The Accidental Finalists
When the dust had settled, it was realized that Farmer Bunnies had defeated Merlion Cup organizers Perspolis I.F.C in the semifinals, and they will contest for the trophy against Italian Division Three bigwigs Musci Team, who had outdone local II.4 side frunzelite 3-1 in the other semis.
No-one would be quite as taken aback as the Bunnies players themselves, who had gone into the match against a qualitatively superior Perspolis team with zero expectations. It was all going according to script as Nabil Ahamada - who had won the Comoros Super with his hometown club Real Sócc'mel - crashed a half-volley home after twelve minutes, but
Ho Ah Kian found an equalizer from next to nothing, when
Lau Keng Kwang cleared wildly from Michelangelo Moscati's repelled effort up the left.
That doused what had up to then been a white-hot Perspolis offence, and the half-time subs of
Lee Yau Tong and
Guan Ming Kum refreshed the Buns' defence, allowing them to cope more comfortably against the dynamic duo of Ahamada and Florindo Cammareri. Still, they had to rely on
Gilberto Sorondo's safe hands more than once, as the former El Salvadorean U-20 goalkeeper batted good efforts by Kuba Łotysz and Philippe Durand aside.
Stamina turned out to be Perspolis' Achilles heel, as they were unable to threaten convincingly in extra time, and
Edgar Popienia's counter in the 111st minute would be the only shot on target, well-saved by Ghana custodian Abdulai Boampong. In a head-to-head between Sorondo and Boampong in the ensuing penalty shootout, the former would come out on top, as he stopped Perspolis' first two takes, from Matthias Léna and then Łotysz. Boampong blocked
Guan Ming Kum's pedestrian grounder, but
Lau Keng Kwang won it, 5-3.
The disbelieving Buns would almost forget to perform the customary charge from the halfway line, but they would give Sorondo a few tosses up into the air, once they collected themselves. "Yeah, bring 'em on." the jubilant goalkeeper roared. "Who? Frankly, I don't care!"
