CFL 2 - Round 2

27 Dec 2009 @ Meridian Junior College~ 1pm

After missing the previous two weeks of league action, Kamikaze returned to the CFL to face friendly foes, Kawabanga who had gotten two respectable draws against Galaticos and Saekaa FC. So there was a sense of nervousness and apprehension in the KKZ camp before the match about the prowess of the famed Kawabanga midfield.

All such apprehension were over, however, by the time the first whistle was blown. KKZ got a flying start when Lavanesh capitalised from some bad positioning by the Kawabanga keeper and stroked the ball into the net to give KKZ an early lead. While KKZ dominated the rest of the first half, they couldn't add on to the lead, and went into halftime at the score reading 1-0.

Failure to convert their chances in the first half, came to bite back at KKZ when a harmless cross by the Kawabanga right winger was turned into the net by Jayraj who was trying to defend. That sapped the morale out of the Kamikazians and errors were made all over the pitch. Save for the good work by the defenders, KKZ could have conceded a lethal second.

But they didn't and they managed to throw all they had at Kawabanga in the last 10 minutes, playing a gungho 4-2-4 formation. It paid dividends as mesmerising winger Barathi, who is slowly rediscovering the form that earned him the number 7 jersey, tormented the Kawabanga defence and earned a penalty after a challenge by the Kawabanga defender. Up stepped, designated spot-kick taker Victor who made no mistake in giving KKZ the lead. And that was how the match ended.

In many respects, the second half performance was deemed unacceptable. At the end of the match, the players were given a roasting by the team management, in the hope that they will reflect on their performance, take the criticism in good nature and buck up for the next tough assignment against league leaders and defending champions Galaticos. It is enough to say, that in the CFL, Galaticos are the only team that Team Kamikaze has not been able to beat yet.

In a match where all of the defenders could have taken plaudits for man of the match, Achu was selected for his calm and composed defending. The reinstated Captain of Kamikaze is playing like a fearless lion and is rediscovering the top form that made him into one of the most dependable defenders in Kamikaze history.

As a parting word, Champions don't always win playing well. But even when they don't play well, the mark of a Champion team is to instill fear in your opponents. The defending Champions instill that kinda fear in their opponents. Have you the KAMIKAZIANS got what it takes to instill that kinda fear??

KAMIKAZE!!!

Squad: Ganesh Vivace, Anand Achu, Jraj Carragher, Thina Da Silva, Navin Da Silva, Anand Spaceship, Hariboy, Yasin Scholes, El Fazail, Lavanesh Valencia, Diego Haresh, Seelan Kong, Cristiano Barathi, Dinzo Fletcher, Mohawk Vicky, Victor King

Final score: Kawabanga 1 - Kamikaze FC 2
Goals: Lavanesh Valencia, Victor King
MOM: Anand Achu