LAO ELEPHANTS WIN TWO GAMES AT ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
14 Sep 2008, 08:28am Posted by Marty
Click to enlarge photo.It's true do not adjust the channel. The Lao Elephants won 2 games at the Asian Championships played last Saturday September 6th in Singapore.
Going into the Asian Championships with a population of a mere 5.6 million people, pitted against nearly half of humanity, the tournament debutants, the poster-children for the word(s) 'underdogs', the men from the country that not one Singaporian taxi driver had ever heard of - the Lao Elephants WON TWO GAMES of very good footy! Having never ever won a game before this tournament this feat should not be (and has not been) underestimated.
The Elephants were placed in Group B alongside the eventual champions the United Arab Emirates Heat, last years champions Hong Kong, one of the pre-tournament favourites the Thailand Tigers, and traditional rivals the Vietnam Swans who as recently as a month ago had inflicted the most recent of the four defeats experienced by the Elephants in their 17 month history.
With a squad of 25, captained by Santisouk Sengdara, the Phants were the only side to turn up without matching shirts, without matching bags, and without matching uniforms, and from the beginning it was obvious that this was much more serious stuff than you get in Dong Dok.
A fair bit of rain in the week leading up to the Champs meant that it was soggy underfoot at the Singapore Polo Club as the Elephants faced the UAE Heat n the first game of the day. Against a very fit, skillful side including ex-AFL star Andrew Schauble (the second best Schauble at the Champs) the Elephants more than held their own from the first bounce. The Sepo was dominant and barely missed a ruck tap all day, giving the midfield first-class service. The Heat kicked the first couple of the game before the Elephants first goal of the champs through Kempy one of the founding fathers of the club (that fateful afternoon in front of Don Chan palace.....) Showing skills rarely, if ever seen at the Sandpit the Elephants kept it close all match with Coach Hassett winning a lot of pill and Fort Knox, Tom Callender, and Thommo (aka Ryan Edgecombe) solid as rocks down back. Following another Heat sausage roll, the President snapped a goal around the corner afer a solid Hassett sheppard and the Phants had a sniff, before being beaten by both the buzzer and the scoreline.
The 2 goal defeat was the closest anyone got to the Heat on the day.
After a very short rest the Elephants took on the might of the Hong Kong Dragons, two time champions - with a list of over 40 players to chose from and coming off a bye in the first round. The Dragons dominated the first half despite more solid work from the backline and valiant efforts by Souk to get the boys going with a series long leads up to the wing from his forward pocket. From five goals down at half-time the Phants were able to restrict the boys from Happy Valley to naught but scraps in the second half. Wil worked as hard as a sweat shop labourer in and under packs and Donners was solid at half back as dignity was restored. In one of the great tragedies of the day Souk was smashed in the middle of his back ten metres out from goal directly in front - a free kick obvious to everyone in the Universe except the umpire. Souky in typical style gave the ump a decent serve calling him a 'skippy maggot'. Fair call.
Game three will never be forgotten by anyone lucky enough to be present. The Elephants flew out of the blocks against Thailand with quick agile ball movement out of the centre through Dan McGrath, The Coach, and the Gun Show Trav who soccered the first goal of the match after a matter of seconds. Taking advantage of the Sepo, Boris Yeltsin, and A-Dog's domination in the ruck the forwards were given ample opportunities. The President snagged a couple of quick ones including one from the boundary (Buddy Franklinesque) and 5 minutes in the Elephants were 3 goals up with all the running. However in a dramatic turnaraound the Tigers piled on the last four goals of the quarter following a couple unnecessary changes in the midfield which upset the early momentum and gave the backline no chance. Now, on previous form you would expect a capitulation wouldnt you? We've seen good patches by the Phants before but no follow through..... Not this time. The Coach threw everything into his half-time speech with some colorful language never ever heard by Souk before, and his charges duly responded in unison. The midfield regained their early dominance and Langers started spreading his enormous wings at CHF, nicely complimented by a quality cameo from fellow miner Frenchy at half-forward. Langers first sausage roll put the Phants back in front and the contest was on with a sense of drama rarely seen outside of an All Saints script. Drawing on the support of all other teams (who can resist 16 blokes in pink?) gathered around the next five minutes were magnificent. The tigers threw everything (including 1 kitchen sink) at the Elephants. The backline led by Fort Knox, Callender, Bray, Snakes and Donners were so solid at one point they solidified completely. With a few minutes left and the scores level Frenchy honored a long lead by the President and the Elephants Mikheil Saakashvili went back to kick his third for the match from the tightest of angles to put the Elephants a goal up. The last 2 minutes were as tight as an Israeli backpacker and played mostly in the Tigers half. A Tigers miss left the margin at 5 points, and as the siren sounded a Thai player lined up for a goal that would have been as unjust, as it was difficult. With unprecedented scenes of joy the ball fell short and was punched away by the Septologist. One of the longest droughts in Laotian sporting history had come to an end. Phants by 5 points.
The coach quickly brought the ecstatic Elephants back to earth with a reminder that one game remained. The big one - versus our traditional rivals the Vietnam Swans. Political alliances aside, sporting rivalries globally do not come bigger than this. The Ashes? Carlton vs Collingwood? Barcelona vs Real Madrid? Forget them all. This is it. This is why sport is played. The swannies were very keen for their first ever win at the Championships in their second appearance, and the elephants win had only served to inflame this desire. Six Elephants played for the Swannies at last years champs and the bond is strong, the rivalry is bitter, and the result a reason to celebrate with vast quantities of vodka like no other.
After a relatively long break the Elephants were awful in the first half versus Vietnam. the passion and desire of the second half vs Thailand had been replaced by the sort of apathy felt by Melbourne supporters during the winter months. At half time the coach had a few things to say. The following passage proved particularly poignant: 'You $!$!#$!%^ of !@$!@#$! couldnt !#$!!$!@ a !$!#$!^@#$@!@^ with a shovel !@$!@$!! my !%!%!%!@#% and a goat !@$&%^^ !!#$!@^@^#$^ before I !$!@^@#$%!$! you.' And the boys responded.
With only 12 minutes left there were no excuses and thats how the boys in pink/salmon played. The Sepo continued to terrorize the opposition ruckmen, giving first use of the ball to the phants and quick possession out of the centre resulted in two quick Phants goals through Langers and Dan McGrath who kicked a ripper around his body and all of a sudden the phants were stomping. Literally. The change in momentum could be felt as far away as Seppon asand Langers last quarter was testament to the prophecy stating that he will become the next laotian 'Duck' Carey (on and off field). His mark mid-quarter should have won mark of the tournament and his second goal put the Phants in front for the first time. The rest of the game was played on Elephants terms and when the bell rang the boys from Vientiane were 10 points up with dual victories at their first ever tournament.
If the script had been pre-written it could not have been this good.
The whole team was magnificent on the day with everyone having at least one good game. Standout performers across the whole day were the 'Fort' Knox, the Coach, the Septologist, McGrath, GunShow Wilson, Callender, Langers
Goalkickers were: President 4, Langers 3, Kempy, GunShow Wilson, McGrath
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