TeamCuzz triumphant in T-net Club Street Soccer Competition

While Singaporeans gear up for nation's 45th birthday, a small group of TeamCuzz (& affiliates) got out of their comfort zone for a taste of something different. Dusting away the gezillions of particles and 2 spider webs on/in their once-forgotten Street Soccer shoes, they took to the streets of Bedok South where the once-blue-now-beige Futsal Cage stands tall. In the world where tattoes mean respect, more tattoes mean more respect, and even more tattoes means you need to go on a diet, TeamCuzz entered the competition a mere underdog. But by the end of it, a totally different form of respect was earned.

Enroute to their gold medal & cool $200 prize money, TeamCuzz had relatively easy opening few games. A major stumbling block came in the form of Aril and his fellow Nemo team-mates in the quarterfinals. The TeamCuzz custodian was representing another team for that day, despite wearing TeamCuzz's goalkeeping gear. The boys of Bedok were just too good, and won 3-0, much to the disappointment of TeamCuzz's players. However, given that it was a double-knockout system, they had a 2nd chance at survival. Stand-in Manager Sharul made swift changes by naming Faizul as the goalie for the following games.

Whether or not the change was made as the Manager saw Faizul as the best goalie of the lot, or the most lousy outfield player, that master stroke did the trick. TeamCuzz went on to beat the next 4 teams in quick succession, including Aril's Nemo in the final. It must be said though that the opponents were gracious in defeat, a trait obviously absent in most of the other teams. Syukri ended up notching the most goals for TeamCuzz (5). It is timely that he did so since TeamCuzz do desperately need a clinical striker.

Congratulations to TeamCuzz for winning the title. This is officially TeamCuzz's 3rd accolade, following the the success of NUS MS tourney in 2008 and MDA tourney earlier this year. If you think Portugal's golden generation of Figo, Rui Costa and Victor Baia is over, I suggest you think again.

TeamCuzz's winning team (L to R, B to F): simao FAIZrosa, miguel PULoso, carlos SHAHroz, ricardo SYUKresma, paulo FAIZUrreira, euSHAHbio, joao IMountinho, henrique SUlario.