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Report and photos contributed by Farez Jinnah



For the last event of the Malaysia/Singapore Bench & Bar Games of 2011, all eyes were on the Men’s Premier Soccer match, when it became known that both contingents were tied at 6½ points apiece.

Both teams ended the first half scoreless despite their decent attempts.  The highlight of the first half were the hard tackling and bruising play exhibited by the Singaporean side, with two yellow cards to their credit.  While the Malaysians were no pushovers themselves, they were the picture of restraint.  Nevertheless, both teams had yet to find their legs.

Halftime saw the Malaysian team reorganising themselves and reassessing their tactics.  What followed in the second half were shorter and crisper passes, and three outrageous goals by the Malaysians: two from inspired teamwork and pacing, and the final goal was simply divine, an unexpected chip from the corner that blindsided everyone.  The Malaysians themselves were unsure and had to reconfirm it a couple of times, but there it was, their just deserts for playing hard and smart.  More importantly, they learnt to have fun and showed renewed confidence in their game.

Although the Singaporeans only managed to equalise the first goal by the Malaysians, they managed to threaten the Malaysian goalmouth a couple of times, but without success.

The Singapore team continued its hardnosed style of play during the second half, and were punished for it by the referee, whose decisions were constantly challenged by the players.  This did not deter the Singaporeans, and in an off-the-ball incident, the game turned explosive with an altercation that threatened to spill over to the substitute bench and the spectators.  Thankfully, the managers of the respective teams were able to calm the situation down.



Fortunately, the Malaysian team – now one player down as a result of the altercation – were able to hold their own for the dying minutes of the game, giving them and the entire Malaysian contingent a dominating win on Singapore soil. 

Syabas, Malaysia!

Not just there to play and cheer, a team of web reporters has provided regular updates on the Malaysia/Singapore Bench and Bar Games 2011.  For ease of reference, all reports bear the heading "B&B 42".