ASEAN Student Games 2011: In Futsal, Malaysia sweeps all on offer

Players battled for the crown over two gruelling days at Victoria Stadium in Brunswick. Photo: Zen Khoo

VICTORIA Stadium in Brunswick played host to the futsal competition  of the inaugural ASEAN Student Games. It was a showcase of talent and skills over two gruelling days.

The finals turned out to be an all Malaysian affair. Team Alpha Q defeated ACT 9-6 in a tough and entertaining 40-minute game. Team Galacticos completed the podium finish for Malaysia, claiming the bronze medal.

The final was a tough contest between both contestants despite the three goal margin. Team Alpha Q, the eventual winners, dominated the game early on with their counter attacks and excellent passing ability.Their opponents, team ACT played superbly despite having a small squad of just seven people. They continued their fluid passing game and never gave up despite falling behind in the goal tally.

Jason Cheng from Kooyong United was voted Most Valuable Player of the tournament after finding the back of the net 13 times. He received an economy class return ticket proudly sponsored by Air Asia. The winning teams were awarded certificates of participation and a trophy each.

The tournament fielded plenty of entries from numerous ASEAN nations. Besides that, there was also a high turnout of supporters at the stadium.

Futsal player Terry Kong said these events were an opportunity for him to test his ability against other individuals. He felt that this was also an excellent way to network with students from other ASEAN countries.

He said he hoped these games would continue in the years to come.

Bronze medal winners: Malaysia’s Team Galacticos. Photo: Zen Khoo