Team Engineering shows synergy does pay off in football

Sharizan Ibrahim grabbed a brace at the final of the 2019 UTM staff games (USG) football tournament as Team Engineering F.C. ended Registrar Office F.C nine years winning streak and emerged as the champion for 2019 USG football tournament. On a rainy 20 October 2019, Team Engineering F.C. and UTM Registrar office battled with one another for the king of all gold medals in USG 2019. The final match of USG football tournament was held at the main UTM football pitch where the game kicked-off at approximately 5.30 p.m. UTM Registrar office as always was the hot favorite to win the tournament – yet again especially knowing the fact that the Team Engineering F.C. will be playing without one of their key players Dr. Wan Yusryzal Wan Ibrahim who had to attend a student program so far away from UTM. Many believed that without their playmaker, Team Engineering F.C. will somewhat be crippled by it and will not stand a chance against the mighty Registrar office F.C. On the contrary, players and the manager of Team Engineering F.C. thought otherwise. They believed that the odds were more or less even. This is because Registrar office F.C. will also be missing some of their key players due to injuries and other unavoidable circumstances. To them (Team Engineering F.C), it was now or never! So the plot thickens. Team Engineering F.C. began to plan their strategy a couple of days before the final match and set to win the tournament.

Team Engineering started the game with one strategy in mind – counter attacking game! There was no way for Team Engineering F.C. to win the final through the midfield line without Dr. Wan Yusryzal. So – right from the very beginning of the match, the battle in the midfield was already won by the Registrar Office F.C. In the first few minutes of the match, the game was dominated by Registrar office F.C., their midfield line passed the ball all over the pitch to find their way around Team Engineering F.C. defensive line led by Dr. Mohd Fadli Rahmat, Muhammad Firdaus Mohammad Hussin, Muhammad Zaim Hashim, and Muhammad Nur Syarifuddin A. Wahid. However, it was Team Engineering F.C. who drew the first blood. Pressing brilliance of Dr. Mohd Fairus Mohd Yusoff and Dr. Mohd Johari Kamaruddin managed to steal the ball from Registrar office F.C. midfielders and released it to Sharizan Ibrahim (Team Engineering F.C attacking midfield player). Sharizan spotted Jemahari Hamjah (Team Engineering F.C. striker) in the open between the Registrar office F.C. defensive line and sent a brilliant through ball between the defenders. Jemahari Hamjah did not waste the opportunity and scored the first goal from a close range after finding the Registrar office F.C. goal keeper was a bit out of position. Shocked after conceding the first goal, Registrar office F.C. restarted the game with a mission to find an equalizer before things get worse. Surprisingly, few minutes after conceding the first goal, Registrar office F.C. midfielders made another costly mistake. This time; their passing play was intercepted by Sharizan Ibrahim who was sneaking behind the Registrar office F.C. midfield line. In the speed of lightning, Sharizan exchanged passes with Jemahari to run deep into the Registrar office F.C. territory. The second goal was indeed a brilliant finish by Sharizan Ibrahim where a slight of a glance was all he needed before chipping the ball over the defense and the goal keeper who happened to be a little bit off the goal line – yet again! It took everyone by surprise and Sharizan ran across the pitch to celebrate his first and second goals for the team in joy.

Second goal from Team Engineering F.C. seemed to awaken a sleeping giant. Registrar office F.C. became aggressive and started to bombard Team Engineering F.C. penalty area with series of long passes and crosses from the midfield line and the flankers. Team Engineering F.C. flankers Zafril Suffian and Dr Muhd Nazrul Hisham Zainal Alam came to help their defense line but they were helpless against the brutal long passes and deep crosses tactics. Registrar office F.C. strategy paid off and they successfully reduced the goal deficit after their forward player headed one into the net from a close range. The first half ended with Registrar office F.C. trailing Team Engineering F.C. 1-2. In the beginning of the second half, the rain was pouring heavily. The weather somewhat did not shake the confidence of Team Engineering F.C. players. In fact, they believed heavy rain was in their favor as it prevented Registrar office F.C. players from executing their famous passing play. Not too long into the second half, Team Engineering F.C. players – as they were defending deep – they successfully made a crucial tackle to intercept a dangerous through pass from the Registrar office F.C midfield players. Team Engineering F.C. right flank, Dr. Muhd Nazrul Hisham Zainal Alam collected the ball and played a one-two pass with Jemahari Hamzah. Jemahari Hamzah then managed to turn and send the ball far down the corner flag of Registrar office F.C. area forcing Dr. Muhd Nazrul Hisham Zainal Alam to use every juice of energy left in his body to chase the ball and immediately crossed it to the penalty area of the opposition team. Registrar office F.C. centre defender made a terrible error where he miss-volleyed the cross and the ball magically bounced on the slippery pitch between the goalkeeper legs and fell right in front of Team Engineering F.C forward player Sharizan Ibrahim. Sharizan, who followed through his team mate run from the centre of the midfield area and all the way to the penalty box, was in awe. But, with his cool personality he easily tapped in the ball into the net and scored the third goal for Team Engineering F.C. (his second of the day) for a comfortable 3-1 lead. Deep into the second half, Team Engineering F.C. players started to lose their first team players due to injuries. Team Engineering F.C. brought in their substitutes Dr Mohd Asmadi Mohammed Yussuf, PM. Dr. Zainul Akmar Zakaria, Mohamad Khairul Abd Razak, Dr. Mohd Ridza Mohd Haniffah and Azizul Azhar Md Yusoff to replace the injured players. Towards the end of the game, Team Engineering F.C. changed their formation to 6-2-2 and defended their lead with everything they got to prevent Registrar F.C. from getting any goals or worse – canceling out their lead. Registrar office F.C. did manage to score another goal, reducing the score to 3-2 but Team Engineering F.C. goalkeeper, Muhamad Arep Mislet was at his best. Not only he coordinated his defensive line and the team defensive midfielders, he also made at least five crucial saves from both close range and long shots and made sure the score stayed 3-2 until the final whistle.

The sound of the final whistle drove Team Engineering F.C. players wild. They started to scream their heart out and ran into one another in joy celebrating their win. History was made indeed. Who would have thought a group of players from different background and departments managed to set aside their differences and work together to make their dream come true. Synergy – to them means only one thing – never walk alone and always, always stay united. If they can make it work in football – it also means synergy could work in everything else. So there you go, the rise of the titan. Against all the odds, Team Engineering F.C. overcame all the football powerhouses in UTM and emerged as the champion for USG 2019 football tournament. Surely, these players will be remembered as one of the legends. Surely. But for now, let them walk with their heads held high. Let them be the next talk of the town.

Reported by

Manager of Team Engineering F.C.