E FA CUP

Didier Drogba beats Edwin Van Der Sar to put Chelsea ahead.

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D-Day for Blues

By Russell Staves. Saturday, 19 May 2007.

Chelsea	1-0	Manchester United
Drogba 116

The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
The Final
3pm, Saturday 19 May 2007
Wembley Stadium
Winning club receives £1,000,000
Listen Live with TheFA.com

Didier Drogba's late goal ensured Chelsea were the first team to win The FA Cup at the new Wembley Stadium.

After a 116 minute long war of attrition, the Ivorian conjured up a goal worthy of winning any Final.

Receiving Jon Obi Mikel's pass, Drogba clipped the ball to Frank Lampard before spinning into the box. The England midfielder delivered the perfect volleyed return to Drogba who nipped ahead of Edwin Van Der Sar before poking home.

Chelsea's fans celebrated, knowing Manchester United would not have enough time to force a response. Their roar when Steve Bennett blew the whistle moments later reverberated around the fabulous new arena.

Following a grand parade of FA Cup legends, fly-by from the Red Arrows and the royal presentation, it was down to business.

Wembley, a sea of red and blue shirts, looked magnificent although on the pitch, the early sparring revealed little.

It was Chelsea who fashioned the first opening after three minutes when Wayne Bridge, deputising for the injured Ashley Cole, delivered a perfect cross towards the lurking Drogba. The Ivorian's towering leap left Gabriel Heinze floundering but his header went over the ball.

Manchester United responded a minute later when Ryan Giggs, aiming for his fifth Cup success, got the better of Bridge.

Sir Alex's Ferguson's men continued to pressurise but a clear opening still eluded them.

Paul Scholes, central to most of the Reds' best work, dragged a volley wide after Mikel's weak header looped up invitingly.

The lively Wayne Rooney went close after 15 minutes only to be frustrated by the linesman's flag.

At the other end, Drogba, who was involved in an intriguing battle with the no-nonsense Nemanja Vidic, showed a glimpse of why he's one of Europe's most feared strikers.

Picking the ball up just inside the United half, the Chelsea forward burst forward before unleashing a dipping strike which worried the sprawling Van Der Sar.

The Dutch keeper had to be alert on the half-hour, diving low to his right to save from Frank Lampard after good work from Paulo Ferreira.

Shaun Wright-Phillips then blasted over seconds later as Chelsea enjoyed a period in the ascendancy.

Like their fans who traded chants with the Chelsea supporters, back came United which a chance of their own. Again Scholes was the provider, delightfully chipping the ball over the Chelsea defence to Cristiano Ronaldo who deftly brought the ball under control before slicing wide.

In the last piece of action before half-time, Lampard sent a swerving exocet over the diving Van Der Sar, but the ball was never in danger of dipping enough.

Jose Mourinho brought Arjen Robben on for Joe Cole and the Dutch winger certainly added some verve on the left flank. One darting run and cross had Van Der Sar nervously flapping at the near post.

But it was United's left winger, Giggs, who looked the most likely to break the deadlock.

He sent a wicked volley fizzing inches over the bar, Scholes again the architect, and moments early the Welshman brought an excellent stop from Petr Cech. However, the linesman adjudged Giggs to be offside from the initial shot where Rooney had tested Cech.

Neither side created much as the game worn on. With most of the 89,826 gearing up for extra-time, Carrick sent a searching diagonal ball to Rooney. Skipping past Ferreira, the England striker's run towards goal was halted by the matchless Michael Essien who timed another tackle to perfection.

Both managers made changes, with Alan Smith and Salomon Kalou injecting some fresh legs into proceedings.

The United fans roared 'attack' and their prayers should have been answered before the end of the first period of extra-time. After Robben had carelessly given away possession, United found Rooney on the right flank who had Smith and Giggs to aim for.

Rooney's low cross was perfect but Giggs' connection from five yards was far from ideal and his scuffed shot was comfortably saved. However, Giggs' momentum pushed both Cech and the ball over the line. Referee Steve Bennett was not interested though.

Rooney had a good chance himself after 110 minutes. But having been picked out by Scholes - the flame haired midfielder rarely missed his target during a fine show - Rooney failed to get the ball under control allowing the brave Cech to dive at his feet and smoother.

With seven minutes left until the dreaded penalty shootout, Ferguson played his last roll of the dice, bringing on John O'Shea and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

But the United boss could only stand and watch as Chelsea stole a late victory.

Chelsea
1 Petr Cech, 4 Claude Makelele, 5 Michael Essien, 8 Frank Lampard, 10 Joe Cole (16 Arjen Robben, 46 (3 Ashley Cole, 108)), 11 Didier Drogba, 12 John Obi Mikel, 18 Wayne Bridge, 20 Paulo Ferreira, 24 Shaun Wright-Phillips (21 Salomon Kalou, 94), 26 John Terry (c)
Subs: 23 Carlo Cudicini, 19 Lassana Diarra.

Manager Jose Mourinho

Manchester United
1 Edwin van der Sar, 4 Gabriel Heinze, 5 Rio Ferdinand, 6 Wes Brown, 7 Cristiano Ronaldo, 8 Wayne Rooney, 11 Ryan Giggs (c) (20 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, 112), 15 Nemanja Vidic, 16 Michael Carrick (22 John O'Shea, 112), 18 Paul Scholes, 24 Darren Fletcher (14 Alan Smith, 92)
Subs: 3 Patrice Evra, 29 Thomas Kuszczak

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson

Attendance 89, 826

Match Officials
Referee Steve Bennett
Assistant Referees Peter Kirkup and David Bryan
Fourth Official Howard Webb

Chief Guest Prince William

Team Colours
Chelsea Blue shirts, blue shorts, white socks
Manchester United Red shirts, white shorts, black socks

I drew blood again

This is the second time this year I drew blood. It has been 2 years since I did that. Both attempts were successful. Though not very. I must have drawn hundred of tubes of blood before in the army. I have a blood lust! JUST love watching all the blood squirt into the tube or watch the blood trickle onto the patient's arm while I connect a IV line to the catheter.
The first one was a near miss. Very little blood had come out because I had chosen a very superficial and small vein. Luckily in the end the amount was sufficient for the test to be run.
Went Yam Cha with 9 of my friends from SGH. Wonderful food , simply fantastic! I need to go there a few more times! The buffet is at $15 from 3 to 5 pm on weekdays. The company was great too. But I was rather more intent on the fried mango mayo roll in front of me to talk to jeremy or Candice on either side of me.
The photos I uploaded of the drawing of blood were taken during our Pre clinical training. Not of me drawing blood from this Malay lady this afternoon. Though Anna has it on her blog. ALso included up there somewhere is a picture of Alex taking a nap in the students' lounge. I took it without him knowing!
the Potato wedges and mango smoothie are what I ordered while studying at Woodlands library just before my tuition! I really am beginning to get very tired of 5 tuitions a week. I need to study and I shall read my immunology for an hour before I sleep.
My birthday is coming up. Someone asked me for my birthday wish, I realized I do not have any material need.
I realized I miss my friends. and I would like to see them this year. Maybe take have a nice meal, catch up and take some pictures!
Say from my primary school : I miss weiming, zhian, gab and of course my dearest ACES Irwin, Meikhay, Jez and Kenneth. The ACES used to celebrate one another's birthday but no longer.. I think I should reignite that tradition!
From my sec school I have my Judo friends: YuanYiu, Zhixu, Junyu, QIanming, XIntai, Jianhao, Chinxiang. Celebrated my 21st with them.
In JC I have my closest friends in Basu, Elaine, ELvin, Eugene, Amy, Selly, Anand, Kiantong, Caine, janine and Chuantin and bAO! Then there is Siru and Yishan and Edelene.
From army there is Jan, Sean and Simon!
From Yunnan there is the PANDAS! Colin, Xueting, Qiuting and Barry. Ru guo shuo le hou hui! lalalala ! Another steamboat! Maybe JIngjing and Tek also! and wanzhen, yingxian, bean, raymond, wenhui, kenny and mok!
In medicine there is Chewlip, Anna, Todd, Miaojin and Darryl.
From Judo just about everyone I would love to have for my birthday! We can even have a training session!
I am dreaming!

not writing for the sake of writing

Monday, January 01, 2007

我好想好想飞！逃离这个疯狂世界！那么多苦那么多泪！那么多莫名的伤悲！

That was the day I posted the clip the Pandas posted on Youtube onto my blog.
While coursing through my previous postings, I had unintentionally come across it again.
Songs have always played a special part in my life, as in so many other people's too. You attach memories and meanings to songs that a diary or a notebook cannot contain. Researchers have always mused upon the significance of music and how they manage to inspire, sadden, liven and bring you to a high all at the same time. Is there a biological explanation? Of course I am not interested to know, what I do know is that the above mentioned song is a serenade of some of the special friendships I have forged in less than a year.

It is one of the two songs that hold special meaning for me. We sing it in China, we sing it at Katong and heck, we even sing it when we are separated and by ourselves. Guess what is playing at pandablog? If there is ever a slow melancholy version and I know there is, I might just want it played at my last moments. Together with the other song.
那怕用一生去追，我又怎么能追得回....
It was during the last few months of 1995 that the song took an extra significance in my life.

I had checked that I started my blog in 2004. Somewhere when I was still in the army and there was a computer in my medical center. There were some events from 2001 onwards which I really think should have been recorded. They say wounds may heal but the scars remain. Did they? Does that mean scars matter? Does it still hurt? I would say new adventures bring almost complete closure, an unfortunate parting of ways mean seem like a terrible deep wound but it can still leave you as good as new. This is not the first time I am being cryptic and certainly wouldn't be the last. Who reads this junk anyway? Here I go again..

So today I did not go to school again. I was at Bishan. Waiting for my tuition and I sat at J8 for a good part of 2 hours. I was trying to read my notes, my notes on gram positive rods, those that like oxygen and those that shun it. I saw plenty of RI boys and I wonder if kids nowadays are getting scrawnier or I am just getting more massive? I certainly do not remember people being pint sized during my time. Certainly I had plenty of moments of life still left in J8.

The first time I went to Bishan with my mum, when the MRT just started to operate.
Next I could remember was going to RI to get my uniforms and decide I want to continue with higher chinese.
As an RI boy I spent a good part of my time there. My first CD I bought with my best friend TYY, when I was in secondary1. There was a music junction on the cinema floor, now stands a God's merchandise shop in its stead.
There was a Times' bookshop on the 3rd level just in front of the escalator. Often after my trainings on saturdays and after school I would be caught loitering in there.
I fell asleep watching Jurassic Park 2 after training camp at J8 too.
When I was a boarder at Bayley House, I used to shop at Daimaru which of course no longer exists. My cup noodles and drinks and stuff.
One of my few midnight shows was there. It was a night we spent at Chinsiang's two bungalows. We had caught the last train to AMK from Bishan. I had forgotten the show we watched. We were to report for our leisure camp the next day, and we came up with a totally dumb play at his house. But I throughly enjoyed it.
My first horror show with my JC friends was there as well.
I love bringing food into the cinemas. Something I enjoy doing with Anand around. Cant explain why I suddenly wrote that. Just felt like doing so.
After orientation, I brought my group to J8 for supper.
I watched Xmen with KT there and attempted to walk home from Bishan. Finally I gave up at AMK and took a cab.
I watched Love Actually with Al, XY and La there.
I experienced betrayal there as well.
I watched more movies with V there.
I took a neoprint with Class 20 one public holiday there. I received also a puma shirt as birthday present.
After famine camp, Saya and gang celebrated my birthday at the grass patch besides J8. EUgene was missing but Chuantin turned up. Elvin attempted to empty a bag of flour onto me but opened it the wrong way. Martini was there somewhere but we did not see her. Until the last moments.
I celebrated WT's birthday there last year. There was a Kim San Soon pig involved somewhere. A big box which was filled to the brim with tidbits and a nice dinner at Sakae.


Today when I saw the RI boys, I realized how carefree I had been. It is the same happiness and freedom in their eyes that I identified with. School ends early,( talking about which Dr Mark just invited us to join him in his night rounds tomorrow), I had plenty of time for myself. There is just homework to do. Now I have projects and leadership roles. Not to mention an $18000 examination. This is growing up. Actually this is not really growing up, I am past that age. It is just wondrous to note how different I have become. In terms of the things I do now and how I feel about life. Some things do not change easily though. And I know what they are.

just for fun

I am looking old

its a beauty

Chelsea

Chelsea's FA Cup hero Didier Drogba has heaped praise on Jose Mourinho following their victory over Manchester United.

Drogba revealed he sprinted off the pitch to the tunnel at the final whistle of Saturday's final to say an emotional thank-you to Mourinho.

The Ivory Coast international was delighted to repay Mourinho's and club owner Roman Abramovich's faith in him

"He (Mourinho) means a lot to me. The fact that I can stand here is down to him and Roman Abramovich," said Drogba.

"They gave me the chance to come here and so I had to say `thank-you' to them and that's why I did it.

"I had so many emotions when I scored that goal. I don't think I realised what we achieved.

"It was a great game in a fantastic stadium and I am very happy we won it.

"Times are always good when you win. Between us we have to keep this team spirit. Our spirit has always been there.

"It is difficult to lose a Champions League semi-final and then win the FA Cup final in front of the champions. It was very difficult.

"For me football is about fun. Football can be very important but there are so many things more important.

"But when you win you have to show joy because maybe tomorrow you will lose."

Who looks like Shrek?

My dinner at harborfront. It cost me $6.80. A big hole in my pocket!


















Charlene's dinner that cost her $6.50. I guess the premier of Pirates of Caribbean that is being held at Vivo is so appropriate. After all, they seems like pirates and robbers over there.









One of my Favorite character.



















Another one.



















Still one more.














My dinner again.



















My tea that costs me $1.30. Heartache. I am really getting poorer.



















Just a random shot.



















Not looking my best. But who ever looks his best weighing half a ton?



















Trying to act silly. Or it is just natural?














Grow up please.



















That is what the ear piece will do.



















A card I saw at Causewaypoint. There was an even better written card but I just did not get the opportunity to take a photo of it.














My study partner looks pissed.



















A card of my status. Note the word cool. nah. A cafe Galilee discount card. The card enables me to purchase drinks at $3.50 instead of the usual $4.50. BUt given the state of my cough, I don't see myself drinking anything cold soon.



















Trying to looking cute.



















Cute.


Today was a funny sort of day. I had two tuitions waiting for me and somehow I managed to push them both away. I guess it might just be the last time I see that tuition girl from Potong Pasir. Now, speaking of Potong Pasir, why is pasir pronounced as pasir while pasir ris is pronounced as pasir ?

Not that it matters, I think it would probably be for my own good to ditch one or two of my kids for this period. I finished a storybook about the Last Templar. I guess it was written during the hype of the Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code. It speaks about the mortality of Jesueh of Nezareth and no prize for guessing who is that. That the Church fabricated or embellished some of the current contents of the world all time ever bestseller as politics in the period then required. Another conspiracy theory advocate.

Maybe this year I will still be going to Yunnan. There is a trip to Hongkong waiting for me as well. A place I have not been to. This is a Judo club trip. My idea originally. But I guess the current committee is just eager to try out their authority that they asked for complete autonomy over the trip. I guess it might just be for everyone's good. After two years of serving the club and teaching the juniors, mothering them and making sure the club keeps up its administrative part of the bargain with the school, I can finally focus on what I have always wanted to focus on. My own training. My own development. Not that I was stunted in the last two years, it is just that I cannot give full priority to the matter. Who knows. I might just end my swan song with two gold medals. We shall see.

I was at harborfront Macdonald's today for the first unofficial meeting of YN2007. Before that I saw the staff wearing the Shrek ear piece and I knew I had to have it. When I approached the counter, I saw that the proceeds of the earpiece will be to the Royal Macdonald's Children Fund. So it will be for a good cause. I am always for a good cause anyway.It cost me two dollars. I wore it happily while waiting for my friends. A few curious diners stared in my direction more than once. One kid ran by while his eyes glued to me. Now he believes that Shrek is real. I should have let out a Shrek-worthy bellow at that point.

So this year the YN intake might be reduced. I just hope to find enough juniors so that our efforts may continue next year. I learnt the importance of continuity within a society from Judo. It is always about sustainment, to keep the efforts going from year to year. So that we may grin ear to ear in knowledge that our good work is being continued somewhere sometime. Then the next meeting would be to solidify our objectives and coming up with a time line. Simple enough. I cannot wait for this year's project to get kicked off and roaring.

I also read about Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. And leprae. And the first line drugs against them and the second line drugs as backup. Maybe by next week i will finish my bacteria. All the germs. I have been down with one since my last exams. It is not getting better with all the codeine I have been downing. I don't even whoop during my cough so it should be whooping cough. Where are my IgAs?

Chelsea finally won the FA cup after a long and trying season. Sometimes when people asked which team I supported and when my reply is Chelsea, they will automatically follow up with the question of are you a recent convert. The implication of that question is did you follow Chelsea simply because they are a winning team and they are the fag of the moment. Who doesn't support a winner? Did not Man U or Liverpool win over the majority of their fans while embarking on successful campaigns? But once a fan, I guess you will support your club through thick and thin. I am just glad that this period is a thick one for Chelsea. There will be heartbreak moments or mindnumbing ones such as when Liverpool won through the penalty kicks to reach the CL finals. But I still love the character of the team to proudly stand up in defeat and look forward to the challenges ahead. The goal that won them back to back FA cup at the Wembley was exquisite.

I will be posting a lot of pictures today and I guess it is best I explain the circumstances the photos were taken. I have left a lot of unexplained photos around. Not today.