The Birds clinched the league title in front of their own fans as Initial D visited, with their 34 points making them uncatchable by the chasing pack, going into the final round of matches.

While main challengers Al-Daud might have hoped for the City side to hold Grilled as they did earlier on in the season, their defeat to Woxingwosu FC the previous week didn't bode well for either opponent. They did however prove handy on the flanks, and a cautious Grilled side, desiring to end the race on this day, refused to commit their own wingbacks forward.

The impasse was nearly broken after half an hour, with Feng Darong beginning to ask questions of Peltonen at Initial D's left defence, as his fluid turns inconvenienced the Finn. This eventually brought a free-kick that was put wide for Subri to sneak in a long range effort, that disappointingly flew well wide.

Grilled's break finally came on the other flank through Ciro Penati, after Subri got on the end of a vicious challenger by Diethmar Leeger. The Italian raced clear of the last man on the right, and winged the ball beautifully into the far top corner to send the supporters behind the goal into rapture.

Maikel Rotteveel drove a further nail into Al-Daud's hopes on the next free-kick. Initial's goalkeeper confidently called for just a three-man wall despite the ball being in prime position for a crack at goal, and Rotteveel made Rodríguez regret his judgment by simply planting the ball in off the post.

Grilled steamrolled the visitors in the second half, with Subri's constant tormentor Leeger sent off for cynically putting himself in the Malaysian's path, two minutes after Subri made it three. Young wingers Jianyong and Darong then took advantage of Initial's tiring flankmen, each contributing a goal for 5-0.

It was then down to Rotteveel to spark the celebrations, which he did by completing his hat-trick in the 80th minute, more or less crowning himself top scorer in the league with 18 goals, unless Subri or Archlight's Loh Kong Puay can overtake him next week.