SLBRED 0 - 5 Grilled
Due to an all-day shower, the spectators got to see a match on a pitch-turned-bog. While a boggy pitch like this was an advantage for physical players, it really didn't help those who relied on speed or technique. Starters:
Barata -
Caldas,
Kelly,
Šuba -
Rivero,
Melo,
Faro,
Veríssimo,
Guérin -
Pimentel Santos.
They fielded:
Salmiņš -
Carapaica,
Webb -
Kamel,
Chuan Yong,
Xin Lee,
Mohammad Harun,
Dong Chu -
Ze Han,
Egan,
Xin Seng.
SLB REDONDOS fielded a 3-5-1 lineup. For Grilled Birds, the formation of choice was a 2-5-3. Grilled clearly preferred using their divine (+6) (26) ability to attack in the middle today. SLBRED's
David Filipe Pimentel Santos tried to break through the middle repeatedly, but the visitors' defenders were just too alert. Grilled had several good opportunities to take the lead, especially 15 minutes in when
Chan Ze Han found himself alone with
Damas Barata who managed a block. The visiting
Gilbert Webb was booed thoroughly by the home crowd 32 minutes into the game, after he broke through the middle and scored, resulting in the visitors taking the lead. 0 - 1 was the score. 34 minutes in, SLBRED appeared unsure on how to play and their organization was only passable (6). It was obvious that Grilled had instructions to attack in the middle when they directed a break on the wing into the center of the park. A thrilling play through the middle after 36 minutes gave Grilled's
Bernie Egan a chance to increase the lead, and he happily obliged. The score was then 0 - 2. 41 minutes into the game, SLBRED seemed a little tentative in their play as their organization fell to inadequate (5). After 42 minutes, there was a bit of a mixup on the field as SLBRED found themselves out of position and their organization level dropped to weak (4). A defender managed to keep the ball from crossing the goal-line after a curling shot from the right by
Chan Ze Han beat the keeper with 43 minutes played, preventing Grilled from going up another goal. The teams went for the halftime break at 0 - 2. Well, look at this! Cardi B is on the Enormotron in naught but giant sunglasses, red tassles, and a Holy Hand Grenades of Antioch tank top. I've not seen anything like it before. The SLBRED coach might have gone through a whole marker putting the playbook up on the board, but it seemed to have worked, with the team regaining a solid (7) organization for the second half. 46 minutes into the game, Grilled wanted to bring some new energy to their game.
Bernie Egan gave
Vikram Mudaliar a quick hug as he left the field. As the 46 minute mark approached, the Grilled manager decided it was time for a substitution.
Salah Kamel reluctantly made way for
Kalki Parvathaneni. 50 minutes into the game, SLBRED seemed to suffer a certain amount of confusion and they fell to a passable (6) level of organization. After 52 minutes, the excellent pass from the wing by Grilled's
Kalki Parvathaneni reached
Bilal Mohammad Harun's head, and he is not one to miss such an opportunity - 0 - 3. 69 minutes into the game, SLBRED had difficulty finding their positions and their organization dropped to weak (4).
Heng Dong Chu dispatched a majestic long shot 72 minutes in, but missed the goal by a few yards. Grilled's
Teo Chuan Yong made it through the home team's defense on the right hand side 73 minutes into the match. After rounding the keeper, he only had to place the ball in the unguarded net when a defender slid in and cleared the ball off the line. With 82 minutes played,
Chan Ze Han nearly put the visitors up by one more as he broke through in the middle and fired from just outside the box, but his shot whizzed just over the bar. A beautiful, arcing corner kick from
Gilbert Webb found
Bilal Mohammad Harun at the far post, soaring to meet the ball. The keeper is late and he's headed it in for 0 - 4! The home team's task just got even harder after
Gilbert Webb buried the penalty kick. Grilled lead 0 - 5 after 84 minutes. As the match nears its end, the referee deemed it appropriate to add 2 minutes as stoppage time. The match ends 0 - 5. Grilled did a good job holding on to the ball, with 69 percent of possession. We'll be back after these interminable commercial messages.
SLBRED's top performer was clearly
David Filipe Pimentel Santos. You can tell it was nickel beer night yesterday at the local bar because
Evaldo Caldas seemed to stumble all over the pitch. Most important Grilled player was
Chan Ze Han. I can't remember
Kalki Parvathaneni ever having a worse night than he just had.