Bulletin

23 June 2010

SAIPEM MALVIVENTE 4: TEAM ASCENDAS 1

Saipem is the most consistent team at the moment in the league. Their attitude towards each game is one to be admired and respected. Saipem takes every game seriously and goes for a decisive win rather than try to scrap through a win for points.

The game started with both teams fighting to assert their play in midfield which is what real football is all about. Possession in the first half was 50-50 but Saipem had a greater appetite for victory than Team Ascendas from the beginning. And it showed within 5 mins into the game when Saipem took a 2 goal lead going into the break. However just before half time, Team Ascendas pulled one back with a shot from nowhere to find the net hence ending with a half time score of 2 – 1 in favor of Saipem.

After the break there was a sudden urgency in Team Ascendas’ play. They took Saipem by surprise and panic was seen in the first 5 mins of Saipem’s game in the second half. Saipem’s game suddenly closed up and was clustered in the center trying hard to defend the constant attack from Team Ascendas. But then just like fireworks, Team Ascendas’ fiery attack fizzled out.

Saipem did not take long to organize to find their rhythm of play. With 2 more goals in the last 10 mins of play, the game ended with a well deserved victory for Saipem.

Interestingly Saipem is the only team so far to be awarded 3 consecutive penalties in 3 consecutive weeks but couldn’t score a goal from the penalty. And this is even after a simple text book demonstration by the referee for the match. The flaw is simply the failure to look up just before hitting the ball to direct the shot into goal. As such, the advice to all future penalty takers is to look up before shooting for goal when taking the penalty. Luck is not part of the equation when it comes to taking penalties.


KUNG FU PANDAS 0 : DSO B 5

Kung Fu Pandas came into the game with an under strength team of only 4 players and no substitutes. DSO B played a very steady and controlled game. An even tempo saw DSO B took a well deserved lead and move the tally to 5 goals at the end. The high point of this game is DSO B’s game control. Keeping ball possession is still the best form of defense and this was a point well demonstrated by DSO B. The other strategy is patient build up, taking time to work the field and find the right space and time to create the move and finishing it with a goal. Well done DSO B.

We have to give credit to Kung Fu Pandas too. This game could have all gone wrong for them and ended in an onslaught by DSO B with a huge goal score. But Kung Fu Pandas were very well organized and defended as a team. The first half score was only 2-0 with DSO B containing them in their own half. With the second half conceding by only 3 goals and with DSO pressing even more showed strong resilient defending by Kung Fu Pandas.


NANO BOYS 2 : DSO A 3

DSO A was really made to sweat by Nano Boys. There was a freak incident in this game that DSO A should be thanking Lady Luck . DSO A’s player back pass went straight into the net for a freak own goal. But the referee was close and watchful to see that the back pass was done from Nano Boys half so technically for a goal to be scored into DSO A’s net it has to be cleared the half way line from Nano Boys direction of play. Thus an assumingly own goal was disallowed. If only the back pass was from DSO A’s half and strayed into the goal. The game could have ended in a draw and it could have been an embarrassing draw for DSO A.

DSO A had a bad night finding no creativity and movements in the game. On the other hand Nano Boys played a very good game. Scoring 2 goals and getting back into the game after missing out a few decent chances showed great organization and adaptability in Nano Boy’s game plan. Nano Boys had a very simple game plan that worked to their advantage perfectly. Holding the line in their own half while waiting for DSO A to bring the ball up and not committing early but sit back to snatch the ball for a quick counter attack was brilliant. The 2 goals scored by Nano Boys have to be given credit because of their patience in defense. The goals were created from snatching the ball from defending against DSO A’s attack and turning it into a quick counter attack. Well done Nano Boys. And lucky DSO A.