DRM v Ampa 9 Match Report

This was our first game in the new Boca colours and despite the poor weather form recently DRM went ahead with the game against Ampa-9 as most of us were raring to put on the blue & yellow!

Were we in for a shocker that afternoon or what? The overnight storm had made half the pitch unplayable and quick thinking from the DRM boys ensured we defended the half that more resembled the marshland area you get behind the Mumong by-pass than a football field. We didn't manage to take advantage of the better half of the field in the first 15 minutes though as we struggled to make any shots that troubled the Ampa-9 keeper. Infact, they did just the opposite as Yusra's athleticism was tested a few times although he managed to keep the scoreline at zero. Had it not been for that huge pond infront of our goal though it might have just been a different story altogether!

As our formation clearly wasn't working for us, we made some switches early on, pushing Hj Zul who had been playing sweeper, upfront and bringing Najib down to left back. Fakhrul also started to push up more from a holding midfield role and the change immediately proved to be pivotal as Hj Zul scored after a jinking solo run from the left, placing the ball into the bottom corner Thierry-Henry like. The DRM second goal came shortly after, when Haidi who previously had several chances to put DRM further in the lead won us a corner. As if his boots were on fire, Hj Zul scored direct from the corner for his second goal much to the shock of the entire Ampa-9 defense who we caught ball-watching!

Khairul who had also been working hard in the first half in his left-midfield role, then set up the third DRM goal, when his run on the left put Fakhrul free to tee-up his shot from outside the penalty area.

Half-time came, and we prepared ourselves for a tougher 2nd half attacking the pond end of the
pitch and defending the dry half. We felt that our opponents legs were tiring and so we decided to bring on the student brigade in the second half with the hope of out-running our opponents. We also knew that they would be of no use on the soggy half, so we played them in midfield and defense and it worked out well for us. Amir S who was playing for Ampa-9 on loan, was shadowed the whole game by Daus who matched his speed and tricks step for step. Airul helped break off several of the Ampa-9 attacks with his ball chasing and Sulhi did the almost impossible and scored from the pond end!

We also managed to score a 5th when Aizul & Danan's intelligent play on the better side (left side) of the pond end, put Danan free for a cross which set Hj Zul up nicely for a pop at goal and with the form he was on, he was never going to miss that. Yusra made some fine saves towards the end of the game but Ampa-9 still managed to score 4 past the DRM defense and it made for a tight finish.