Women's ● Oct 11, 2007

WPL Wk 13: Bishan Arsenal wrap up season in style

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It was a night to remember for Bishan Arsenal FC as they wrapped up the Women Premier League season in some style with a 7-1 thrashing of Police FC to clinch the title.

 

The fans who turned up were rewarded with clinical finishing and wonder goals from both teams at Jalan Besar Stadium.

 

Bishan’s Cameroonian forward Ovah Marie bagged four goals to overtake Young Women, Chen Yue Gui for the Top Scorer Award with a total haul of 13 for the season.

 

Bishan Arsenal FC kept faith with the same lineup that thumped four goals past UWC.

 

But Police FC had to go into battle without the services of their key players Sara Margareta Gardqvist and Shauna Ellen Cottrell, which left the onus of marshalling the midfield on Norsuria Damsuri.

 

With Bishan Arsenal FC needing maximum points from this game to secure the title and Police FC also need at least a point for a spot on the podium, there was everything to play for.

 

The first goal came as early as the eighth minute when Ovah reacted fastest to intercept a stray pass to thump the ball home from outside the area.

1-0 to Bishan Arsenal FC.

 

Ovah struck again in the eleventh minute. Collecting a pass from the right with her back towards goal, Ovah turned expertly to deliver a snapshot heading for the bottom left. The goalkeeper did her best to get her hands on the ball but that was not enough as the ball trickled over the goal line for the second goal.

 

Two goals conceded in the space of eleven minutes was not the hallmark of the stubborn and fortress-like Police FC defence that conceded only four goals till now, the second lowest in the league.

 

Police FC first real chance came in the 19th minute when Siti Fajariah Sofan tested the Bishan goalkeeper with a well-taken shot at goal. But Norhayti Hamir did well to come up with the save.

 

In the 28th minute, a weak goal kick from the Blues found its way to Ovah’s feet. There was still plenty left to do as the lanky forward danced her way past the opposition defence to find space on her right before driving a ferocious shot past the keeper to complete her hat-trick.

 

Police FC’s defence was cracking under the strain as Bishan Arsenal FC’s attackers poured forward in hordes. Two minutes later, Bishan won possession outside the 18-yard box after some good team pressuring. A series of neat passes craved open the backline of Police FC with the final pass reaching Ovah. With only the keeper left to beat, she kept her composure to round the keeper and slotted it in for her fourth of the night.

 

Bishan Arsenal’s Huraizah Ismail striking a leaner and meaner physique stepped onto the pitch with imposing influence in the middle of the park.

 

Huraizah delivered a stunning pass from the left towards the unmarked Nurafny Yulianti Putri Andin Heryanto Saman, who brought it down beautifully to her right before producing a smart finish to make it 4-0.

 

Police’s FC only consolation goal came in the 70th minute from Norsuria. It was a superb goal that brought the crowd on their feet. A fluffed clearance from the Bishan defence found its way to Norsuria who – upon seeing the keeper off the line – blasted a first time effort from 25 metres out into the top left corner.

 

Tough tacking left back Alicia Heng was the architect for Bishan Arsenal’s sixth goal. Overlapping from the back, a neat one-two exchange between her teammates created enough space for her to deliver an in-swinging cross over the Police defence.

 

Doecline Theolore Ndjouanag stayed in line to beat the offside trap to reach the cross. Showing great control to trap the ball on her right, she sidestepped the committed keeper to pass the ball into the gaping goalmouth to join in the goal fest.

 

Huraizah left the best for last, as she shimmied past two defenders before unleashing a piledriver from 30 metres to cap off a truly memorable match for Bishan Arsenal FC.

 

It was Bishan Arsenal FC’s first league title since they joined the league in 2004 as the team and fans erupted in a cacophony of cheers at the final whistle.

Teams P W D L F A GD Pts
Bishan Arsenal FC 7 6 0 1 31 6 25 15
Young Women 7 5 2 0 26 3 23 14
Arion Women’s FC 7 4 2 1 15 7 8 14
Police FC 7 4 1 2 20 11 9 13
SAS 7 3 0 4 22 19 3 9
Tiong Bahru FC 7 2 1 4 9 16 -7 7
UWC 7 1 0 6 9 34 -25 3
Paya Lebar Punggol 7 0 0 7 4 39 -35 0