Chestercity started the game brightly with a win on their minds. City’s coach starts the team with 4-3-1-2 formation with again Izzat Hashim outstanding in the hole. It was effective as the previous game as City outplayed Sporting.
Both teams struggled to retain possession and with one stroke of luck on the 16th minute, Sporting pass the ball down the right flank, and with Syaikhan outpaced by Olympique’s winger, the latter has no option but to bring down the player. Referee has no option but to point to the penalty spot. Up step Olympique’s forward. Sending Safiuddin the wrong way but the penalty was well wide. The score still deadlocked.
23rd minute, Aizam found himself free on the left and shoots from distance but he shot was wide off the mark. On 33rd minute, Sporting scored. Zaini lost possession in the middle of the park, and with the goal in sight, the forward shoots a rather tame low shot which crept under the legs of Afizan and deceived the diving Safiuddin. 1-0 to Sporting. With that goal, City began pressing for goal. The 1-2 formation upfront seems to work as good piece of skill by Izzat, sends Aizam thru but with Sporting’s defenders blocking his path, aizam lays a cheeky backheel to Airul whose shot was deflected for a corner. 37th minute, again a good through pass from Aizam saw Airul free, outruns a defender, fakes and unleashed a shot which was well parried by Sporting’s goalie.
Airul was then fouled just near the touchline after he was deem pushed by Sporting’s left back. Sopian stands behind the freekick. He whips it in and out of nowhere, Airul loses his marker and heads home for City’s equalizer. 1-1. Halftime.
Second half, in the 57th minute, City wins a freekick right on the halfway line. Charlie whips it in and in flew into the net past the backpaddling goalkeeper but referee Salleh rules it out due to indirect freekick. The joy was shortlived. City puts the incident behind them and 3 minutes later, substitute and debutant Herman scores from close range from Charlie’s freekick. It seems that Charlie’s long range setpiece is causing Sporting’s defence problem. 2-1 to City. 5 minutes later, City have the chance to extend the lead only for Aizam’s header to go wide.
Then tragedy strikes City’s defence again. Referee awarded Sporting 2nd penalty of the match after Afizan was misjudge on impeding Sporting’s forward when he clearly got the ball. And with Safiuddin substituted, the task of stopping the penalty goes to 15 year old City keeper, Eizzul. Sporting forward makes no mistake on side footing the penalty. Game on 2-2. With 3 minutes left, City again failed to clear their lines from a corner and that proves costly as Sporting forward bags his hattrick and put Sporting ahead. Irfan then comes on for Justin to become City's youngest player in history at 13 years of age.
Injury time, freekick for City. Izzat Hashim leaves it for Airul and with 1 goal already to his name, Airul sends a dipping 20 yards freekick only the bar preventing him from adding to his tally. Final score 3-2 to Sporting.
City’s coach commented, “ The guys are outstanding today especially with the likes of Charlie, Airul, Aizam and the ever flourished Izzat Hashim. Its good to see debutant Herman get his first goal for the club and I’m really looking for them to perform like this every single match. Xavier and Jelson have improved since the last game. The players know what they are made of and we will be looking to the challenge. Overall performance its 9/10. The loss will encourage the guys to be more mature and more determined in the next match.
