After more than a week following the match which was the talk of the town at the National School Games, both Singapore Sports School )SSP) and Assumption Pathway School (APS) released a joint statement on 30 January.
On 22 January, during a NSG match involving both teams, the SSP scored a 32-0 win over APS.
The scoreline made heads turn with opinions being cast by various parties over the one-sided scoreline.
In the statement signed off by Ms Tan Bee Lian (Director, SSP) and Mr Mohamed Tahir (Head of Department, CCA, APS), the statement said, “We thank concerned parties who have given feedback about the recent football game between Assumption Pathway School and Singapore Sports School.
“We wish to assure everyone that both teams agreed to play our best in the spirit of true sportsmanship.
“The match was played respectfully and the players displayed resilience and effort. The boys from both teams enjoyed the game and drew valuable lessons from it.
“These include the mistakes and good moves made. They also knew that beyond the qualifying rounds, they will be playing with teams of comparable abilities, where they will need to continue playing their best.”
The statement added that “both teams came together for a post-match debrief, where the players and coaches from the Singapore Sports School praised the Assumption Pathway School team for their great fighting spirit.”
“We are proud of the players for showing good friendship, teamwork and sportsmanship – values that the National School Games aim to promote,” added the joint statement.
Both school representatives also thanked the “football fraternity for their concerns and hope that the commentaries on the game will recede so that our boys can be given space to play and enjoy their games going forward.”
Following the match, which was reported here, various parties including former national striker Aleksandar Duric and Low Teo Ping, former president of Singapore Rugby spoke out against the thrashing, with Duric saying that such scorelines ‘should not happen.’
Photo: Singapore Sports School
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