DPMM, the League Cup Champions

Congratulations for being the first foreign team in S.League history to win a piece of local silverware.

Going into the final without influential captain (Sallehuddin Damit) and two foreign signings (Ivan Jerkovic and Abdelhamid Berguiga), the Wasps were able to put on a spirited display and come away with a seemingly impossible victory over the three time league champion, incidentally their third win on the trot over the Asian Champions League participant and S.League most successful side.

Adding onto that achievement, they finished the competition with a 100% winning record and Jerkovic snagging the golden boot with four goals in four games.

Guess it’s high time people stop putting them down and honor them the respect they deserve.

Route to glory
Group Stage
1 – 0 Albirex Niigata (S)
Haji Subhi Abdilah 23′

3 – 0 SAFFC
Ivan Jerkovic 27′, Shahrazen Said (43′), Abdelhamid Berguiga 75′

Quarterfinal
5 – 3 Geylang
Abdelhamid Berguiga 35′, Rene Komar 37′, Ivan Jerkovic 58′, Ivan Jerkovic 66′ (P), Rosmin Kamis 90′ (P)

Semifinal
2 -1 Woodlands Wellington
Ivan Jerkovic 26′, Abdelhamid Berguiga 56′

Final
1 – 1 SAFFC (4 – 3 PK)
Rene Komar 10′

Onto greater heights, Flagbearer of S.League!

Congratulations to SAFFC for defeating Thai Premier League champions Provincial Electricity Authority Football Club and Indonesia Super League’s runners up PSMS Medan to claim a spot in the prestigious group stage of the AFC Champions League.

The build-up to the game has the entire local soccer fraternity harping on the 7-time S League champions whipping the runner-up of the Indonesian Super League for 2008 but etched at the 2nd bottom position after 17th round in this year’s competition.

After doing the hard part of conquering PEA at Bangkok last week in the 1st qualifying round, many expected the Warriors to steamroll the ailing Indon side into the group stage where they would face 3 huge East Asian clubs in Kashima Antlers (JAP), Samsung Suwon Bluewings (KOR) and Shanghai Shenhua (CHN).

The match was nearly jeopardized by a thunderstorm shrouding the east side of the island which subsided at around 7-ish.
There was still drizzle when the game began… which will not affect the synthetic turf of Jalan Besar which many thought would be too hard for the Indonesians.
That and the lack of natural fitness should be SAF’s upper hand as well as the caliber of the playing staff.
There was no surprise with the selection of the 1st eleven but in the first half you can see the side putting up a rather defensive stance while the forwards didn’t really stretch the PSMS’ 5-men defense despite SAF bearing the lion’s share of the possession.

However a goal was imminent and veteran midfield general Thersak Chaiman duly delivered with his 3rd in the competition (after his brace against PEA last week) to bring the lead into half time.
Sadly the Warriors couldn’t build on it as too many of the team like John Wilkinson, Hafiz Osman and even substitute Mustaquim Manzur had a rather lackluster evening.
With one swift counter attack led by skipper Elie Aiboy from a failed corner attempt from SAF, Mario Costa was left unmarked and got the equalizer, much to the joy to that few Medan fans in stealth mode in the stands.

Richard Bok’s lads grind hard but to no avail for the winner with the Indons do their time delay tactic hoping for a peanlty shootout.
Extra time for the 2nd week in a row and perhaps the Man of the Match Ahmad Latiff scored a wonderful thumper past PSMS custodian Markus Harison.
With 2 players sent off (including the clown of the game, Octovianus Maniani or Otto), SAF was in total control and should had scored another 2 goals.
Nevertheless the victory long overdue against a bland ISL side.

Being the first S.League club to break into Asian’s football elite is truly an astonishing achievement and for that, we at FOW salute you.

The pride of S.League

The final hurdle before Kashima, Shanghai and Suwon

The journey won't be easy

Extra time for the second successive game

Match winner Ahmad Latiff celebrating in there somewhere

History in the making

The path of Champions is yours to walk

Transfer News

Indra Sahdan Daud has officially put pen to paper on a one year deal with Sengkang Punggol FC.
We hope the new challenge will reinvigorate the national team captain, and for him to spur the club to greater heights.

With his transfer confirmed, the team completes its 20-men roster for the new season.

A momentous occasion for the club, truly one for the record books.

Introduction

Welcome all to this blog dedicated to our beloved S League team, Sengkang Punggol FC.

The 2 of us had been supporters (wouldn’t use the word avid) of its previous incarnation, Marine Castle when it first exploded into the scene.

Regrettably, with the ailing form and perennial wooden spoonist in the league, we lost our interest pretty quickly (which indicates why we shouldn’t be labeled as avid).

In fact the interest with S League and local football itself diminished over that dark period. Flipping through the historical records Marine Castle were renamed Sengkang Marine to get residents of the new northeastern town interested (which didn’t really span out as they expected).

After 2 consecutive 8th placings (best finish yet), Sengkang Marine hit financial rut and got folded.

In 2005, a club by the name of Paya Lebar Punggol FC made it’s appearance and played their football at Hougang Stadium, the Dolphins’ home ground.
Led by a local Chinese coach, that woeful team only gathered 4 points out of possible 81 (getting the points only in the final few games).

In the subsequent year, Peya Lebar Punggol merged with the old Sengkang Marine to form the Sengkang Punggol FC we know for now.

Our interest in S League and eventually Sengkang Punggol FC was only rekindled last year perhaps due to the rippling effect of our national team’s brazen performance in the 2010 World Cup qualifying.
It seems to sustain for a while we hope as our hope for the league to become more exciting as it is now and hope for our team to do much better than before.

This blog will follows our adventure for the next year and perhaps beyond as well as some blast from the past and a place for fellow Sengkang supports, S League viewers as well as Singapore Football team fans to gather and discuss.

We will hold an objective view towards matter (although the tendency to be biased to Sengkang of course).
Of course we would not mince our words if the team is playing in appalling fashion as they did the previous season as we will engage in candid lashing they most probably deserve.

About the title “Fish out of Water”, the actual meaning referes to someone in a situation they are unsuited to.

At times, we felt that watching the Sengkang team played their football, we often wondered the various players of past and present are suited to play professional football.

It was also a play at the mascot of the team, although a dolphin is a mammal and not a fish.

Supporters of local football do not have the luxury of getting the most updated information instantaneously or even a whiff of the rumor threadmill.
We hope to get a bit of bearing in the midst of the mystery shrouded the local footballing scene at times when we do not have many available mediums to do so; yet we will try to provide as much information of Sengkang Punggol as we could and hope for any external aides whenever possible.
So is like luring the fish out of the water…

Disclaimer: We are by no means associated to the club or club sponsors, although we hope we could be an official liaison to the club itself.

In any case that you find the content offensive or illegal, please drop us a mail or something.