Walled Off Royally
Even as Grilled Birds kept their slim hopes of advancing in the Supporter Week Trophy alive, the Buns were effectively eliminated after a draw and a loss on their second day. Grilled International managed to rack up five straight victories, before crashing in their final match.
Senegal Division Two club Cottbus Red Lions were the Birds' first opponents, and it would be
Vikram Mudaliar who stole the show against them. The Lions had rallied from going two early goals down, to 2-2 by the 30th minute, and it took a fine first-time touch by Mudaliar to send the ball past Moussa Sall for the three points. His involvement was however done in the 80th minute, after receiving a second yellow card for arguing with the referee over what he thought was an unawarded free-kick.
Mudaliar's suspension would however not be an issue against South Korean II.3 winners and former Korea Emerald Challenger Cup holders LOVE HEART, who were sunk 6-0 as
Kalki Parvathaneni thundered in a hat-trick. Recent German Division Four promotees VEB Getränkekombinat were next, but would likewise suffer a Kalki opener, before succumbing 1-5. 35 year-old striker Lars Josten, a recent transfer from ex-Belgian Eerste Klasse champions RSC Pride of St-Juliens, would lob Dob for their consolation goal.
The Buns' inability to comprehensively close down recently-demoted Philippines top division side Royal Wall Gunners would be their downfall, as some dead-eye sniping from Riccardo Beconcini put the Gunners two goals up by the 57th minute.
Kwek Yun Jie would steal back a questionable goal in injury time, but that couldn't prevent a defeat, with the final score being 2-3.
Former Kenyan Consolation Cup winners Dortmund*09 would be a more straightforward proposition, as they fell to a textbook counterattacking display from the Buns.
Jon Benson,
Vishnu Tallapaka and
Mushtag Al-Nameeri struck on breakaways, for a three-nil win. No goals would be forthcoming against current Liga Mayor de Futbol side Código III however, with the Copa Quisqueya holders boasting of a defence in no way inferior to the Buns, and which had taken them to an incredible 24 competitive games without defeat. Dominican Republic regular international defender Marcos Fernández was on top of his game, as he gave
Mushtag Al-Nameeri barely any room to operate.
Ragib Banović would explode for Grilled International versus Chilean IV.50 side Dragonesaurios, with his first-half hat-trick - garnered in an exhilarating five minutes towards the end - shepherding them to a 4-2 result. Swiss Division Six club Ozzies were International's next victims, aided by a 26th minute penalty rolled in by
Didi Reidenbach.
Fausto Perono added another despite the Ozzies' attempted press, and
Tommy Dongelmans secured the win following Giuseppe Iommi's reducer.
International's brave run would end at the hands of Czech V.11 club AC Bílé Vrány, who defeated them 3-2 through Sébastien Goulet's late drilled free-kick. That completed a remarkable dead ball hat-trick for the veteran Frenchman, and negated decent goals by
Osertz Indurain and Dongelmans.
