Game 6: Penguins vs Team 10 Years Together

Score: 3-2

Scorers: Glenn (1), Gary (1), Ben (1)

Match report by: Jaspall Singh

Despite the scorching sun, the far-off location and even the timing of the game, the Penguins showed up right on time and as a matter of fact, it was our biggest turnout to date. I’m pretty sure the captain must have lost some sleep pondering the formation and who to start with, but let’s face it, he’d rather have this headache of having too many players to choose from rather than not having any options.

When the match did eventually kick off (yes, the referee was 30 minutes late!), the Penguins started in a new formation, 5-3-2. We were up against a team that has apparently been playing together for 10 years. They were a mix of experienced older guys and young lads full of energy. And right from the beginning, they took control of the game and made us chase for the balls. They had a strong presence in the middle of the park, coupled with a right-midfielder who was running circles round the defenders and was out with an aim to put the ball through the legs of as many players as he possibly could.

And sure enough, it was no surprise when they took the lead early on in the game - coming from a pass through the middle that was toe-poked in. The goal only made the opponents more confident and they started their onslaught on our goal. Shots were raining in from everywhere and many attempts were made to catch our Rico off his line.

Substitutions were brought on for the Penguins to curb their attack but it just kept growing and they were rewarded with a second goal. At this point in time, the opponents must have thought they had it in the bag and the strikers were salivating at the thought of notching their hatricks.

But no, the second goal did not weigh us down, nor did it send us on a downward spiral. All it did was spark the fighting spirit within us and right from the kick off, we upped the tempo. Everyone came together and was on the same frequency. We stringed together a few good passes and tested out the keeper. Our midfielders were running around tirelessly in the park and were neutralizing the opponents. Kenneth seemed to be all over the field and Robert was determined to mark the “number 8” out of the game.

True enough, the Penguins managed to claw themselves back into the game from a goal-kick by Jonathan which found Glenn right outside the penalty box. Sublime control and confidence got him past the defender and he slotted it into the bottom right corner of the goal! 2-1! Watch out, here come the Penguins!

The 2nd half started with the Penguins growing more confident with every kick of the ball. Jonathan was marshalling his defence with calm authority, who were effectively stumping out the attacks. With Owain and Glenn working their magic out on the flanks and our midfielders making their presence felt in the middle of the park, the Penguins were attacking the goal more often and we were rewarded midway through the 2nd half when Kenneth won the ball in midfield, took it past a couple of players all the way to the by-line before squaring for Gary to knock in an unmissable chance. 2-2! Game on!

The opponents were shell-shocked as to what had just hit them. Just when everyone thought the Penguins had nothing left in them, we upped it a notch and started wave after wave of attacks. Everyone found that extra energy in them to chase down every ball. Both teams were chasing for the winning goal and the pressure was on. This led to bad calls from the ref but we kept our cool overall and managed to keep our heads in the game.

In the dying minutes of the game, Owain, after beating a man on the left, played in Darryl 8 yards from goal, whose shot was parried by the keeper into the air. That’s when Captain Ben was the first to react to nod the ball home for the winner! 3-2!! Penguins have done it once again!

Call us drama queens, but what I personally saw out there was an amazing fighting spirit that would have put any professional team to shame. Not a single player threw in the towel when we were 2 goals down but instead played their hearts out and worked together as a team at accomplishing a mountainous task. Well done Penguins! Every single one of you out there deserved a pat on your back!

Game 5: Penguins vs. 13 Malay guys & 1 Ang Moh

Score: 5-4

Scorers: Glenn (2), Ben (1), Darryl (1), Wai Meng (1)

Venue: Tanjong Katong Secondary School

Match report by: Maxim Shrestha

The Penguins came together somewhere around the Middle Eastlands of Singapore, on a beautiful Saturday evening, for their fifth match against 13 Melayus & 1 Ang moh FC (13M+1AM). Despite both teams showing up on time, there was a slight delay to kick-off due to some referee punctuality issues. As is always the case, the Penguins used this opportunity to their advantage and proceeded to warm-up physically and mentally for the clash at hand. Some would argue later that this was vital in the eventual outcome of the match.

The first half got underway with immediate pressure from 13M+1AM. With a relatively slightly older squad, the experience and overall technical superiority of the 13&1 was clear from very early on. Playing a very high midfield line, the pressure on the Penguins defense was immediately felt. With great flank play and great searching crosses thrown into the area, it was little surprise that 13M&1AM went two goals up within the first 20 minutes. In fact, given the number of chances they missed, thanks to Rico’s valiant saves and their lack of a finishing touch, the Penguins were lucky to not have fallen even further behind.

This less than perfect start for the Penguins needed to be addressed immediately, and so captain Ben Boo introduced himself into the game after a substitution. The impact was instantaneous. A perfect through ball from midfield saw the captain run through the middle and place the ball in the back of the net. 2-1.

The defense was still being stretched by 13M+1AM’s four midfielders and two centre forwards and it wasn’t long before they added yet another to their tally to give them the 2 goal cushion yet again. The Penguins persevered though, and after a few tough midfield battles and a defensive lapse, Daryll (DE9) managed to evade the defenders and tuck a beauty into the far post to bring the Penguins back 3-2. 

The intensity was pushed a notch higher. Both teams now knew they had a game in hand. As the first half progressed the Penguins shape improved and 13M+1AM were confronted with strong resistance. Towards the dying minutes of the half, after another great movement forward, the Penguins won themselves a corner. The resulting attacking kick threw the defenders into disarray and it was the quick thinking and the agility of Glenn Wray that resulted with the ball in the back of the net yet again. The game went into the interval delicately poised at 3-3.  The wives and kids of 13M+1AM were in for a mega second half.

At half-time Captain Boo correctly noted the lack of presence in the middle and the resultant pressure on defense. He decided to change tactics to a 5-4-1 or more to the likes of 5-1-3-1, with a defensive midfield to bolster the centre of the park. The change was a piece of tactical genius.

Immediately the Penguins saw much more of the ball, controlled midfield and kept possession. The pressure was now on 13M+1AM as they desperately tried to stop Kenneth in the middle, Wray on the wings and the Messi-esque Wai Meng up front. The introduction of Owain Palmer, who arrived after a long day at work, was another major boost for the Penguins. After some good interchanging plays and passes, Glenn broke from the left and using the outside of his right foot, crossed a beauty into the box, which was sent crashing into goal from a Wai Meng header. Penguins up for the first time in the game, 4-3. 

13M+1AM, like most other Penguin opposition, were stunned. They suddenly played with new found vigour and pressed hard trying to level a game that they should have won in the first 20. In one of these attacking spells, they won a free kick outside the box. While the Penguins were still tracking back and trying to organize their defense, one of the 13M took a truly cheap early free kick to equalize once again. A harsh lesson for the off-guard Penguin defense.

But even in the dying minutes of the game, the spirit and coolness of the Penguins prevailed. Owain playing on the left wing, found space and made a charge at goal. Leaving his markers behind he took a cracking shot at goal. Though the goalkeeper found himself at the right place, the sting and shock of the shot made him spill it, only to find the feet of a charging Wray who placed the ball into the back of the net yet again.

Once again finding themselves down, 13M+1AM pushed desperately, playing an extremely high line, to try and find the equalizer. Penguins strongly stood their ground and successfully put away everything that came through. But on the 90^th minute mark, an accidental mistimed challenge outside of the box, gave 13M+1AM one last breath of hope. This time the Penguins were quick to cover the ball, organize a wall and mark opposition.

Tension bubbled like molten lava. One of the 13M (the same one) was ready. The wall of Penguins stuck together ready to jump. Whistle…  1M takes a picture perfect curling free-kick aiming for the top right. It’s too good a kick even at our level of competition. Hope slips faster than Lehman Brothers stock… but at the very dying microsecond, a hand…. Rico, at full stretch, pushes the ball on to the crossbar and out of danger. Penguins kill of the final seconds with new found adrenaline and win 5-4.

Epic.

Game 4: Parkview Penguins vs Ballistiers

Score: 3-1

Scorers: Owain (2), David

Match report by: Gerald

Once again, the Penguins lined up against the Ballistiers, the team with whom they had played their inaugural match, which ended in a respectable 2-2 draw. By now the Penguins had had the chance to play another 2 matches and further gel as a team. The organization and determination of the dogged defenders, the cohesiveness and incisive passing of the midfield enforcers, and the penetrative and undoubtedly magical skills of the strikeforce meant that the Penguins were in good shape to take on the Ballistiers. It had all the makings of a classic re-match of two opposing football giants seeking to claim supremacy over the other.

The match started off at a normal pace, with both sides looking to find their feet, passing and probing patiently. Both sides looked evenly matched at first but to the keen observer the pendulum was slowly but surely swinging in favor of the Penguins. The defence was superbly marshalled by Maxim and Jaspall, who were ably supported by Robert Peter's tireless running and shielding of the defence. The opposition simply could not find a way through, and this gave towering midfielder Kenneth Tang, often allying natural composure and good control with the ball at his feet, opportunities to send searing passes down the flanks for the intrepid wingers Owain Palmer and Glenn Wray to chase down. Owain Palmer in particular was superb as he opened his account with what some might call an "impossible goal". From the tightest of angles he managed to guide the ball with almost laser-like precision as it eluded both the opposition keeper and the far post, giving the Penguins a precious 1-0 lead to take into halftime.

The second half started at a more frenetic pace, with the Ballistiers clearly keen to make amends for the first half. They upped the pace, passing faster, chasing the ball as if their lives depended on it, and gave the Penguins little time and space to to spray the ball around. Their keeper was in particularly fine form as he barked orders at his teammates throughout the match, even seeing fit to scream instructions at them on how to take attacking free kicks. Fortunately for the Penguins, they were able to repel attack after attack, and in an almost Internazionale-esque moment, launched a swift counter attack that led to a cross from the right which David instinctively volleyed into the net. No chance for the keeper! Shades of Fandi Ahmad there, but the Penguins would have taken an own goal at this point as it deflated the spirits of the valiant Ballistiers, although not their keeper who continued to rant at his teammates incessantly.

All that ranting proved to be not in vain as the Ballistiers managed to score a goal through sheer luck and a momentary lapse in the defence. That could have signaled the start of a revival for the Ballistiers, leaving the Penguins staring another 2-2 draw in the face, but this team has become so much more than the sum of its parts. The Penguins calmly weathered the storm and patiently waited for a breakaway, and duly received their reward in the last 20 minutes. Once again the stage belonged to awesome Owain. Playing like a man possessed, he took control of the ball at the halfway line and made a dangerous run directly at the defence, beating several defenders, before elegantly slotting the ball into the back of the net! What a fantastic goal!! 3-1 to the Penguins!!!

Credit to the Ballistiers, they never hung their heads and continued running and pressing, and in the closing minutes even looked like they might have been slightly hard done by with a penalty appeal that the referee refused to give. In fairness the ball was crossed from the byline across the face of goal, and from the video reply it looks like the ball may have very slightly grazed across the rightback's arm on its way out, but it would have been a very, very soft penalty to give, and would not have been fair justification for what was a consummate performance by the Penguins.

A very assured performance punctuated by 3 moments of sheer brilliance that led to 3 beautiful goals. The Penguins are gaining steam and can only get better and better. Bring it on!!!

Game 3: Parkview Penguins vs Essex Lasallians

Score: Penguins 4-3 Essex Lasallians

Goals: Kenneth (1), Owain (1), Glenn (1), Roger (1)

Match report by: Glenn

The Penguins were much-depleted for the hotly anticipated clash against Essex Lasallians, also known as our director's husband’s team. The Deepavali holiday laid waste to numerous key Penguins, including the likes of Robert, David and Jay. The critics had already sharpened their pens in expectation of a Penguins collapse against an accomplished and experienced outfit, but they had underestimated the spirit of the Penguins team. Captain Ben Boo simply shrugged off the losses in personnel, dusted off his tactics board and created a robust, if initially surprising, 5-3-2 formation. The Penguins took to the field both confident and determined, but few could have foreseen the events that were to follow.

Penguins are usually notable for their casual waddling but not these formidable Penguins, who positively roared out of the blocks from the first whistle. Several chances went begging in the early stages as we poured forward with merry abandon. Our enterprising play got the goal we deserved from midfield-lynchpin, Kenneth, who rose highest from a corner to power home a bullet header. The lead was doubled soon after, with Owain prodding home at the second attempt at close range. Our makeshift defence held together smoothly, efficiently snuffing out any threats from the opposition. Jonathan began to resemble a young Tony Adams as the game wore on, marshalling his troops with calm authority. Incredibly, as half-time approached things got even better for us as the opposing keeper, under immense pressure from the indefatigable Roger, spooned a miskicked clearance to just outside the corner of the box where an onrushing Glenn placed a first-time volley over the keeper’s head. The whistle for half-time soon followed, with the Penguins in dreamland.

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and so it transpired in the second-half. The opposition upped their game and made it 3-1 with a debatable penalty soon after the restart, prompting doubts to seep into the minds of our players. Whilst our play in the first half was akin to Messi, in the second, it started to become simply, well,  messy. We still managed to play some good football, but tired legs and minds combined to see concentration levels drop. Positioning went awry and confidence began to drop as passes went astray and chances went begging. It wasn’t long before it became 3-2, with the opposition really raining down on us. The last 15mins saw a backs-to-the-wall type battle not seen since the Alamo, but our proud defence was finally pierced with a soul-crushing equalizer 10mins from time. 3-3 and there looked like being only one winner… But no! Cometh the hour and cometh the man. A rare counter-attack in the last minute saw the ball swept from defence to midfield in the blink of an eye – soon Darryl was receiving a pass inside the box with the cry ‘Shoot!’ resounding from the players. Time froze as Darryl pulled back his leg to deliver the strike, defenders desperately lunged at his feet, hearts raced. Amid the mayhem, only Darryl kept his cool, casually sliding the ball to his right to an unmarked Roger who found the corner of the net with an expert toe-poke. 4-3 Penguins!!

So a truly sensational game ended in a deserved 4-3 victory. Again, the incredible spirit and determination of the Penguins shone through, as did some marvelous football. Eyebrows may have been raised as  we took to the field but by the end, the only things raised were the arms of the victorious Penguins.

Game 2: Penguins vs ‘Unknowns’

Score: Penguins 2-5 Unknowns

Goals: Glenn, Darryl

Match report by: Glenn

The final scoreline may have read as a 5-2 defeat, but I don’t think this is a fair reflection on the game. We played really well in parts, especially the first 20mins where we had about 3 or 4 really good chances. Our shape was great and we played some good short passing stuff. Our start got its due reward when Glenn waltzed through their defence and slotted calmly past the keeper to put us 1-0 up. A counter-attack and penalty equalizer for them was a bitter blow, just when we were controlling the game, and their second right at the end of the first half knocked the stuffing out of us somewhat.

Obviously, it got even tougher in the second half with both Jonathan and Owain having to leave early, and Maxim being forced off with an ankle injury. We still battled bravely though (as epitomized by Skipper Ben’s yellow card) and got what we deserved with Darryl’s 30 yard screamer early in the half to draw things level. Had luck gone our way we could have gone on to grab the win but, unfortunately, the goalframe conspired to deny us on several occasions, as did the opposition goalie when clawing out another 35 yard free-kick from Darryl. Ultimately, though, they proved more clinical in the final third, adding 3 more unanswered goals as the game drew to a close.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that the opposition seemed a really strong young and mobile side, so for us to give them such a battle in only our second game was admirable.