National A Div Football: Three goals in 12 minutes help NYJC beat SAJC to qualify for historic first final

Story by Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports. Photos by Clara Yuan and Lee Jian Wei/Red Sports

Millennia Institute, Wednesday, May 20, 2015 — A well-balanced Nanyang Junior College (NYJC) team outplayed St. Andrew’s Junior College (SAJC) in the second half for a 3–0 semi-final victory to qualify for their first ever final in the National A Division Football Championship.

Both teams had met in the preliminary round, where NYJC emerged 2–0 victors. 

“We really wanted the win badly in the second half and we were very determined after the half-time whistle,” said Hakim Idris (#11).

“The boys were not playing for themselves, but for each other and the team. I’m very proud of them all and it’s an indescribable feeling.”

The NYJC captain added, “We are all friends on and off the pitch and the boys have made it easy for me to lead them. It has been a truly enjoyable journey with them, no matter the outcome of the final game.”

Ferdinand Lim (#2), Jonathan Lim (#10) and Chiang Ken Ji (#17) each contributed a goal. All three goals came in a 12-minute spell in the second half.

NYJC custodian Ilyasa Ismail’s (#13) sterling game also helped him to a clean sheet, as he saved all of SAJC’s attempts.

NYJC went on the offensive right from kick-off, keeping SAJC on the defensive in the opening minutes.

After NYJC’s Darryl Ong (#3) was given a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Leonard Tay (#9), SAJC took advantage and picked up the slack through Damian Ong (#10).

Both teams went back-and-forth in the half, but NYJC had the upper hand with their offensive plays, getting the ball into SAJC’s penalty box nine times. Conversely, SAJC only managed to do so in six attempts.

In the second half, NYJC did not back down and kept up their attack, denying the Saints any chance to recover on offence.

Just five minutes after the break, Ferdinand Lim (#2) broke the deadlock and scored the opener off a direct free kick to give NYJC a much needed boost.

Seven minutes later, Jonathan Lim (#10) scored the second goal off a grounder from a near-impossible angle from the left corner.

Riding on their momentum, after a brilliant set-up by Hakim Idris (#11), Chiang Ken Ji kicked home the final goal of the game in the 57th minute to seal NYJC’s victory.

“It has been a fantastic season for the boys this year and they have been very consistent, which is the formula for making it to the final,” said NYJC teacher-in-charge Geoffrey Swee.

“During the break, the boys were a little frustrated and I told the them to believe in themselves, and give their best for the remaining half. The first goal opened the floodgates for us, and we managed to hit them (SAJC) back on the counter.”

He added, “These boys have grown to become men and they played a very good game today. That just goes to show the belief they have in themselves and I’m very very proud of them.”

The other semi-final had a similar outcome, where defending champions Meridian Junior College (MJC) defeated Victoria Junior College 3–0.

NYJC’s victory sets up a rematch against MJC in the final, which will be held next Tuesday, May 26, 3.00 p.m. at Singapore University of Technology and Design. Both teams had previously met in the second round, where MJC emerged 1–0 victors.

Score by Half
NYJC vs SAJC
1st half: 0–0
2nd half: 0–3 (0–3)

Scorers
NYJC
Ferdinand Lim Jun Long (#2) – 1 goal (45th min)
Lim Ngee Liang Jonathan (#10) – 1 goal (52nd min)
Chiang Ken Ji (#17) – 1 goal (57th min)

NYJC Roster
Gareth Keigan Lee Zong De (#1), Ferdinand Lim Jun Long (#2), Darryl Ong Wei Xiang (#3), Tang Guan Yuan (#4), Muhammad Danish B Sallehuddin (#5), Christian Hugh Rodrigues (#6), Nguyen Hoang Dong (#7), Kiefer Tay Si Yi (#8), Thong Giggs (#9), Lim Ngee Liang Jonathan (#10), Muhammad Hakim Bin Idris (#11), Loh Wei Zhi (#12), Mohammad Ilyasa Bin Ismail (#13), Aavan Lee Kuan Ing (#14), Muhammad Danish B Arifin (#15), Lee Jun Jie (#16), Chiang Ken Ji (#17), Raime Khuzamie Bin Ibrahim (#18), Jalvin Nai Guang Jun (#19), Larry Lee Ken Ann (#20)

SAJC Roster
Liu Chaoxian (#1), Nicholas Tan Chee Yee (#2), Ang Siew Wei, Gerald (#3), Ng Wei En (#4), Chia Kai Jie, Benjamin (#5), Dylan See Keane Loong (#6), Kevin Peh Qiheng (#7), Richard Kua Yao Cong (#8), Leonard Tay Jia Wen (#9), Damian Ong Zhi Sheng (#10), Tan Jun Ze, Jon (#11), Bryan Jude Chan Chun Kit (#12), Troy Lam Gang Quan (#13), Lee Lin Jun, Jonathan (#14), Sean Lee Wei Jie (#15), Chua Chen Keat (#18), Thong Jie Yang (#19), Lim Wei Jie (#20), Tan Wen Hao, Joshua (#22), Sansar Budha (#23)

National A Division Boys Football Championship – fixtures and results

More photos next page