Returning to the site where we lost 6-0 previously, fefore the match, MiB had potentially 17 players. Bert and Puvan pulled out leaving 15. PP and Kevin then pulled out leaving 13. And just before kick off, Shyam, Farhan and Kumaran had work commitments and could not come. So MiB started the match with 10 players, with Rooban giving motivation and instructions on the side: Harvey in goal, Riz (with flu) and Prak in front of him, SK and Harish (with flu) down the flanks, Vana, Maran, Zal and Sat in midfield, and Chan running his ass off alone upfront. The opponents had about 19 players.
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There's no point going into the details of the match because as you imagined, it was defence versus attack. MiB held on firmly as the opponents tried their best to break us down. Last minute tackles, running when our legs had no more feeling and chasing lost causes was the order of the day. But MiB stood up to be counted on a day where a double digit defeat might have been accepted before the game.
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We survived our fair share of escapes and to everybody's amazement almost scored when Vana broke through on goal but lifted his shot just a little too high. The opponents were getting frustrated. Just as we thought we could see it through to half time, Sat pulled up with a thigh injury, leaving us with 9 men. The opponents capitalized and a ball in from the right was clinically finished by their striker. 0-1.
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At half time, MiB tried to rally ourselves and came out with 9+1 (Sat limping). But MiB showed character and spirit and should have been level. SK was at his best down the left and sent in a brilliant cross just over Maran's head. Maran retrieved the ball and fed Chan, whose shot was spilled by the keeper. The ball fell to SK in the box, he rounded the keeper but was denied by a goal-line save! Heartbreaking! To see all this happening when MiB did not even have 11 players, just try to imagine the situation.
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The opponents then rained shots at the MiB goal but Harvey and the defence dealt comfortably, with a couple of minor scares. By this point, Sat had walked off the field, leaving us with 9. Rooban, who is recovering from a cyst wound near his spine, then put on Sat's kit and went to play striker. Ever seen a war movie where you know the good guy is gonna die despite being valiant? You get the picture.
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But again, despite the odds being stacked higher and higher, MiB were brilliant and made the opponents look silly. We kept possession well, looked dangerous in the attack, and broke up whatever bits of attacking threat they had. Makes you wonder if we could play so well with 9, why can't we do this when we have 11. Hmmm..
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Chan and Rooban had a couple of long range efforts and then MiB had an indirect free kick in the box! Chance for the equalizer! But Zal's shot just scraped the bar and it was one of those days. In stoppage time MiB got a corner! It was floated in and Rooban of all people connected sweetly with a mid air scissors kick! But the defender got in the way and the opponents survived. Off the resultant corner, Maran's kick was easily cleared and the opponents charged forward. MiB did not deal with the threat and a shot from the edge of the box eluded Harvey and it was 2-0.
With that the game came to an end.
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I don't think many of us remember the last time we played 90 minutes or ran so hard. Maran and Vana were down with stitched and I am sure all of us slept like babies when we got home. A big credit to the boys who turned up and played, this kind of performance might not have been possible all those years ago. But thinking about the game, if this team could add the likes of KK, PP, Bert, Dinesh, Shyam, Farhan and Kevin, all who are fit and can play, plus Anan who can transport players to the pitch, it really makes you wonder how good we really can be.
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Sigh, things to think about on a lazy Saturday afternoon..
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