one of the best matches i played.. ever!!
unbelievable.. i scored twice today.. in the same match.. haha.. never scored more than one goal in a formal match since jc i think.. such a wonderful feeling..
anyway, to tell the story from the beginning: the Merrill Poppers (don't ask me why they came up with such a name..) had a match at ahmad ibrahim sec. the pitch wasn't that wide, but was fairly well-maintained cos it's under also SSC. but we had two guys MIA, and we had to play with 9 men first, and hope they turn up later. i was kinda shocked when the captain said that, but i think we will just suck it all up.. haha.. was psyching myself up when the opponent kindly offered to play 9 men too. mixed blessing i guess, the size of the pitch was quite ideal for 9-a-side. but it means the opponents get to swap their players around to keep them fresh, a tactic which they exploited to the maximum..
anyway the match got started, and our team settled in earlier then the other. but as usual, we can't finish in front of goal. the opponent was no push-over though, unlike the previous match.. they are able to move the ball up to our half in good counter-attacks. and then they scored a goal..
**i realise that technique, skill and teamwork are impt components for a good soccer team, but once the spirit is broken, the team cannot function properly anymore. this thought just struck me midway thru the first half.. something that i'll remember well..**
we still played well even after we conceded the first goal, and i didn't make many mistakes (which really astounded me..) the captain set a target for us, not to win, but to have 5 good shots. i won't call it a defeatist mentality, but i felt rather encouraged by this goal setting. after the half-time break, i kneeled down on the pitch and prayed. very hard. i asked for God to make this game a victory for us, and i promised to commit fully to Him. and right after kick-off, i won the ball with a good tackle, and passed the ball to the right flank. they moved up, and scored a goal!! i didn't catch who scored, but suddenly our team felt uplifted, and i know that somehow, it is God at work.. but abt ten mins later, the opposing team scored again and restored their lead. but still we laboured, and i no longer worried abt my lungs. (i was coughing pretty badly for the past few days.) and then they scored again.. that was demoralising.. the team just suddenly looked lerthagic and listless, the effect of being 2 goals down with less than 20 mins left.. but still i laboured.. there was a short moment of doubt, a questioning of faith, but i cast it aside and kept on going.
and miracles do happen.. ken and i chased after a long ball into their penalty area, and both him and the defender went down. the defender couldn't get cleanly kick the ball away, and shouted for the keeper to collect it. but he didn't know i was behind ken.. and so i did a slight shoulder drop, and tapped the ball towards the keeper's left. it wasn't hard enough though, and two defenders chased after it.. i stopped breathing for that few seconds, and watched as the ball roll slowing past the goal-line.. PHEW!!!
at that point there were 10 mins left in the match. bcos of my goal, my team suddenly found our strength and belief again. and it's bcos of me.. i've never been in such a scenario b4.. but the match has not ended, and we are still one goal down.
and miracles still happen, when u least expect it.. a quick run down the right flank, and then a cross which sailed over their defenders and our strikers, and suddenly the ball is at my right foot! instinct took over me at that point, and everything seems dream-like. i controlled the ball and pushed it to my more powerful left foot, shifted my body to face the goal, looked up to see where the goalkeeper is positioned, and i whacked the ball! all i can remember is an image of the keeper diving to his right with the ball eluding his outstretched hand and narrowly went it.. at the bulge of the net, i turned around and jumped for jubilation!! goooaaalll!!!! what a feeling!! nothing can be exchanged for it, not even a commonwealth medal.. i couldn't believe it at all.. i was on the verge of tears, and struggling to stand up straight.. haha.. and the glory is all Yours..
even though the match ended in a draw, i think He wanted me to learn a lesson: that if i wanted a victory, i can't just depend on Him, i had to fight for it too.. struggle and still believe, still have faith.. =)
anyway, to tell the story from the beginning: the Merrill Poppers (don't ask me why they came up with such a name..) had a match at ahmad ibrahim sec. the pitch wasn't that wide, but was fairly well-maintained cos it's under also SSC. but we had two guys MIA, and we had to play with 9 men first, and hope they turn up later. i was kinda shocked when the captain said that, but i think we will just suck it all up.. haha.. was psyching myself up when the opponent kindly offered to play 9 men too. mixed blessing i guess, the size of the pitch was quite ideal for 9-a-side. but it means the opponents get to swap their players around to keep them fresh, a tactic which they exploited to the maximum..
anyway the match got started, and our team settled in earlier then the other. but as usual, we can't finish in front of goal. the opponent was no push-over though, unlike the previous match.. they are able to move the ball up to our half in good counter-attacks. and then they scored a goal..
**i realise that technique, skill and teamwork are impt components for a good soccer team, but once the spirit is broken, the team cannot function properly anymore. this thought just struck me midway thru the first half.. something that i'll remember well..**
we still played well even after we conceded the first goal, and i didn't make many mistakes (which really astounded me..) the captain set a target for us, not to win, but to have 5 good shots. i won't call it a defeatist mentality, but i felt rather encouraged by this goal setting. after the half-time break, i kneeled down on the pitch and prayed. very hard. i asked for God to make this game a victory for us, and i promised to commit fully to Him. and right after kick-off, i won the ball with a good tackle, and passed the ball to the right flank. they moved up, and scored a goal!! i didn't catch who scored, but suddenly our team felt uplifted, and i know that somehow, it is God at work.. but abt ten mins later, the opposing team scored again and restored their lead. but still we laboured, and i no longer worried abt my lungs. (i was coughing pretty badly for the past few days.) and then they scored again.. that was demoralising.. the team just suddenly looked lerthagic and listless, the effect of being 2 goals down with less than 20 mins left.. but still i laboured.. there was a short moment of doubt, a questioning of faith, but i cast it aside and kept on going.
and miracles do happen.. ken and i chased after a long ball into their penalty area, and both him and the defender went down. the defender couldn't get cleanly kick the ball away, and shouted for the keeper to collect it. but he didn't know i was behind ken.. and so i did a slight shoulder drop, and tapped the ball towards the keeper's left. it wasn't hard enough though, and two defenders chased after it.. i stopped breathing for that few seconds, and watched as the ball roll slowing past the goal-line.. PHEW!!!
at that point there were 10 mins left in the match. bcos of my goal, my team suddenly found our strength and belief again. and it's bcos of me.. i've never been in such a scenario b4.. but the match has not ended, and we are still one goal down.
and miracles still happen, when u least expect it.. a quick run down the right flank, and then a cross which sailed over their defenders and our strikers, and suddenly the ball is at my right foot! instinct took over me at that point, and everything seems dream-like. i controlled the ball and pushed it to my more powerful left foot, shifted my body to face the goal, looked up to see where the goalkeeper is positioned, and i whacked the ball! all i can remember is an image of the keeper diving to his right with the ball eluding his outstretched hand and narrowly went it.. at the bulge of the net, i turned around and jumped for jubilation!! goooaaalll!!!! what a feeling!! nothing can be exchanged for it, not even a commonwealth medal.. i couldn't believe it at all.. i was on the verge of tears, and struggling to stand up straight.. haha.. and the glory is all Yours..
even though the match ended in a draw, i think He wanted me to learn a lesson: that if i wanted a victory, i can't just depend on Him, i had to fight for it too.. struggle and still believe, still have faith.. =)
posted by zhenmingtianzi at 9:45 PM
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