However, right after the substitutions, the opponent found the goal. With Wan closing him down, the opponent played the ball for his left winger, who lofted a cross to the far post. A breakdown in communication between Leslie and Salehin saw the opposing player sneak in between them to fire a header in the reverse direction. The ball sailed past the outstretched palms of Jing Xiang and went in at the far end of goal.
With the risk of ending up with no points, Coach Jason went for a tactical change and played only 2 centrebacks in defence and a defensive midfielder before them to counter the opponent’s aerial threat. It was a risk that paid off as the opponents were frustrated as they resorted to long range efforts, with one bouncing off the crossbar.
Leslie had a chance to make things even again when he was released down the left. He made a run into the box and was advancing on goal when he lost his footing. On another occasion, he beat the keeper to a loose ball at the edge of the penalty box and attempted to square it to his teammates, but the ball was cleared by the opponent.
With the game nearing its closing stages, Schwarz Star had several corners. Leon took the corner and found Peter, who did not manage to get a clean header of the ball as he was knocked off balance. However, the equaliser soon arrived after that. From the right corner, Leon whipped in an in-swinging cross, a carbon copy of the previous corner he took. This time round, Peter was unmarked and headed the ball low which bounced off the ground and into the back of the net.
2-2 was the score at full time, and the team would take heart from its performance and improve on it.
