MATCH REPORTS 2003 TOUR
Leicester City 4 - 4 PSA
Duc 2, Ki 35, Dean 50, Speedy 79
Having only arrived 24 hours earlier the PSA touring team opened their campaign by taking premier club Leicester’s under 16 team. Young Deuk Seo got the visitors off to a flying start by opening the scoring in the second minute when he latched on
to a through ball and beat the advancing keeper with a well-placed shot. It took the home side 11 minutes before they were on level terms but 14-year-old Sung Yueng Ki restored the visitors advantage in the 35 minute with the best goal of the game when he thumped a left footer from outside the box that went in off the underside of the bar.
Seven minutes into the second half Leicester equalized but Deano put the touring PSA back in front 3 minutes
later. Leicester wouldn’t lie down and equalized again after 57 minutes and then heartbreak for the PSA boys as they conceded a goal 3 minutes from time and trailed 4-3. In the last minute of the game Jung Kyu Yang (Speedy) raced on to a long ball, outpaced his defender then sent the keeper the wrong way and scored to earn his team a deserved draw in a most entertaining game.
Peterborough United Reserves 4 - 0 PSA
In the tour’s second game the lads from down under faced a Peterborough reserve team that included a Birmingham City
premier league first team player on trial and ‘Hukky’ a previous PSA tour member now at Peterborough.
The PSA team played ex world cup star Pan Keum Kim and an ex Brisbane striker player to help balance out the teams.
The PSA played brilliantly but went to the break 3-0 down. They never gave up against their physically bigger
and older opponents and came close to scoring on several occasions but their last touch let them down. They conceded another goal in the 89th minute but can be proud of their performance against a fully professional side.
Chelsea 2 - 2 PSA
Kwon 19, Gus 31
In what was PSA’s most prestigious game of the tour the PSA gave Chelsea a fright and
almost pulled off a major upset. The final score line of 2-2 was a credit to the boys who battled bravely against one of the top Premier League club’s youth team. The PSA team took the lead after 19 minutes when Soon Ill Kwon converted a cross from the right flank and Hong Il Kim made it two when his right footed free kick curved around the Chelsea wall and went in off the post reducing the Chelsea keeper to a spectator.
The PSA led 2 nil at half time and an upset looked possible but the Chelsea boys with two Nigerian and an
English youth international in their line up came out firing in the second half putting the visitors under constant pressure. The PSA defense was finally breached in the 65th minute to put the Londoners back in the game. With PSA hanging on Chelsea broke away with 5 minutes remaining and their big Nigerian striker lobbed the keeper to salvage a draw for the premier league team. It was a magnificent performance for
the touring Australian team who rose to the occasion and almost stole an unlikely victory.
Ipswich Town 2 – 0 PSA
In wet and dismal conditions the Ipswich youth team were more polished than their visiting counter parts. With a large squad of 23 players it was difficult to get everyone on the park and maintain shape and continuity and it showed in a lack
luster performance from the PSA. Having said that they still created some chances but the difference was that Ipswich took theirs and the PSA boys didn’t. Speedy caused the Ipswich defence some headaches and had a great chance early on when he lost his man but put his shot wide of the keeper and the post. Duc had a couple of half chances but the Ipswich defence remained intact as they ran out 2-0 winners. It was a credible
performance against one of the league’s best academy teams.
Cambridge City 2 - 1 PSA
Duc 70
In the picturesque university city of Cambridge the PSA boys took on the town’s under 19 team on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
It was a physical battle with the PSA giving as good as they got but just before half time they conceded a free kick out wide and a ball to the
back post was unchallenged and they were one nil down.
The second half was only seconds old when a poor ball out of defence went straight to a Cambridge striker who laid it off for his partner to
score easily. The PSA fought back and a cracking volley from Driton forced a great save from the home team keeper. In the 20th minute Driton was involved again when he whipped a cross in from the right for Duc to head home off the underside of the bar.
The PSA boys couldn’t manage the equalizer and went down 2-1 in the fifth game of the tour.
Colchester United 3 – 3 PSA
Terry 16, 52, Gus 56
PSA traveled to Colchester for
their sixth game of the tour. It was a physical game but PSA took the lead with a superb left foot strike from Terry following a good delivery by Ki. Colchester leveled two minutes later and the teams went to the break all square with the match evenly poised.
Early in the second half Terry doubled his tally when his first header hit the post but when the rebound was
crossed back in the box he made no mistake. Gus added a third a few minutes later with a solo effort and PSA looked to be doing it comfortably. However, two silly defensive errors in the last five minutes cost PSA dearly as Colchester scored from both of them. In the last minutes of the game PSA should have won it when Maca was put through for a one on one with the keeper but his shot although on target was well saved. The
game ended 3 apiece but it was a game PSA should have won as the Colchester coach conceded that his team was played off the park.
Wycombe Wanderers 2 – 5 PSA
Duc 47, 68, 71, Gus 57, Macleod
76
In the final game of the tour PSA met Wycombe Wanderers who coincidently had played and
drawn against Colchester the previous week. With virtually two teams being used to give all players a run in the last game it was do or die for the PSA.
Wycombe had the better of the first half and were unlucky not to score on several occasions as they hit the woodwork 3 times and the PSA had
keeper Caleb to thank for keeping them in the game with a string of fine saves.
With a complete change of team in the second half it was a different story with PSA starting to dominate in mid-field with Ki and Gus
outstanding. Duc opened the scoring after 47 minutes with a beautiful volley from a cross by Terry and then ten minutes later Gus pounced on a rebound and placed the ball wide of the keeper after Ki had hit the bar. In the 68th minute Duc leapt above the defence to head home a corner to make it 3-0. Wycombe pulled one back after 71 minutes but before their celebration had finished Duc made it 4-1 when he lobbed the
keeper direct from the kick off and celebrated with a cheeky wave to the embarrassed keeper. Wycombe made it 4-2 before Jordan netted a spectacular free kick to restore the 3 goal advantage in what was an amazing spell of 5 goals in 8 minutes.
Sanity returned for the last 15 minutes to see PSA record their first tour win in emphatic style.