Banishing The Bleakness
Grilled International surpassed their point total of the previous campaign at the halfway point with a 5-3 away win at main challengers Black Trapper, and head coach
Roar Olaisen was exultant at having put that forgettable stretch of history into the locker.
"This should be our most difficult fixture for the remainder of the season, and the team passed with flying colours." Olaisen declared.
International would never fall behind in this game, as Trapper's French mastermind Sébastien Allain failed to replicate the tactical genius that had seen them edge this fixture twice last term. Without Anselmo Pucci after the Italian striker had busted his shoulder last week against Karottentrekkers, Allain would have to fall back on 38 year-old Norwegian backup Olav Rongved, and it showed.
Sazwan bin Hj Muhd Salleh would nick a 31st minute lead for International, but would then miss a sitter on a corner, following
Fausto Perono's own botch. Jorge Luis Zúñiga then equalized on a snazzy right-side play, but the on-fire
Safari bin Hj Jali would nod a corner in, a minute before half-time. Trapper had relaxed a bit too soon, and
Ragib Banović went for a penalty, that
Didi Reidenbach converted.
Rongved would score in the 48th minute after a mediocre first half, but International put it to bed with strikes from
Wang Chu Chi and Sazwan;
Fausto Perono would be taken off as a precaution as he was seen limping after one turn too many, and Kenyan winger James Eshiwani clawed another back for the hosts, barrelling past a static International line.
It wasn't enough, and International thus overtook Black Trapper at the top of V.231 by a point; AC Uettligen are five further points adrift, despite stopping a stubborn K. Olsa Brakel 2-1 at home.
Olaisen saw no reason why International could not take a huge step towards securing their second Division Five championship with another victory next Sunday, but cautioned his players about their attitude. "A few - just a few - of them don't seem to be taking the game seriously enough. I won't be naming them just yet, but there had better be an adjustment coming."
