1991 AISS Inter-Class Football Tournament Flashback - 4K vs 4I

July, 1991 Flashback: On this month 20 years ago, the crucial next stage of the AISS inter-class football round robin matches began. 4K was drawn into the same group as 4I and the tournament hot favourite 4A. The winner of the group would advance to the football final in August. We were scheduled to play 4I first and they had an SBC TV actor playing for them.

After the victory over 4H, it had once again created football buzz in our class. There were discussion about the upcoming football games & who would play. I've been promoting to our captain Ghazali about the specky boy nicknamed "Si Pang" (Square) who seated in front of me in the class whom I think probably packed the most powerful shot in our class. Very good for clearing ball as a defender. However, Ghazali feedback there were limited places in the team and I think (i might be wrong) there's an allocation of malay and chinese players in the team as to balance. So my recommendation of "Si Pang" to the football team did not work out but we became team-mates in the interclass badminton tournament, playing in the double.

Team captain Ghazali had asked me to play in defence in the upcoming games but I've informed him that the team did ok against 4H and I'm ok to be just backup and let the original team take to the field. Didn't expect to be much involved. The first game against 4I was scheduled at around 3pm but as the kickoff time approaches, there was still no sight of Mary Loh husband, who can play in defence or midfield. There's had been lots of attention & talk on the football games and added to the nervy win over 4H and the prospect of facing the tournament hot favourite 4A, I'm not sure if pressure is mounting for some of us. We had reminded him to turn up on that day but he never did. It had remain a mystery even till today on why Mary Loh husband did not turn up on that particular day. So I became a last minute back-up and would start in central defence against 4I. I can't remember who's my partner for that game, maybe Imran or maybe Eddy.

For the game against 4I, their notable players are two track & field athletes chinese players. One of them actually acted in the TV drama as a Japanese solider and he's football fanatic as well. He's dressed up like a professional footballer with boots and shin pads. During those days, many of us don't wear these gears & I can't remember if I played with double coin shoes or boots for the game. The other track & field athlete in the 4I team was a fellow nicknamed Bullet who is primarily a basketball player and x-country runner.

So the 4I game kickoff and in goal for 4K is once again Khaire. Our first choice goalie Ghazali wanted to play striker for this game. My main focus was to mark out the SBC TV actor who's playing as forward. Remember sticking to him closely and he didn't have much impact on the game. 4K was dominating the game and scored early. Think Ghazali scored first and Yongquan then got his first ever goal in the inter-class tournament. There were few high balls pumped in from 4I but I cleared them all apart of one which created confusion between me and goalie Khaire but it was cleared to safety. The other high ball incident, I practically stood there like a beanpole and let the ball drop on my head to complete the clearance. It drew laughter from the younger sec school girls & I enjoyed that moment.

‎4K ran out clear 4-0 winners over 4I with Ghazali and Yongquan, each scoring two goals. But we're not celebrating as we focus on the most important game of that day, against the favourite 4A. We're the underdogs for that game. I'm getting nervous.