Newcastle played Birmingham in Bukit Jalil tonight to a crowd of about 15-20k spectators. This game of football had it all: a couple of goals (Newcastle won 2 - 1), a sending off (poor chap called Cunningham from Birmingham), a couple of yellow cards, a missed open goal from six yards (with a name like "Stern John" what do you expect??), and a whole load of "world-class" players (including a World Cup-winner, truth be told) who just stood around the pitch staring at each other, as though saying, "You get the ball, its too hot here; i can't run."
It got so bad at one point in the first half, someone sitting behind me yelled, "Mat salleh semput!" and everyone burst out laughing. Someone explained what that means to some of the non-Malay speaking mat sallehs in the crowd (there were many), and they burst out laughing too. It was hilarious! *lol I reckon the reason why the players, who just arrived from the temperate UK 2 days ago, couldn't do much running is because the weather is incredibly humid by their standards. I swear there were a few occasions when a few of them started chasing the ball, then suddenly stopped dead in their tracks, as though gasping for air. The humidity must have been searing their lungs - the referee, Bob Styles, had his shirt stuck firmly to his back with sweat even before he blew the whistle to start the game.
The only two players who did any positive running were Kieron "The Dynamo" Dyer (a reported UK$25million target for Man United - but Newcastle ain't selling) and Craig Bellamy, who, as usual, did his best impression of a headless chicken running around with his arms flailing all over the place. Watching those two, alone, was nearly worth the price of admission. One for his skill and determination, and the other for his comic value. :)
Don't get me wrong - it was a fun outing, the company was excellent, the admosphere was lively, the game was fun to watch (albeit because it turned into a comedy once in a while), and the outcome was purely satisfying: Newcastle in the finals of a cup game, at last!
Newcastle wins, 2 - 1
I've got a feeling the Malaysian national team has got a pretty fair chance against the mega-star studded Chelsea tomorrow evening. At least our boys are used to this weather, and i suspect they'll be able to do some serious running tomorrow. Playing in front of their home crowd, and seeing the superstars of Chelsea wilt in the heat (as i'm sure they will), might just be enough incentive to push our national team to accomplish the unexpected. I wouldn't be surprised. If Malaysia wins tomorrow, remember, you heard it here first.
Full pics of the outing can be found in Visuals.
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