SCC Hosts Another Successful Soccer 7s At The Padang

Photo: Singapore Cricket Club

Tueday, 26 March 2019 - It was another great year for the annual Singapore Cricket Club Sevens soccer tournament conducted as always at Singapore’s iconic Padang, with the backdrop of the Singapore National Gallery at one end and the Cenotaph and the Esplanade at the other with the Singapore Cricket Club itself at the far end overlooking the entire panorama.

All five categories provided rich entertainment and great recreation for the participants, who mingled with rival players and friends between commitments in a tremendous display of camaraderie.

Among notables on show were former Tampines Rovers maestro Sead Muratovic, now of more seasoned girth, and the ever-youthful Fazli Jaffar, both of whom scored excellent goals for their Weston side in the Group stage.

It was a tournament full of skill and serious endeavour, with good sportsmanship key, of course, with for the most part referees needing to keep their cards in their pockets.

Photo: Singapore Cricket Club

We only saw one match in the Group stage that threatened to boil over, with red cards handed out to one on each side after a skirmish around the edges of the penalty area, but that was a rare exception and the whole event was conducted in a most convivial, but nevertheless competitive manner.

The Bali team from Indonesia retained their Youth trophy and their team of very young boys, mostly small in stature, were far from intimidated by some of their taller opponents and showed their class with a tremendous team effort to push their opponents to penalties to decide the outcome of their Final.

In the end, with every outfield player converting their spot-kicks, it was left to the two goalkeepers to settle the issue. The Bali keeper saved the first effort by his opposite number and then kept his nerve to put away his own attempt coolly and seal the win.

But the Bali team had to do it tough as they were drawn in the same Group as the Brazilian Jericho Soccer Academy who won all three matches without conceding a goal.

Also in the same Group were the unfortunate Chelsea FC IDC SG while St. Patrick’s School wrapped up the other Group with two wins and a draw.

Apart from the really young brigade there was plenty of good football played in the Open category and mention must be made of Warriors FC who were drafted in at the eleventh hour to replace an invited Malaysian side which couldn’t make it after all. Warriors won all three of their games on the Saturday and won their Quarter Final the next day, only to bow out in the Semi-Finals.

Photo: Singapore Cricket Club

It was hastily-assembled team and included new signing Zulkifli Kassim who was the star of the NFL Division 1 last season and wanted another chance to play SPL football once again.

Most of the Warriors team, other than Zul and captained by the experienced campaigner Fadhil Noh, were youngsters and with the SPL side only playing one game over the opening three weekends of fixtures due to byes, the opportunity for some competitive action came as heaven-sent.

The Warriors weren’t the only team to top their group with an unblemished record as Singapore Young Lions (who had many players in their group away with the Under-22s in Mongolia) won all of their games as well and the Singapore Cricket Club’s Firsts carried all before them, so the knock-out stages loomed as being extremely competitive while the vanquished could look forward only to the Plate for redemption.

The Casuals were also unbeaten in Group D but two of their games resulted in draws.

In the ultra-strong knock-out stage SCC and Hong Kong made it to the Final with the visitors defeating the hosts 2-1 in the Final, having needed penalties to send Warriors FC packing while SCC Firsts only just scraped past Young Lions on the way to the Final.

Photo: Singapore Cricket Club

The Masters category is always excellent entertainment and this year was no exception.

Bangkok Airways were able to win every game at the Group stage as were Hong Kong FC, while the Singapore ex-internationals played well, with one win and two draws.

The SCC Masters team, however, were more than a match for most and took the Group D honours with maximum points.

SCC Masters only just managed to clinch their Final on penalties against Royal Bangkok Masters 3-2 in a spine-tingling finish.

In the ever-popular Legends category the four Group winners all won both their games, with ex Internationals, Singapore Polytechnic, Bangkok Airways and Bruce James Select putting paid to both SCC Legends and Indians Association along the way to the Finals.

Singapore Polytechnic looked destined for top honours after winning their way through to the Final with ease, but the prolific Bangkok Airways did just enough to see them off with a 1-0 win in the Final to conclude another impressive tournament for the Thai team.

The Corporate category produced some surprises with Singapore Airlines Cabin Crew showing some remarkable skills to score a hatful of goals in their three brief 7 minutes-per- half matches.

They progressed along with Citibank with the frequent flyers keeping a clean sheet, while the money men conceded twice in securing one win and two draws.

Cabin Crew continued to find the net with aplomb in the Finals with a 5-0 win over RHT Holdings in the semis and a 4-1 success over Resorts World Sentosa in the Final.

They drew rapturous applause for some of their goals, which showed that their land legs were very strong, allowing them to shine magnificently under the bright blue skies of the Civic District.

Those destined by fate to take part in the Plate showed some good skills as well.

In the Open category, Singapore Vikings emerged victorious 1-0 over the very plucky Tokyo Panthers.

In the Masters there wasn’t much in it at all, as Hong Kong Masters 2 needed penalties to defeat Casual Masters 7-6 in a thriller.

SCC Legends won the Legends Plate 1-0 over the determined Football Coaches Old Boys. DHL wrapping up the Corporate Plate with a 3-0 win over Ernst and Young.

Finally, in the Youth Plate, Phuket Football Home, comprising both girls and boys and clearly very talented, beat Chelsea 3-0 to show that they were not intimidated by either their opponents’ reputation or their stature

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Paul Green
Writer
The SG Football Podcast