(Note: There was a looooong delay in receiving this piece of news as torrential & continuous downpour (called "Assignments") caused satelite and communication problems. This has also caused severe sensoring by the Staits Times Board (called "lapse in memory"). From a potential headliner, this condensed "I-write-what-I-can-remember-Match-Report" has now been moved to today's Straits Times Sports section below "Alonso hates Hamilton".)
Anderson Sec, AMK Ave 5 - An almost full-strength TeamCuzz returned to winning ways with a comprehensive 2-1 victory over MDIS FC. It was a delight for fans as TeamCuzz showcased a masterful team performance to reap all 3 points.
"I can't say how happy I am to be back marshalling this defence," said Man-of-the-Match Muhamad. He was voted MotM by TeamCuzz's management, with Khairul & Faisal coming a close second.
Muhamad returned to TeamCuzz after a brief spell on the sidelines with a back injury picked up while representing Company FC. His much awaited return was synchronised with his brother's return, Hisyam, as well as TeamCuzz's "I'm-made-for-right back", Luqman. That gave TeamCuzz a whooping 17 players available for the game, a startling achievement which their Comms personnel should be proud of.
The starting 11, however, was self-picked as the first 11 who turned up were immediately given starting berths. TeamCuzz went with a conventional 4-4-2, with Jaap "Azmi" Stam in goal, Hisyam, Muhamad, Firdaus & Saifudin across the back 4, Fazlon, Imran, Zulkhairi & Syukri in midfield, and Sharudin & Faisal as goal-getters.
Uniformly attired fr the first time ever (Blue top & White Socks), TeamCuzz started the brighther side as they passed the ball more fluently and confidently than their opponents. They conjured up a few attacks, while at the same time keeping Park Ji Soong, Oranje Boots and Captain Organiser at bay through a disciplined show of compact, disciplined defence.
They were soon duly rewarded in the 19th minute of play. A loose ball in MDIS's defence was chased with full determination by Faisal who got in front of the defender to nick the ball into the far post for his maiden goal in the League. Coincidently, that was also his first goal in "who-bothers-to-keep-track-of-this" hours of football for TeamCuzz. "I'm relieved. The floodgates will open for me from now on," said the goalscorer, obviously delighted and brimming with confidence.
Despite being one-nil up, TeamCuzz continued their foray into the opponent's half but attempts were thwarted by MDIS's defence. In the midst of their attack, TeamCuzz were put on the back foot by MDIS's Captain Organiser's through-pass, causing some confusion in defence. The right winger blasted a powerful shot staright at TeamCuzz's GK which he successfully parried away. However, it dropped straight to the foot of MDIS's striker and he duly converted. The massive MDIS celebration following that goal would have left many fans thinking they've just won the much coveted World Cup.
From then on, possession was balanced as both sides stepped up their game, only to find the other defence too good to break. It was not the cleanest of affairs too, as Captain Organiser was given a yellow card for a nasty, "berlin-wall-block" on TeamCuzz's Captain Shahrudin. Teamcuzz also had some of their own, with the referee handing Muhamad(figuratively) and Khairil(literally) cautions for their respective fouls.
As the half draws to a close, Teamcuzz was given a final chance in the form of an indirect freekick in MDIS's penlaty area. With the whole MDIS Queenstown Campus back covering the mouth of the goal, a well-coordinated exchange by Khairil and Shahrudin gave the latter the smallest of openings and he thumped it in via several deflections. That last action of the game gave the TeamCuzz Captain his 3rd goal in the League.
The 2nd half saw drastic changes being made. With Firdaus moved in goal, Faizul, Syafiq, Khairul, Naufal, and Luqman were drafted in. The gameplan was to build an impregnable defence, and TeamCuzz duly delivered. Disciplined as they are, TeamCuzz stood firm in the face of various forms of attacks from the opposition, be it the "way off-target" freekick to the "mazy-Ricardo-Quaresma" runs. No amount of attack could break the stable back five of "Non-butter fingers" Firdaus, "get pass me and I'll break your legs" Khairul, "I read the game like I'm a professional" Muhamad, "I'm like Daniel-Centre-Back-but-shifted-to-Full-back-Bennet " Saifudin, and "Awful challenge but I badly want my first yellow card" Faizul.
That victory left FC MBOG in third place with 10 points from 6 games. With 4 more games left, including a crucial trip to table-toppers EECC next week, the league looks to be going down to the wire.
Team Cuzz (v MDIS FC on 11 Oct): Azmi, Firdaus, Muhamad, Saifudin, Hisyam, Khairul, Khairil, Syafiq, Faizul, Syukri, Zulkhairi, Fazlon, Imran, Shahrudin, Naufal, Faisal, Luqman.
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