Match Saturday 27th of August: Inter SZ – Team Taipinyan 4-1

Inter Shenzhen FC won the friendly match against Taipinyan team 4-1.

The first third of the match Inter started composed and disciplined. Judging the opponent’s strength first with emphasizing on our own defense we controlled the game well, with some exceptions where several Inter players left their position and showed some undisciplined play. Nevertheless, a perfect play over the central midfield to the right wing with Ike charging through and crossing the ball perfectly in front of the goals all over to the left wing to Mihran who had an easy tap in brought us the first well deserved goal. Unfortunately this would be the only non-individual team effort goal we scored that night. The rest of this third we played average and managed to keep the opponent team away from our own goals.

The second third we made 5 substitutes all over the field and it turned out to be the most desastrous part of the game. Over-hard und unfair tackles, and complaining with the referee in combination with further undisciplined position play derailed most of the play during that part of the game. There was no team effort recogniseable anymore and a questionable call from the referee leading to a free-kick for Taipinyan 20 yards in front of our own goal was well taken and the result was suddenly leveled to 1-1.

The last third of the game we changed again players and the game was more quite and disciplined. However, it needed a induvidual class effort from Ike to score a mid-range shot into the left corner of Taipinyan’s keeper who had no chance of getting it. At 2-1 Inter Shenzhen then found again their rhythm and soon after again with two fine individual efforts this time from new boy Fabian with long-range shots sealed the final score of 4-1.

Emphasizing on a strong defense set up, it turned out to be the match winner. All of the defenders, Tim and Rahim in central defense, Stephen, Vasken and Prince on the wing backs were just too much for the Taipinyan strikers to handle. Our set up suited very well for the anticipated Taipinyan play, which was like anticipated starting from their 2 technically gifted central midfield players with long balls up to their tiny but fast strikers. This classic "english"style football we were very well prepared for with our defenders showing speed and additionally physical strength. For most of the game the taipinyan strikers were nullified and our goalliess Omar and Abraham had a very quite evening without being tested at all. Bravo to the entire back line, they provided the backbone for the less effective central midfield, the non-existing wing players and the out-of play strikers (with the sole exception of in form Ike).

There is still a lot to develop in Inter’s game play, which we will emphasize from now on in training as most of the players are back from their holidays. The quality was there, but the fluidity and link-up between the players was missing. Thats because if just a few players do not play their allocated positions then the block will fall apart. And it did for most of the game.

Therefore the win goes to our defense’ account, and to them only. Hope we can do it better next time -if there is a next time against taipinyan at all. They proved to be a fine team with a professional attitidue. We could not say that to several of our own players and we have to pray for Peter to talk with a sweet mouth to the Taipinyan team to play us again soon. If not then we have foolishly lost one of the very few good local Chinese tams in town to play against….