Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Friendly at Juying Secondary

19 Apr 2009 @ Juying Secondary~ 5pm
KKZ 10 Yung Ho Rangers 0 (5-0)


After netting 9 goals in the previous game, Team KKZ were in no different mood as they headed to the West Coast, with just 11 men. KKZ started the game with 10 men, with latecomer Vinnie still on the way. With Nayee starting in goal, the centre back pairing of Prem and Jeyraj were joined with Ghazali and Barathi in the left and right back positions respectively. Right Winger Haresh was joined by Sriram on the opposite flank with the returning Ismail partnering Bala in the centre of the park. The lone striker forward was the returning KKZ legend Yassin who was in a hungry mood.

Hungry Yassin didn't take long to get in the scoresheet though. He took his opening goal with much ease as he broke the deadlock within 6 minutes at the start. He then turned provider for the second goal when he released Sriram on the right flank when Sriram once again wowed everyone with a delightful chip into the goal when almost everyone expected a cross from the brilliant Brahmin from that angle. Ever since that goal, KKZ never looked back. It took them some time to get the 3rd goal though. Haresh then set up Bala as he laid off a ball only for the German to hit the bar after he unleashed a piledriver from outside the penalty box. Haresh then made a change to the scoreline for his first of the year after once again Yassin set up the goal. Vinnie then came in to set up the 4th goal and Haresh's Second. The second was also the 2nd from his left leg which was a glorious chip with his left boot into the top corner. Into the stoppage time of the 1st half, Ghazali earned a penalty and converted it to bring the scoreline to 5 at the break.

The second half didn't flow as freely at the start. AC Mungent Lan were resorting to dirty tactics just to prevent KKZ from scoring their 6th. The frustration was obvious as KKZ earned its first yellow card of the year through Jeyraj after Jeyraj threw the ball at the Goh Toh Soh (Mungent Gatusso) angrily conceding a dangerous freekick in the penalty box. The resulting freekick was blasted over by, on loan striker Peter Lee Crouch. It took some time to find their rhythm but after Sriram jinked past 2 defenders and put a cross in, Ismail made no mistake to bring the tally to 6.

AC Mungent Lan started to push their line high up the centre line which seemed to put off Nayee who was the team's forward. Nayee had some woeful misses which he will want to forget but KKZ soon found their 7th through Barathi who made a deep run and finishing coolly past the advancing keeper. KKZ continued playing to the offside trap although they were caught many a times offside. Ismail then sprayed a weighted ball, but Haresh cleverly stayed in an offside position but left the ball for Bala who made the run deep from the KKZ half, and raced clear for a one on one. Interestingly Ghazali raced forward and started to call for Bala to play the ball. He by wanting to get his 2nd actually got onto Bala's nerves after screaming for the ball despite being in an offside position. Fortunately Bala kept his calm and slotted the ball calmly to the bottom left of the goal with a veteran's cool nerves. 8-0 Kamikaze. The excellent Barathi then got his second in some style after he rounded the keeper and nestled the ball into the net. The score was turned to double digits after Nayee beat the keeper and unselfishly cut the ball back for Ghazali's second and KKZ's 10th. Nayee, epitomised the true spirit of KKZ of playing with each other rather than for personal glory, and he couldn't have done it better. KKZ then came close to conceding and losing the clean sheet but Bala blocked with a stud showing challenge which he had to get absolutely right, and he did. Ismail then cleared the danger and KKZ recorded one of the biggest margin victory in history after thumping in 10 goals and maintaining a clean sheet.

KAMIKAZE!!

Players: Nayee, Jeyraj, Prem, Ghazali, Haresh, Ismail, Barathi, Bala, Sriram, Vinnie, Yassin

Goals: Yassin, Sriram, Ghazali (2) Haresh(2), Barathi (2), Ismail, Bala

M.O.M: Yassin

Confidently but not overconfidently, Yassin steals the limelight from the other glorious 10 and rightfully so. The KKZ legend returned in style in 2009, with netting the opener and setting up a further 2 in the first half, with him being a constant menace in the opponents half. He later then got "moved" to centre back where he did excellently well again. Kudos to Yassin!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Friendly at Mayflower Primary

12 Apr 2009 @ Mayflower Primary ~ 5pm
KKZ 9 No Namat FC 4 (3-2)


After a cock-up in the scheduling of the original pitch, Yio Chu Kang Secondary, Kamikaze were fortunate to be able to shift to the neighbouring 9-a-side Junior Field for a 9-a-side game against No Namat FC. It seems that everytime Raja starrs in goal for KKZ, we end up playing a 9-a-side game. Hmmmm....

The game started brightly after Jeyraj knocked in 3 goals in 15 minutes to celebrate his bachelor's night. KKZ took a 3-nil lead only to defend disastrously and miss chances to hand No Namat FC a chance to get back into the game, as the half ended 3-2.

With the tie at 3-2, at half time, the 'crowd' inspired Barathi returned a different player to blaze the pitch. Sriram threaded a beautiful through pass through the cramped pitch which found Nayee, sorry Mohawk Nayee, complete with a new hairdo to finish the chance with a deft chip pass the hapless keeper.

Barathi, at right back, determined to get on the score sheet orchestrated a beautiful overlap movement with Bala. After neat one-two with the German, Barathi found the back of the net to bring the score to 5-2.

Haresh, playing at centre back, confidently pushed up his line and confidently conceded one to bring the score to a closer 5-3. Mohawk Vicky (original) was unlucky on numerous occasions to put the score beyond doubt but he struck the post once and narrowly wide in the others. Kalai then tried his luck only for the bar to deny him.

Frustrated, Kalai and Bala then combined with much effect, as after a flowing movement down the left, saw Kalai lay the ball off to Ballack, sorry, Bala and he made no mistake as he sidefooted the ball into the inner post and broke his 'annual goal' duck as he made 2 goals in 2 games. Score 6-3.

Another Schoolboy mistake later, No Namats found their rhythm to bring the score to 6-4. As they were settling down into the game, KKZ countered to let Barathi complete his hat-trick within the space of 5 minutes. With the score at 8-4, no one wanted to settle the tie, but rather get onto the scoresheet of the high-scoring game.

In the final few minutes of the game, KKZ got a freekick on the edge of the box, which Mohawk Vicky (Original) wrestled the greedy Bala over to convert the freekick, and boy did he take the chance. Mohawk frustrated over his luck and his numerous close chances, powerfully blasted the ball into the roof of the net which left everyone gasp in astonishment.
9-4 and thats how it ended.

KAMIKAZE!!

Players: Raja,Jeyraj,Prem,Nayee, Haresh, Achu, Barathi,Bala,Sriram,Mohawk, Seelan, Satish, Kalai, Kavin

Goals: Jeyraj (3), Barathi (3), Old Mohawk Vicky, New Mohawk Vicky (Formerly known as Nayee or Dynamite Dog), Bala

M.O.M: Jeyraj

Barathi could have stolen the limelight for the second week in a row with another wonderful performance which was reflected in his hat-trick, but the limelight belonged to the true hat-trick hero of the day, Jeyraj.
Jeyraj celebrated his bachelor's night with a hat-trick in the space of the first 15 minutes of the game with three well-taken goals which left the keeper with no chance. After a solid game as centre-back, Jeyraj then moved between the posts and kept a clean sheet in the last 10 minutes of the game. And now for the honeymoon....

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Friendly at Canberra Sec

4 Apr 2009 @ Canberra Sec Sch ~ 5pm
KKZ 4 Getz United 3 (2-0)

Finally KKZ played their first official game of the year. Close to 4 months into the year without a game, a team of 11 players were formed in the space of 4 hours, after opponents of Getz United pulled out 5 hours into the game. Up stood Kamikaze for the challenge and for their first game of the year.

After frantically searching for players to form a team, KKZ arrived and started with 9 men on the Canberra pitch due to the late arrivals of Habib and Vinnie, also courtesy of the late notice. This game also marked the first competitive start in months, handed out to KKZ Veteran Achu who starred in the left back position. The other 3 of the starting back four comprised of Prem and Bala in the centre with Fellow Colonial Cousin Barathi starting parallel Achu at right back. Local Sembawang hero Sriram started in centre mid with Vijay and Mohawk taking the left and right flanks respectively. Jeyraj started in the lone striker position (his other FAAVouriTE position) with Nayee in goal.

KKZ started well, though with 9 men threatened the Getz UTD centre backs who were obviously having problems with the fast paced attacks of KKZ. The keeper was tested and clearly didn't put away KKZ's attackers as he fumbled at the ball on more than one occasion. At the back, despite a lengthy lay-off, the defence couldn't have looked more comforatble as they dealt with Getz Attacks rather audaciously, stroking the ball inside their own 40 yards. Achu, Bala and Barathi were quick to close down any attacks, while Prem provided the assurance at the sweeper position.

Saab as Sub! Habib came on at 10 mins to bring the team to 10 men, and the score to 1-nil, yes, Habib scored with his 4th touch of the game with much predatory instinct as he always had.
(1-0 Habib* 15 minute) Getz were shocked at the introduction and started to panic over the imbalance of the player advantage and the score. Kamikaze gained in confidence and started to press the Getz defence. Achu started to drift upwards, and was unlucky not to get his goal. They were soon rewarded via an unlikely saviour. Whatever Habib could do, Vinnie 'upped' the standards. After coming on in 18 minutes, Vinnie was the first to latch onto a rebound after Vijay struck a venomous shot which the Getz keeper could only parry. Vinnie tapped the ball into the empty net with his 1st touch of the game with much glee and KKZ were 2-nil up and so the score remained till the break. (2-0 Vinnie *20th minute)

At the break, a few shuffles were made, which saw Vinnie being pushed back to the right back position with the back 4 relatively unchanged, with Prem,Jeyraj and Achu holding the back line. Bala and Sriram filled the centre, with Nayee doing a direct swap with Vijay for the left midfielder position. Right flanks remained in the grasp of the glowing Mohawk, while Habib remained the target man forward. More importantly, Barathi was given the licence to roam at the centre of the park, with a free role handed out to him, and boy did he grab it.

Barathi tormented the Getz players with his new found freedom and energy and KKZ were starting to attack furiously. But hey, KKZ will always be loyal to our second half curse, as we missed several open-glitch chances, as the 2 goal cushion led to over-confidence and selfish play. Habib became 'focused' on his goal tally, Jeyraj started to 'drift' from the centre back postiton to centre forward, and if not for Sriram's intelligent cover and important tackles, it would have been a very different story. The second half curse finally came true when the complacency set in, and Getz powered in a goal to break the advantage to half. (2-1 Getz*60th minute) KKZ suddenly started to become vulnerable, and further shuffles were made. A quite 'absent' Nayee moved into the right back position, the over-worked Sriram was put to the left midfield, with Mohawk pushed up to partner Habib. Vinnie covered his position by moving forward to the right flanks. It became a more even game after that and KKZ slowly started to find their rhythm.

10 minutes left and Barathi, latched onto a beautiful pass and struck a well placed shot but the keepr parried away. Bala was the first to react to nod in KKZ's third and his 3rd in 3 years (Remember Bala only scores 1 goal per year). KKZ went jubilant in their celebrations, but the drama was far from over. (3-1 Bala *80th minute)

On this day, Getz UTD had a friend in KKZ called Mr. Complacency. Mr. Complacency worked hand in hand with Getz to hand them a vital 2nd goal 5 minutes from time.
(3-2 Getz *85th minutes)

After the referee signalled for the last 3 minutes, Getz infamously pushed for their "LAST BURST" after their No.11, toffee Marouane FOULaini remained on the pitch after 2 yellow cards, screamed Getz into their push for their equalizer. It certainly had an effect when 2 minutes from time, 3 KKZ defenders botched their clearances and their forward blasted in from close range after Nayee, the 4th Kamikaze defender went AWOL. Getz were ecstatic at their dramatic equalizer and KKZ were in shambles. (3-3 Getz *88th min)At the restart, heated arguments were still going on in the KKZ box, and the last minute of play was started. Barathi realizing that time was not on his side, went on a mazy run. Desperate for the draw, once again, FOULaini hacked down leaving a very disgusted Barathi. The resulting freekick was crucial and Bala insisted on taking the free-kick even after mis-cuing his previous 3 freekicks. KKZ kept their faith in him, and he didn't dissapoint. Bala crashed his free-kick against the post , and who else but Nayee picked up the pieces to tap in the winning goal in the final seconds as Kamikaze recorded an official victory in their first game of the season. (4-3 Nayee*90+1 minute)Drama at the Canberra. The final whistle followed and Nayee was still celebrating and the other victorious 10 joined him after the valiant 11 had battled to a victory.
KAMIKAZE!!

Players: Vijay,Jeyraj,Prem,Nayee, Vinnie, Achu, Barathi,Bala,Sriram,Mohawk,Habib

Goals: Habib, Vinnie, Bala, Nayee

M.O.M: Barathi
Credit must be given when it is due. 2009 finally saw Barathi take the first step to his stake to the No.7 jersey as he fitted and excelled in the role of a playmaker for Kamikaze. His Runs, passes, spirit and energy in the game was detrimental to the 3 points. His contributions earmarked him earning the special free role which KKZ do not normally hand out to a player. Unlucky not to get a goal. Nevertheless, excellent display. More to come, Barathi?