In a rare interview with the press, referee M. Jaganeshoot had this to say - "TeamCuzz seem so much better than last season. The win is because of the great teamwork on display. Their stopper, Khairul Aziz, did really well to take Soccerite's main striker out of the game." This was unanimously agreed by Manager Zulkhairi and all other TeamCuzz players, with the stopper deservedly earning his first Man-of-the-Match Award this season. The feat was further deserved considering that Soccerite's striker, who had scored 7 to date, was reduced to a solitary shot. Even then, it was a tame one from outside the box.
"The lads did really well today," said Manager Khairi, who masterminded the victory from the sidelines. He broke into a pool of sweat throughout the entire game, but none was due to the exhaustion of playing. "Everyone stood to their task and the collective efforts certainly paid dividends for us today. An individual team, and not a team of individuals. Plus, a cleansheet against such a high-scoring team. Sensational!"
Soccerites looked favourites before the game, with a warm-up routine way before kickoff. TeamCuzz though, weren't that disorganised either, with the Manager assembling the team for a quick briefing and a light warm-up. Having not met Soccerites before, and considering their superior position in the standings and the countless goals scored, the Manager opted for a cautious approach to start the game.
It certainly went to plan from early on, with Soccerites being unable to cope with TeamCuzz's constant pressure, particularly by Hyder & Imran. That helped them to settle down early and even looked more threatening in the early exchanges, thanks to great offensive play by the quartet of Haikal, Khairil, Shahrudin & Joseph. While the young striker picked up from where he left off from the previous game, the Captain looked hungry having been deprived of soccer for a long period of 2 weeks. Chances came and went though, with Soccerite's defenders finding that extra ounce of energy everytime to thwart TeamCuzz's goalbound chances.
Soccerites weren't just spectators though. With a fiery character anchoring their midfield, Soccerites often channeled passes through him. Yet again, TeamCuzz's defensive unit stood firm, with most moves being broken down before the final third of the Regent pitch. It was well-marshalled by Saifuddin, while Khairul, Faizul & Fazlon lent a grand helping hand. Impressive defensive displays from both sides saw the scoreline remaining goalless at the break.
Taking a well-earned breather, and listening to a few wise words from the Manager, TeamCuzz seemed all raring to go again for the next half. The instructions remained unchanged though, with the Manager not looking to be greedy for the win considering TeamCuzz's ability to switch off towards the end of previous games. Having injected some changes just before the break, with Shukur and Aidil deputising in a revamped right side, no other changes were made to the lineup. TeamCuzz did seem sluggish after the interval. Fortunately, there was always somebody in the way whenever Soccerites looked threatening. TeamCuzz look destined to be defending the entire half, but the fact that Soccerites were committing men forward provided the platform for TeamCuzz to spring some counter attacks into the opponent's territory. This was definitely TeamCuzz's only form of attack, with the pace of the front quartet often proving too much to handle for Soccerite's ageing backline.
One such attack, started by impressive midfielder Hyder, ended up with the opposing custodian having to charge off his line for a defensive clearance. He managed to execute it scrappily though, and unfortunately for him, it ended up at the preferred foot of TeamCuzz's striker. With an element of class, Joseph used the outer part of his left foot to lob over the melee of players in front of him and into the empty net (despite the vain attempt of a defender to clear it). The celebrations that follow was beyond euphoria.
TeamCuzz continued playing the game as told, and their focus hardly wavered. This was a startling achievement for a team who was never known for its discipline. Unsurprisingly, fitness got the better of them towards the end, but the Manager was quick enough to reshuffle the team and added a couple of fresh legs, including his own. In the end, a well-earned victory for TeamCuzz. The result did not change their position in the table (yet), but it certainly sent a message down other teams in the league. "I can see our name right up there with the big boys now!" said an obviously delighted Fazlon, who did a wonderful job at right back. Such an unlikely victory is certainly worth celebrating & reflecting on for some time. However, the packed fixture list means that TeamCuzz needs to get their feet back to the ground quickly and focus for the upcoming match against Dynamites. A twist is added for this fixture, with the test of Ramadhan largely affecting both teams. Failure to win in the next game could deem the victory over Tuas Soccerites almost meaningless.
In other news, injured striker-cum-admin manager, Shikin Ismail has gone under the knife for his injured knee last Thursday. The operation was successful, but he might be out for sometime. TeamCuzz would like to wish him a speedy recovery. On a final note, this reporter would like to dedicate the latest victory to him, & hope that he will continue to be with the team for many more years to come.
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