SCC SOCCER 7’S 2019 TOURNAMENT CROWNS NEW CHAMPIONS

The annual Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) Soccer 7’s showcased exciting football action over the weekend right in the heart of the city on the Padang, with a record 60 teams playing in five
categories – Open, Masters, Legends, Youth, and a new Corporate category. Of these, 17 overseas teams flew in from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and Hong Kong and gave the local teams a good fight.

Although SCC Firsts won all their matches on their way up to the Open Cup Final, including a 6-5 win over theHong Kong FC 2 team, Hong Kong FC 1 team took revenge for their fellow club-mates in the finals match. An exciting first half ended 2-1 to HKFC and the score remained unchanged up until the final whistle - SCC Firsts, which won the Open Cup for two years in a row in 2017 and 2018, gave the Open Champion title to HKFC.

In the Masters category, long-time rivals SCC Masters and Royal Bangkok Masters battled for the Cup in a nail- biting game. Royal Bangkok Masters first scored but SCC Masters soon caught up and the first half ended in a 1-1 draw. Again in the second half, Royal Bangkok Masters shot through to lead 2-1 but SCC Masters preserved to tie with their rivals at full time. Even with extra time, neither team was able to push ahead, bringing the match into a sudden death penalty shoot-out, and a fantastic save by SCC Masters’ goalkeeper Amos Boon helped the local team win 3-2.

In addition to playing for the SCC this tournament, Amos is also the SCC Soccer7’s 2019 organising committee; he was a former goalkeeper who enjoyed a S. League career from 1996 - 2011 with clubs including Home United,Geylang United and Woodlands Wellington.

Bangkok Airways defended its Legends Cup title against Singapore Polytechnic in a close 1-0 fight. Meanwhile, Bali Sports Foundation played a strong game against newcomer to the tournament, LFA Protectors Academy, and also defended its Youth Cup title in another 1-0 score. Youth Football Home from Phuket, Thailand, played Chelsea FC IDC SG in a fast-paced match and won 3-0 to win the Youth Plate title.

Eight organisations played in the new Corporate category, and SCC Soccer7’s is proud to crown its first Corporate Cup winner Cabin Crew FC, which won 4-1 over Resorts World Sentosa. DHL won the Corporate Plate 3-0 over the team fielded by Ernst &; Young.

SCC Soccer7’s 2019 – VIP guests in attendance
The tournament welcomed Nayim (full name: Mohammed Ali Amar) – the Spanish retired central midfielder most popularly-known for scoring a last-minute goal for Real Zaragoza in the 1995 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup Final against Arsenal, with a 40-yard lob in the final minute of extra time. He started his career with Barcelona in 1984, represented Tottenham Hotspur from 1988 to 1993, before moving to Zaragoza (1993 – 1997). He retired in 2000 after a four-year stint with Logroñés.

Nayim played in the Legends category for local team Bruce James Select, which made it to the Legends Cup Semi-Finals, before losing 6-5 to Bangkok Airways which went on to win the Cup.

We were also privileged to have Klaus Augenthaler - Ex Bayern Munich Captain, Bundesliga Champion, West Germany World Cup Winner 1990 – join the SCC Soccer7’s tournament and play for the SCC Legends in the Legends Category on Saturday. His contribution helped the team into the Legends Plate Semi-Finals; SCC Legends won the Legends Plate the next day. In addition, fans gathered at the tournament’s center hospitality tent to take photographs with the FC Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga Champions Plate which was graciously loaned to the SCC
Soccer’s for display; the Meisterschale is the German association football trophy which is awarded to Bundesliga Champions.

Malaysian football legend Santokh Singh visited the tournament on Saturday and spent much of the afternoon enjoying the matches and the festive atmosphere at the Carnival Zone.

The SCC Soccer 7’s, which took place on 23 – 24 March 2019 at the Singapore Cricket Club, Padang Field, was sanctioned by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), and proudly supported by Macoocoo, Raymond Weil, Park Group Hotel, Tiger Beer, and other official partners.