Laying Down The Law
Grilled Birds gaffer
Eren Serpin presided over former Chicken Wings custodian
Cameron Law's signing of his first contract with the senior side, a day after he turned nineteen. The promotion had been in the works for some time, with the assistant coaches having often hinted about bringing in competition for Law's academy senior
Louis Vara, for the third-choice goalkeeper spot.
Serpin reiterated that this was an important role. "Touch wood, but if
Jānis Salmiņš gets hurt or suspended, one of Vadalà, Vara or now Law will have to step in - and we are out to win every match, note."
Law was definitely not about to undersell himself, as he claimed the Number Thirty shirt previously worn by two of Grilled's greatest keepers of yore, Ahmed Abed-Sulaiman and Valdir Dias Paes. The number had fallen into disuse for over thirty seasons after the former Brazilian U-20 man's departure, and to Law, it was high time to honour their memory by bringing it back into play.
And in the Battle for Division II tournament, the Farmer Bunnies helped II.4 to a 2-1 aggregate win over their Paraguay counterparts, by defeating former Copa Zafiro victors Bonzi FC by three goals to one. Skipper
Vishnu Tallapaka got the ball rolling from open play, and sharp counters down the flanks by
Djoko Tambusai and
Lau Chang Wan suggested that the Buns still had it. Bonzi's consolation was then scored by Adalberto Riveros, as he asserted himself on a corner.
Grilled International's chase of New Vikings in the league took a turn for the better, as they made up three points on the leaders with their 4-2 away triumph at The Sun men. International had Livius to thank too, as the Romanians cut the Vikings down 4-1 at home, aided by an almost-comedic own goal from Filipe Vicente Costa Pais.
International would have to survive a second-half pushback by Mahmoud El Nabawy, whose workrate never faded despite the mountain they had to climb, and even Gil Vásquez having to go off because of a knock played well for The Sun men, as Abdul Shauqee's entry only provided more impetus to their midfield. International duly closed ranks after Mahmoud's second, and got to the end without further incident.
With the Vikings up against two of the bottom three clubs in their remaining fixtures,
Roar Olaisen was not exactly sanguine about them dropping additional points, but he pledged that he would set the team up to capitalize if they did. "It wouldn't be right otherwise, would it?"
