Thursday, February 7, 2008
I woke up today, quite dreading the day. Another holiday wasted at home was what i initially thought when i woke up. I craved some soccer action. And after going to religious class in the afternoon, i wanted to get back home and stone at home, for the possibilities of a match suddenly springing up was pretty slim. Labels: Nonsense
BUT, fortunately for me, Mustakim, my sister's friend who consults me whenever there is a match, told me that there was a match later in the evening. Man was i ecstatic. I couldn't wait for the match. All i wanted to do from the afternoon till 5 was too jump about and pretend playing soccer while imagining what extraodinary things i was going to do while playing. And when playing, the extraodinary things always do not happen.
When the time finally came, i quickly changed into my school jersey, for it was the only dri-fit shirt i have, and after performing my prayers, rushed of to meet up with Mus. After meeting up with others and after another bought his lunch, we headed to the field where we the match is being held. We started with 5-aside matches. I had to admit that i was not performing up to my standard while playing the 5-aside. I lost possesion too easily and caused unneccessary trouble to the defence.
But during the second 5-aside match, i played an attacking role. To be honest, i was not comfortable in that position. I was not one who is reliable enough to get some goals for i prefer seeing myself as one who create chances or as someone who denies opposition chances, rather than converting chances. But after linking up plays that could have resulted in goals, i just could not apply the final touch or giving it to someone who could finish the chances. The field was unfamiliar and bumpy but i managed to get a hang of the field.
After two 5-aside matches, we proceeded to an 11-aside match. We just had enough players to go on with the match. I was allocated in the left-back position, where i had experience playing in. But after 5 minutes, I asked for Mus, who was currently playing as a centre-back position, to switch. I felt that i had not enough space to play on the flank. When i was at the last man position, I felt more at ease and started to play better than during the 5-asides. The striker was taller than me(like all other players my age or older are) and pulled my shirt a couple of times when challenging for the ball. He even smacked my face once causing my specs to fall off. It was all part and parcel of the game of soccer. I managed to hold him off a few of times though.
A couple of times, skirmishes happened on the field. One incident was that our midfielder accidentally kicked the opponent between the legs and the opposition started to shout vulgarities. Luckily our midfielder kept a cool head and ignored him even when he started to get rough. The ref broke up play and told the furious opposition player to get out of the field. The other happened when our big striker barged into their left-back. It was purely accidental. But their left-back shoved our striker, who then retaliated. The ref broke them up hurriedly. I do wonder now and then why some people make such a big fuss over something that happens in every soccer match. Soccer is a physical sport and aggression is needed. If you're not aggressive enough, you will be a target for opposition. Our opposition today played rough today, but was not overall happy when we played aggressively too.
Soccer is a sport to be enjoyed, it does not need all those meaningless scuffles in the pitch. It will only make the game less entertaining to watch. This what i had experienced today and hope more will come my way.
Thanks to all the blogs i referred to (countless) for html code help :) (esp. cyn' and sixseven)
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