4ZA ETHOS!!!

With the usual high spirit and ready for the battle for facing the opponent on any type of pitch, the 4za squad came to their home pitch with everyone almost arriving on time. Many of the 4za were injured or not available due to traveling, luckily we got reinforcements from good o’l Oli and Gary to fill in the boots on the wings.

After getting the usual pep and uplifting talks from our dearest captain Gavin, the players all went out to warm up and prepare ourselves for the match. The goalkeeper was left with less time to warm up after having to help Alosha to go on an adventure to retrieve the ball that he kicked into the jungle. Such an adventure!

Players were called and everyone immediately notice that we had a very strange ref. No football shoes on and wasn’t interested in checking the shinpads or numbers. Alas, we decided to ignore it and went into position.

4Za started with the usual formation. Keeper: Pongky Defence: Mathias M. – Gavin – Victor – Remy Midfield: Oli – Peter – Francois – Gary Forwards: Christos - Flambers Sub: Alosha

Kick off started with 4Za ball, playing under light rain/drizzles, 4za passing the ball around to find an opening to try and score but the defensive play from the chiefs and the condition of the pitch made it difficult to break through. Going from the middle and from both sides of the winger, Oli, Gary, Flambi and Christos tirelessly tried to find the opening but were unlucky, but the game was not one sided, numerous attacks were launched by the chiefs from all sides of the pitches, crosses, dribbles, through balls were all thrown at 4Za defence causing no rest at all even for the keeper. With a great telepathic communication and positioning, the 4za defensive team managed to make 6 goal line clearances with Vic sacrificing his crown area to block a shot and Remy making a diving save with his foot. The attackers from chiefs team had to face palm more then they are used to.

0 – 0 was the score at the end of the first half.

2 nd half started, with feeling the tiredness of constantly running in the 1st half, 4za started off slower then normally to put pressure on the opponent, however, the opponents were also feeling tired and caused them to make a fatal mistake that was seen and taken advantage of by Mr. lawyer… dribbling past the defender and made a beautiful chip over the tall keeper through the centre of the goal!!! 1- 0 for 4za!!!!

Then the intensity from the chiefs players increased in attacks where the defensive players from 4za had a little bit of trouble following, the chiefs were managing to find opportunities and chances to take shots but was either saved, blocked, offside or wide. Due to the intensity of the attack and how far the 4za were laying back in their own half, one through ball from 4za was able to be intercepted by the chiefs keeper, thinking that all of 4za team ran out of energy and stamina, he decided to dribble out from his box not knowingly that Gary was already running from the other side of the pitch going across from behind the keepers back to give a nice clean body tackle and stole the ball before dribbling it to the edge of the box and pushed the ball into their goal for the 2nd goal!!! Their morale fell like a sinking rock after that goal. And 4za morale and stamina rises like a rocket as they become hungry again to score more goals.

But avail, nothing much more happened after Oli’s attempt to shoot from the edge of the penalty box to the bottom left corner which was brilliantly saved by the keeper. Late drama at the closing minutes of the match where Pongky managed to send another striker to the E.R – but for a much less worse accident then the last time (50:50 chance with the chiefs striker, he ended up with a dislocated shoulder).

The end