Due to an all-day shower, the spectators got to see a match on a pitch-turned-bog. The pitch was a disaster, due to all the rain. This spelled problems for the more sophisticated players, who usually could rely on speed or technique. For those relying on grit and strength, it actually meant an edge. The following players had been selected: Salmiņš - Panigrahi, Jeftić - Chuan Yong, Xin Seng, Mohammad Harun, Kamel, Parvathaneni - Mudaliar, Ze Han, Egan.

They fielded: Wrulich - Hochart, Rothfuss, Cerasuolo - Kargoł, Schleipfer, Mereniuc, Laperre, Bray - Brutāns, Tănăsescu.

The teams had chosen different formations for the match. The home team, Grilled Birds, went for a 2-5-3, while Holmes 21 has decided to play a 3-5-2 lineup. Grilled clearly preferred using their divine (+7) (27) ability to attack in the middle today. Grilled's Moey Xin Seng was shown a yellow card for standing over the ball and blocking an opponent's quick free kick after 23 minutes. Vikram Mudaliar's long shot really ought to have found the net for Grilled after 24 minutes, but it fell just wide of the target. Hariton Mereniuc of Holmes finished off the counter-attack from the left rather easily, making it 0 - 1. Grilled were determined to attack in the middle, even their wing attacks ended up coming through the center. Bhavya Panigrahi pulled a rabbit out of his hat as he wove through the guest's entire central defense and put the 1 - 1 equalizer away after 31 minutes. The referee showed Holmes's Gianluca Rothfuss the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. Moey Xin Seng will have Excedrin Headache number 5 after heading home the hard corner kick from Mateja Jeftić after 36 minutes of play. I'm sure that making the score 2 - 1 will assuage him a bit, though. Grilled players heard their coach's words ringing in their ears and steered their wing attacks to the middle instead. A magnificent combination in the middle resulted in Grilled's Moey Xin Seng bringing the lead up to 3 - 1. A great save by keeper Dölf Wrulich with 41 minutes gone kept the visitors in the game after Vikram Mudaliar struck from the left with a real cannonball. 3 - 1 was the halftime score. Grilled did a good job holding on to the ball, with 62 percent of possession. We'll be back after these interminable commercial messages.

Things were going from bad to worse for the visitors. Bhavya Panigrahi was able to squirm through the central defense after 56 minutes and score, bringing the lead to 4 - 1. 60 minutes into the game, Grilled wanted to bring some new energy to their game. Bhavya Panigrahi gave Gilbert Webb a quick hug as he left the field. Desperate for a goal, Holmes's Nolan Laperre saw that the home team's keeper was off his line. Coming in from the right side, his chip successfully reduced the lead to 4 - 2. Mateja Jeftić almost put Grilled ahead another goal when he curled a free kick over the defensive wall and almost into the net, but the visitors' keeper got there just in time to knock it wide. After 71 minutes, a well-worked counter-attack by Holmes on the right gave Cătălin Tănăsescu an easy opportunity in front of the goal. He duly converted to make it 4 - 3. After 80 minutes, the Grilled coach wanted to see a new face on the field, waving Kalki Parvathaneni off. 吴 (Wu) 敬龙 (Jinglong) took his place. With the clock showing 80 minutes, the fourth official held up the substitution board. Bilal Mohammad Harun looked to see that it was his number in red, so he made his way over to the sideline and swapped out for Kalle ter Berg, though he would have liked to continue. Grilled solidified their lead at the 83 minute mark, as Moey Xin Seng snaked the ball through the central line of defense and finished for 5 - 3. That was his third goal of the match - a hattrick for Moey Xin Seng! That's the name of the game! The referee decided to let play continue for an additional 3 beyond the regular 90 minutes. Grilled's Chan Ze Han swung in a good chance from the left, but the visitors' defense were able to clear the ball. The match ends 5 - 3. Grilled set the tempo, maintaining 63 percent of possession.

Chan Ze Han performed admirably for Grilled. Even six year old fans were wincing at the poor play by Teo Chuan Yong today. Holmes's best player was Dāniels Brutāns. I can't remember Hieronim Kargoł ever having a worse night than he just had.