The rain was pouring down at the stadium today. While a boggy pitch like this was an advantage for physical players, it really didn't help those who relied on speed or technique. The following players took the field: Dob - 中北 (Nakakita), Panigrahi - Künzler, Mohammad Harun, Muthyala, Parvathaneni, Dong Chu - Ze Han, Egan, Mudaliar.

Lineup: Al-Saadi - Ristikangas, Rosenberg, Tatti - Date, Guest, Canţîr, Perdigão, Barão - Beer, Balaychuk.

The teams had chosen different formations for the match. The home team, Grilled Birds, went for a 2-5-3, while Shooters Hill Mob has decided to play a 3-5-2 lineup. Grilled fans held their breath as 悠太 (Yuta) 中北 (Nakakita) gallivanted down the left side. He successfully avoided all challenges and fired home the go-ahead goal for 1 - 0! José Duarte Barão managed to make an excellent pass from the wing, but Daniel Perdigão was not as skillful and couldn't finish it off. Grilled solidified their lead at the 29 minute mark, as 悠太 (Yuta) 中北 (Nakakita) snaked the ball through the central line of defense and finished for 2 - 0. Shooters reduced the deficit to 2 - 1 with a perfectly placed penalty by José Duarte Barão. Coming in from the right, 悠太 (Yuta) 中北 (Nakakita) almost managed to score another goal for Grilled, but his header was kept out by the lightning fast reflexes of the visiting keeper. After a play down the right 37 minutes into the match, Grilled's Bilal Mohammad Harun unleashed a ferocious shot that smashed into the roof of the net - after going over the crossbar. The visitors' equalizer seemed inevitable after 39 minutes, following a one on one situation around the left hand side of the goal area, but Massoud Dob got the best of it, blocking the shot from Rodolfo Beer. It was 2 - 1 at the break. Well, look at this! Nikki Minaj is on the Jumbotron in naught but pink lipstick, soccer balls, and a Ben Nevis of platinum hair. I've not seen anything like it before. She's not got enough room inside her for a rheumatic pain. Can you hear her? After 46 minutes, the Grilled coach wanted to see a new face on the field, waving Bilal Mohammad Harun off. Chu Xin Lee took his place. If the home side can close out the game with their lead intact, they'll have Massoud Dob to thank, after he made a stunning leap to deny José Duarte Barão from scoring the equalizer after a run through the center 47 minutes in. Grilled's Kalki Parvathaneni was delighted to score as he saw his shot go between the legs of the advancing keeper and into the net, following some good attacking movement on the right wing. 3 - 1 after 49 minutes. Shooters breathed new life into the game with an attempt to reduce the lead after 56 minutes, but the home side's defenders cleared the ball off the line, after a long shot coming in from the left rebounded off the crossbar. After 71 minutes, Grilled's lack of experience resulted in the team's loss of their edge at the end of the game. Always quick and a menace to his opponents, Daniel Perdigão got through after 76 minutes, but the keeper deflected his shot and a defender took care of the rebound. After 77 minutes, a couple of quick and successful challenges followed by a shot from just outside the penalty area by Bernie Egan might have resulted in another goal for Grilled. However, Mustapha Al-Saadi made a spectacular save. Bhavya Panigrahi of Grilled received a yellow card after 80 minutes for unsportsmanlike behavior. After 83 minutes, Cyril Künzler put Grilled ahead 4 - 1 when he rose to head in a hooked ball, the result of an effort from the right side. Boris Canţîr almost seemed to dance around Neeraj Muthyala, his movements were so smooth. Unfortunately for Shooters, his shot ended up on the wrong side of the post. Vikram Mudaliar was not content with his team's lead, and tried to extend it 85 minutes into the game after a nice run through the middle, but his shot went wide. Neeraj Muthyala had a fantastic opportunity to put Grilled up another goal 86 minutes into the match, but he fired just over the crossbar. The fourth official announced that there would be 2 minutes of stoppage time, giving fans a slim hope that their team could get one more attack in before this was all over. The match ends 4 - 1. Looks like Nate Silver was right again - his prediction that Shooters would have 52 percent possession in this half was spot on!

Grilled's top performer was clearly Chan Ze Han. Speaking of stinking up the place, 悠太 (Yuta) 中北 (Nakakita) sure smelled like the bottom of Batman's shoe after a night of crimefighting in Gotham. The most outstanding Shooters player was without a doubt Rodolfo Beer. I can't remember Mario Tatti ever having a worse night than he just had.