Chew Si bow out in q-finals

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TITLE holders Chew Si have been shown the exit in their defence of the Lee Ewe Boo Cup in the ongoing Penang Chinese FA Senior League championship.

Even having the services of former Penang coach Moey Yok Ham, known for his ‘midas touch’, Chew Si were presented a rude shock when the knockout stage got under way.

And the team who stopped their gallant run at the quarter-final stage on Friday was none other than Chinese Recreation Club (CRC), the very side they had outgunned in last year’s final.

CRC, who were so eager to avenge the 8-7 penalty shootout defeat in their goalless final against Chew Si last year, powered their way to an outright 2-1 win after their 90-minute showdown.

After their top goal poacher Loh Lim Shen Jen showed them the way when he blasted home their opening goal in the 43rd minute for his sixth goal in their campaign, CRC went on to add another through Ooi Eng Hock in the 52nd minute.

Hard challenge: Khoo Thing Sinang of Chinese Recreation Club (red) being brought down by a crunching tackle from Khoo Eng Hwa of Chew Si during their PCFA Senior League quarter-finals match at the Polo ground. CRC won 2-1.

The two-goal lead was comfortable enough for CRC even when Chew Si managed to pull one back through Lim Hin Chye in the 65th minute.

CRC will continue to have vengeance on their mind as they have now set up a semi-final showdown against Timoran FC, who had only on Oct 23 floored their veteran’s team in the PCFA Veterans League final to win the Millennium Cup for a record fourth time.

Timoran, on their part, outgunned Paya Terubing FC 5-4 on penalties.

Both teams had battled to a 2-2 deadlock at full-time, with a highly-determined Timoran twice coming from behind to force the clash into a penalty shootout decider.

Although Teh Jin Quan had drawn first blood for Paya Terubong just after nine minutes, Yam Wai Leong, the league’s leading scorer this year, erased that deficit when he blasted home his ninth league goal just four minutes later.

Leow Cheng Sheng managed to restore Paya Terubong’s lead in the 53rd minute but the joy proved shortlived as Timoran hit back with the equaliser almost immediately on the restart.

Squeezed: Chew Si player Kong Eng Hwa being sandwiched by Chinese Recreation Club players Khoo Thing Siang (left) and Chew Zhi Yong during their match.

Last year’s semi-finalists Sentosa FC also managed to stay on course in their bid to make up for the disappointment of failing to make the cut to the final when they edged Bintang Baru FC by a solitary goal in yet another quarter-final match.

That lone winner, which confirmed them their place in the last four against Bagan United, came from former national defender Chun Keng Hong in the 11th minute.

Bagan United had, in the other quarter-final showdown, edged out Anak Malaysia 2-1 with Chia Ching Kar striking two first-half goals in the 16th and 43rd minute.

That was enough to assure them their place in the semis as Anak Malaysia only managed to carve out a lone reply through Ee Kean Weng in the 66th minute.

The semi-finals to be played today will determine who qualify for the Nov 20 Cup final at the City Stadium.

FIXTURES:

SEMI-FINALS:

TODAY: Sentosa FC vs Bagan United (Polo Ground A, 5.30pm); Timoran FC vs Chinese Recreation Club (Polo Ground B, 5.30pm).