Haig Rd - A youthful-looking Myjia side equalised twice on Saturday to force a 2-2 draw with Veeco United before the game was abandoned.
The match watched by a record low crowd of 2 Myjia fans was marred by events late in the game when the referee lost control of the game as the wild tackles came charging in. To be truthful, Veeco United were anything but dirty.
Veeco United, comprising mainly players from China, were on paper the favourites to win the match, what with the average height and build of the players way better than Myjia.
And so, Veeco duly obliged with good passing movement and pace throughout the opening half and hour as Myjia struggled to cope with the physique and pace of the opponents.
Following reliable reports that Veeco United had spied on Myjia players, it was not surprising to see striker Chia Junhao tightly marked.
Veeco United soon drew first blood just after the half hour mark. A through ball broke the Myjia defence, solidly marshalled by captain Vincent Low, allowed the pacy Chinese striker a one-on-one situation with Raymond. The shot was well parried by the Myjia keeper and the rebound fell to the other striker who made no mistake with his follow-up.
The goal was hotly contested by Myjia who argued that the second striker was in an offside position and video replays suggest that the Myjia players may have a point.
Seeing his defensive flanks struggling to cope with the Veeco wingers, Vincent Low made a tactical substitution replacing his son, Ebenzer Low with loanee Junhow and rightback Wilkin Tan was replaced by another loanee Kian An.
The two loanees stablised the defence and Myjia were eventually able to claw back into the game and mount its attack. One such attack resulted in a corner which was taken my midfielder Leong Wai Meng. Wai Meng's cross was floated into the near post, flicked by a towering jump from Sunny and in came Ronnie Low to launch a tricky first-time volley into the net between the defender and the diving keeper.
The goal was top drawer and showed the blossoming confidence of striker Ronnie Low. The goal was the lanky forward second goal in as many games since his nephew Ryan Low was drafted from the youth team into the senior team.
Veeco were visibly stunned by Myjia's comeback and possession were pretty even by the halftime whistle as both teams trooped in at one apiece.
Second half began in much the same manner as the first before a stunning piece of individual brilliance threatened to win the match for Veeco. Their veteran midfielder, Ji-Ge, won possession near the halfway line, took another touch before unleashing a rocket into the top corner for a contender for the goal of the season award.
Despite the goal, Myjia showed its mettle as they carried on their passing game and varied style of play. Wingers Jackson Seetoh and Delvin Ng were foraging into the opponents half but to no avail while Veeco were continously caught offside by the experience of Vincent Low.
The game looked to be heading for a 1-2 defeat for Myjia until Jackson looped a hopeful ball towards the Veeco penalty box. Junhao charged into the area leeched by the covering defender before he cleverly left the ball for an onrushing Wai Meng to burst into the penalty box.
Taking a first touch with his left foot, Wai Meng's second touch was to guide the ball past the rushing goalkeeper and into the net via the post for a dramatic Myjia equaliser! 2-2 and Myjia refused to be beaten!
Vincent Low began barking orders to play a more defensive game after the equaliser with 15 minutes left. The game though failed to finish with 10 minutes remaining as young import Delvin Ng, incensed by the relentless foul play and incompetent refereeing lashed out at a Veeco defender.
Mayhem threatened before both sides were pulled apart and ended the game best remembered for a brilliant display from Myjia against a tough opponent as well as Ronnie Low's goal which brought confidence to the Myjia team.
