"It could have been 12 to nil...", watched by the Saturn fans, and the bookie seemed to offer bets that Saturn would be hit by double digits before the game began.
Saturn took on the famous Penang Wanderers in an attempt to play football but was humbled and hit by 9 goals without a reply. The courage must be applauded and the result justified and the Wanderers just took the opportunity to give Saturn a coaching lesson that Saturns will never forget the night.
The night game started with Wanderers pressing from the beginning and showed elegant english long balls and cutting from inside by the wingers. Saturns were overwhelmed from the very first second till the end. TK of Saturn threw himself into hard tackle which appeared to be clean and perfectly timed and brought down the No11 left wing of the Wanderers just outside the box. No11 hurt his shoulder in the process and was subbed just 5 minutes on the field.
Wanderers opened the scoring via a flick from a corner kick and Saturn could not deal with it. 1-0 down in quick fashion. Wanderers scored a simple tap-in after an inviting cross from the right. Saturn was pressured and could not coup with the physical presence of Wanderers, loosing possessions and succumbed to the 3rd goal just the first 15 minutes.
Another teasing cross from right to meet yet another simple tap-in and the Wanderers scored their 4th goal. The 5th came in a more conventional positioning. GK Zhui was busy saving Saturn and was force to deal with several powerful shots. Zhui read the game well and managed to block a few attacking advancement of the Wanderers. Wanderers' midfielder scored a screamer outside the box and Saturn's keeper could not save the 5th goal.
Wanderers GK was barely troubled in the first half and was caught yawning.
By the second half, some fans begin to whisper whether the Saturn headcoach would do a Mourinho in parking the bus. The headcoach Mr X rang the bell of changes and made a few tactical changes. Several new guest players brought in to inject energy and techniques into the attacking flair of the play and it worked for Saturn. The Wanderers made several changes as well that appeared to have been weakened and Saturns took advantage of it. It was proven working and the Saturn's left winger combined very well with the left wingback, causing all sort of noises to Wanderers' defenders. The midfield kingpin of Saturns SB was absent and his replacement, another guest player Zhe managed to deputised the midfield engine room. Saturns created few changes including dangerous crosses but could not finish with some goals.
Wanderers had brought down Saturns player in one occasion to break the play. A freekick was awarded and Saturn nearly scored, but it was Wanderers GK's big hand to thank. the Wanderers scored their 6th goal via an advancing forward and a lucky shot that appeared to be heading out, looped into the top corner of Saturns' goal post. GK Zhui can only looked in amazed.
Wanderers re-grouped and threw in their star players, re-organised defense and restart the 3rd session.
Saturns' TK opened the account of the new season, but in the wrong side of the net. It was an own goal by TK when attempted to clear the danger and he put the ball into his own net. The 7th goal of Wanderers was scored by one Saturn player.
Zhui was busy guarding the post and was credited to have save Saturn from further blunder.
The Peter Crouch-alike Wanderer body-checked Saturn's midfield and sending a beautiful loop thru keeper Zhui. 8th goal was scored in a beauty and the Wanderer was jumping with joy while saturns looked groom.
Saturns' TK lost the calm in an failed tackle and allowed a Wanderer winger to get passed and tried inside the D. This event has generated large amount of pressures to Saturn's defense system. Zhui managed to parry away the shot, but it felt to Wanderer's advancing attacker. The Wanderer dribbled passed Andrew and KC of Saturns and powered a shot to the bottom corner and Zhui can only watch but could not save. The 9th goal of Wanderer, and also a hatrick by the Wanderer.
"We tried to play football but it was obvious that the gaps was too big. Penang Wanderers played like Stoke City of EPL, and Saturn was Sungai Ara team of Penang. They passed very well, very English, very physical and we could not coup and did not expect such pressure. The first half (we) was overwhelm totally.", said Mr X.
"The second half was much of our play, our real play. We have some beautify passes and we injected some fresh legs that tried to test out Wanderers. We nearly scored but it's ok we only lost 1 goal in the second half." Saturn's observing fans Mr Ham gave his point of view.
kapsiao.com published Saturn's legend HWChan's comment on the game, "I noticed pg wanderers capable of shoot very powerful outside penalty area & often shoot too. Our guys seldom shoot so powerful outside penalty area. Those who didnt join Fri nite's match....pls dont misunderstood Pg Wanderers is so much better team than us ya.
We may lost big in 1st half (0-5) & 3rd half (0-3) due to mostly lost focus & individual mistakes.
But 2nd half (0-1) shows we matched them in a balanced match....where we defended solidly & many times able to attack them. The only goal is fr their long-range lob over our out-of-position goalie...where ball landed before our goal-line & bounced up into d net's roof."
