Bendetto United 4-1 ESPZEN PRIMERO FC

Benedetto United went home with 6 points in 2 games as they overan their opponents with 4-1 being the final score with goals coming from Zhong Xiang (27) Wang Di (30) Bryan Chen (43) and Liam Wei Jun (67).
Benedetto United went into this game high on confidence despite Chua Wei Jie (DC) serving a 1 match ban after being sent off absurdly in Benedetto's first game of the season against Killer Whales FC. Png Yue Kai (DMC) was therefore slotted into the backline alongside Benedetto's Captain Jaemes Wong (DC).
The first half was a rather cagey affair as both teams struggled to hold on the ball. Perhaps Benedetto were a tad complacent, still savouring the 6-0 win over the Killer Whales, while ESPZEN PRIMERO on the other hand, were on the recieveing end as Team Prodigy hit them for 7 without reply. The PRIMERO players tried a few early long shots but none were on target.
The first sign of danger came when James Khoo (DL) uncharacteristically pushed the ball too far and slid in late on the oncoming winger. He was lucky to escape with just a verbal warning.
ESPZEN PRIMERO'S gameplay was rather predictable, sending diagonal balls to the wingers to chase. Other than the initial mistake, James and Chua Wei Liang (DR) did well to deny any crosses into the Benedetto penalty box.
PRIMERO'S gameplan for defensive freekicks were simple. They pushed all their men up to try to catch the strikers offside. But what they did not expect was smart thinking by Wei Liang to run from deep just as Jaemes sent in the free kick from the left. Unfortunately he was just fractionally offside. However it was encouraging as it showed the quick thinking that Wei Liang possessed to try and counter PRIMERO'S defensive plan. He was just an example of how much Benedetto United has grown, mentally and also skill wise.
Then on 27 minutes the inevitable happened. Wei Liang put Wang Di (ST) through with a delicately chipped through pass, who in turn twisted and turned his way into the penalty box on the right and tried a shot which the keeper parried away. He was unlucky it fell to the feet of the onrushing Zhong Xiang (ST). He tapped it into an open net and the rest they say was history. 1-0 to Benedetto.
Indeed, Benedetto thrived on confidence. This was proven once again as Wang Di had a one on one opportunity with the goalkeeper on the 30th minute. He was as cool as ice as he pushed it away from the on-rushing keeper before tapping it into an open net to make it 2 in 3 minutes. ESPZEN PRIMERO seemed to lose the plot for a minute as Clement (AMLR) and Zhihan (GK) suffer nasty tackles.
Benedetto went into the half time lead with a comfortable 2-0 cushion. On came Bryan (MC) the midfield maestro. In football there is a commonly held belief that all creativity begins in the midfield. And by bringing in Bryan (DMC), Benedetto's Xabi Alonso, (some say Andrea Pirlo minus the hair). Team Manager Josiah was trying to use his creativity and laser guided through passes to kill the game early in the 2nd half. However what he did not expect was Bryan to get himself on the scoresheet just 3 minutes into the 2nd half. He was put through down the right flank and he fluffed his kick but the ball still crept into the bottom right hand corner. He was almost embarrassed to celebrate as he gave a nonchalent face, as if he did not care, the one where we were accustomed to seeing on Cantona's face. But no, i repeat that he did not plant his boots in any of the fans' face.
On 61 minutes, Able(DR) came in for James who had got himself booked for deliberately standing in front of a PRIMERO attacking free kick. Wei Liang shifted to DL to accomodate Able's substitution in. Able is another great addition to Benedetto. His sheer athleticity and marauding runs down the right adds another dimension to Benedetto's game.
By now, it was already Benedetto's game to lose. On 67 minutes, Liam Wei Jun (ST) sealed the win. He miscontrolled the ball in the box but got a second bite of the cherry and calmly slotted in to the bottom left hand corner of the goal. 4-0
Josiah decided to bring on Yeo Kah Yeu for Jeremy and Goh Jun Jie for Wei Jun. They were long serving Benedetto servants and finally made their debuts in ESPZEN after a long time away from the footballing scene.
A well taken goal from outside the box by PRIMERO'S Zihan Tahir on the 70th minute gave them a consolation.That was the only thing PRIMERO had to cheer about as Benedetto held on to the 4-1 lead until the final whistle.
It was another good day for Benedetto. Few would have expected Benedetto to challenge for honours this season. After all, this is their first season in ESPZEN. However, the shrewed signing of Zhong Xiang by the Manager has been greeted with warm reception and adulation from both fans and players alike. A true gem in the making, he has almost scored in every game he has featured for Benedetto. A few more performances of that calibre and maybe, just maybe, who knows, Manchester United might just come knocking on the doors when the transfer window opens at the end of the ESPZEN season...Whatever the case, Benedetto's young squad are definitely doing well in their debut season and going against all odds to prove the critics wrong. Whoever said that you can't win anything with kids?