ASEAN Games Australia 2014: Pretty boys make short work of Tuah in futsal
SPECTATORS were treated to an adrenaline-charged futsal match as Vermont Pretty Boys and Tuah FC (A) faced off at this year’s ASEAN Games. Kai Yi Wong reports.
Photo: Kai Yi Wong
It was yet another highly-charged futsal match at the ASEAN Games as quirkily-named Vermont Pretty Boys (VPB) faced off against the aggressive Tuah FC (A).
The dynamic atmosphere remained from the earlier third and fourth place play-offs held right in the same court, and spectators were all but ready for the finals.
Both teams, representing Malaysia, looked to be evenly matched, with strong players on either side battling for possession.
Vermont’s team captain Kim cautioned against overconfidence, saying the opposing team was strong.
“The team that we’re playing in the finals, they won the semi-finals so they’re pretty strong. We don’t know a lot about them, but hopefully we can have a crack and defend our title from last year,” he said.
“We’ve been playing pretty well, haven’t lost so far, so hopefully we can get on this and win the title.”
Photo: Kai Yi Wong
Three minutes into the game came the first scare, with a powerful blast from VPB arching high over the net, going wide and barely troubling Tuah’s keeper.
Aggressive play and strategic defending by VPB kept the ball out of their net, and they maintained the upper hand in possession.
With two minutes on the clock, VPB’s winger broke away with a classic play up the left wing, a cross to the centre and a quick tap in from centre which sealed the first goal of the game, leaving their supporters cheering wildly.
Tuah wasted no time in counter-attacking after the goal, but almost immediately their rampaging push was intercepted by VPB’s extremely capable defence.
Stealing the ball with a sure-footed tackle, VPB’s forward hit the ball straight back from where it came from and straight into the back of the net for a 2-0 scoreline at half time.
Due to a venue issue (the courts the finals were played on had been booked by another group), little time was wasted in starting the second half.
Tuah played quickly and aggressively, while VPB employed a strategic play and carefully countered any push Tuah made.
It was VPB who made the scoreline 3-0 with 13 minutes of the second half remaining with an arching shot that tipped into the net.
At nine minutes from time Tuah tried to claw one back, but it was a wasted shot with the ball blasting clean over the crossbar, barely troubling VPB’s keeper.
Eight mins from time and it almost seemed as though the tables were turning, with a shot from Tuah rocketing into the top right corner of the net, prompting groans from VPB supporters and a massive cheer from the long-starved TFC fans who had waited long enough for this moment to come, making it 3-1.
However, Vermont would not stop scoring and four minutes later did just that, with a shot from an impossibly acute angle across the goal mouth drawing the crowd into a level of raucousness reserved only for celebrities and people who’ve just swum the length of the Atlantic Ocean.
Counterattacking, VPB was greeted with an open goal and it was all but over for TFC who were treated to the dismal sight of another ball cannoning into the net by none other than VPB captain Kim, making it 5-1.
TFC could have seen a five-goal difference in the final two minutes courtesy of Kim, but their keeper tipped it clean over the crossbar.
Missed the games? Check out our photo highlights from the futsal and netball matches in the album below: