Not As Big
Superstars Shine
Drained from the weekend's exertions against United Warrior Team, Grilled sprang out of the gates in Italy to try and put their match against Big's Superstars to bed as early as they could. It all looked so safe when they ran up a three-nothing lead just past the half-hour, but the team then faded and the German side marched on to secure victory with four goals in return.
Grilled got to a brilliant start against the best defence in the tournament, as
Quah Han Kok converted from their first real attack. Bona cleared his lines after a tenative Superstars punt, and Spirig controlled expertly to find Rotteveel running into space. Han Kok blazed through to retrieve the Dutch striker's scooped pass, and the formidable French custodian Thibaut Poudroux couldn't prevent his side from conceding only their second goal in the Cup so far.
It was two-nil before ten minutes, with tall left winger
Peter Fjällbratt putting his frame to good use. Sid's corner was dropped into a very crowded six-yard box, but Poudroux was blocked by several players allowing Fjällbratt to leap successfully into the fray.
The German side had the upper hand in possession as their superb fitness compared favourably with the lingering fatigue experienced by many of the Grilled starters, and the overworked Bona suffered a nasty blow to his head after catching Marko Grassmann's shoulder with it. Former coach
Luis Alcántara was called upon as Bona was stretchered off.
Alcántara's pace was clearly not up to scratch, which encouraged the Superstars' teenaged forwards to run the ball against the 40 year-old. Talib covered well for his aged partner, but the duo were suddenly caught out by a ball over the top from midfield. The giant Fiedelsberger brought it down with his chest, but his finish left much to be desired as he hoofed it into the stands.
Rotteveel broke past his marker fractionally from Beckman's ensuing goal kick, and did well enough to poke it under a rushing Poudroux. It was classic route one football, but none of Grilled's faithful were complaining as they celebrated what appeared to be a sewn-up semifinal tie.
The Superstars gave themselves a way back when Grassmann finally put away one of the chances that his side's dominant midfield regularly churned out. Getting the better of Alcántara in a contest of strength, the 19 year-old German ran onto Yordi Lauwers' nicely chipped cross to blast it beyond Beckman's reach.
Winfried Holzminden put the Superstars right back on track as Talib lost Portugeuse winger Herman de Castro, who managed to keep a hard ball sent down the line in play. de Castro held the ball near Grilled's corner flag as he waited for his teammates to catch up, and when they did his pullback was stroked into the far corner by Holzminden to cut Grilled's lead to one.
After another close shave, this time involving a tame header from Eckhard Mette which Beckman gathered up, Grilled threatened to take control again as Fjällbratt played his heart out on the left flank despite being rather limited technically. His pure grit won bin Yaacob a free shot that was however harmlessly sent into the advertising boards.
Fiedelsberger then made it three-all as none of Grilled's defenders could even get close to him when he jumped for an outswinging cross from Lauwers, who again was given too much time on the ball. Beckman didn't even bother to move as the looping header sailed well over him into the other side of his goal.
The momentum clearly favoured the Superstars, who were able to run rings around their Grilled counterparts as the game wore on. Grilled were resolved to hold out for as long as they could, but after losing Jie Siong to a messy tackle by Lauwers and surviving a less than clean challenge on Grassmann in extra time, the tireless Münnichshöfer sidestepped Grilled's flatfooted defence and whipped in the golden goal.