Marconi Wins First Borneo Cup Tournament

This first Borneo Cup tournament, blueprinted and meticulously organised by former St George Budapest and Australian International striker Scotty Ollerenshaw, saw the Marconi youngsters power their way through six matches undefeated, despite the tropical, taxing conditions.

Marconi’s 16s won five matches, drew one, scored 23 goals and above all, conceded none.

The whole Tournament was played at The Litkas Stadium, home ground to the professional Sabah Club that played in the Malaysian National League.
But here one point must be seriously stressed.

Despite Marconi white-washing this Tournament, it must be underlined that most of the Malaysian players were technically superior in ball skills, as well as in unpredictability.

However, as is the case with all our senior National teams, the Australian stamina, pace and physical power, enables us to compete beyond our depth in the skills department.

It has been a traditional trait with most Asian players, at all levels-(Korean, Iraqi,Iranian, and Japanese excepted), they avoid, and dislike, physical contact–an area that Australian players largely relish.

The six ‘clean sheets’ were largely attributed to the quality industry of twin centre-backs, the mobile skipper Adem Sertlioglu in tandem with the towering Tyson Rhodes. Both consistently ‘vacuumised’ Marconi’s penalty box from all foreign assaults. This factor left Marconi’s lanky custodian, Nikodin Matic, highly pleased.

Flank defenders Jerome Catherine and Joshua Ciabatti were totally defiant to the foe.
The highly energetic midfielders of Hussain Albadawi, Anthony Caceres, Emirali Mustafa,Alexander Dicker, Damien Travis and Michael Pirrello, were unyielding in battle in the ‘engine room’.

Sole striker Nathan Jagelman bagged a personal seven goals which included a brilliant brace in the Final. As well, Nathan snared the first prize of ‘Player Of The Tournament’ trophy whilst the diminutive, dynamic and technically most correct left midfielder, Dimitri Aronis took out the third prize.

Playing a constant 4-2-3-1 system, Marconi’s lanky striker Nathan was always solidly supported by his flank-midfielders who bulldozed forward to stretch their six Malaysian team opponents.

In the opening match against the ‘Sabah Academy’, Marconi was understandably very tentative not knowing what to expect from a first-ever foreign opponent and squandered a stack of chances through lack of composure in front of the frame. This match thus ended in a scoreless draw.

However when facing the very same opponent in the Cup Final, Marconi turned in a ruthless, power-packed display of scintillating Soccer that destroyed the Academy 0-5, that ultimately saw Marconi’s centre-back skipper Adem Sertlioglu lift the Borneo Cup in jubilation.

The Marconi youngsters were pleasantly rewarded when they were served a special, valuable educational session, (organised by the Borneo Cup promoter, Scott Ollerenshaw), with invited Malaysia’s National Technical Director of Coaching, Mr Robbie Alberts, to lecture the Australian players on scientific, modern technical and tactical aspects of the game.

The Dutch-born, highly intelligent and articulate Director, Mr Alberts, gave the Marconi players a fascinating hour long lecture, backed-up by a graphic video analytical presentation. This was nothing short of excellent.

The Dutch ‘professor’ and former Holland International who has spent no less than 15 years in Asia, highlighted a key element in his lecture, to win matches.

He stated: “It’s essential for each player that he must win the ‘one on one’ battles’ against your direct individual opponent. There are approximately 300 such movements in a game.
“Recent studies have also proven that no less than 30% of goals scored, come from free-kicks and almost 75% of teams that score first, ultimately win their respective games”.
Marconi’s Resluts:
Game 1 vs Sabah Academy..      0-0.
Game 2 vs Tabs..                        0-2.
Game 3 vs  Keramat.                  0-3.
Game 4 vs  Tuaran.                    0-8.
Game 5 vs Latechs Polytechnic 0-5.
Game 6 Cup Final vs Sabah Academy 0-5. 
 
Marconi’s travelling Squad:
ARONIS DIMITRI (14),CACERES ANTHONY (5),CATHERINE JEROME (9),CIABATTI JOSHUA (3),DICKER ALEXANDER (7), JAGELMAN NATHAN (11), MATIC NIKODIN (1), PIRRELLO MICHAEL (4), RHODES TYSON (8), SERTLIOGLU ADEM-Captain ( 2),TRAVIS DAMIEN (10), MUSTAFA EMIRALI (16), ALBADAWI HUSSAIN (15).
COACHES :RICKY CHIELLINI & BRYAN RHODES.
-Courtesy of ABSW