GBR Damper
Falkenstål Fever
The title was Grilled's, but FC GBR were not content to join in the festivities, Örjan 'Pavan' Falkenstål answwering Hjortlind goal for goal to power them to a 4-2 win. This meant FC GBR achieved a hundred per cent record against the Birds this season, taking all six points off them, and evening their all-time record against Grilled to three wins apiece.
With an eye on the probable qualifier, Grilled's stars appeared a tad reserved as they pulled their tackles, to their loss in the seventh minute. Pakpao got the nod ahead of Dewilde and Rottman for the rightback spot, but was a letdown as he was taken in by Andergård's sharp twisting. Tuan-Mu scrambled the ball behind, and Grilled promptly capitulated at the corner as veteran defender Nils Thorkvist's outswinger was taken down by Chalmers outside the box. Ju-Hau was closest and should have covered the shot, but stood back and looked as Chalmer's attempt stung one of his own men and bounced the other direction right behind Tuan-Mu, who looked everywhere but at the ball.
Bao-Tam must have counted on his sweeper to notice it, for he maintained his position at the near post as Westerkvist, playing his last match for FC GBR, stole in and passed it to Krysiuk at the other post for a soft goal. The second followed swiftly as the whole defence got parted by well-timed wide runs. Bengt Sunesson kept Tuan-Mu from getting too close with a weaving dash, creating a few metres of good space when he got Westerkvist's sidefoot. A great first stride left his shadow with no legal recourse, and Bao-Tam was a mere spectator as his shot hit the back of the net.
In the absence of Martinsson, in the VIP boxes on a red card,
Joe Stern deputised ably and in the nineteenth minute almost hit in a goal to match his title-winning one, a missile from a free kick that left the goalposts quaking. Hjortlind pounced in, calmly controlling the violent rebound and gave Grilled hope with a sharp finish. Hjortlind became the focus of the game as he was in action all over, then spoilt it all with an unforgivable scything down of Swiss midfielder Walter Canonica, a confirmed transfer to Uruguayian side Dragonlan FC in the off-season. FC GBR's homegrown replacement Hor Kan-Wee entered to applause, which loudened when the outstanding Krysiuk racked up an assist with a cushioned header to Falkenstål, who had no problems beating Bao-Tam from three metres.
Stanton revelled in his preferred central midfield role and pulled off some interesting passes. With Dai-Lin nullified by Thorkvist, more balls went
Aznan Noor Yadah's way, and Grilled's star attraction had better luck against his marker Cheng Shiu-Hun. Leveraging on his speed, Aznan forced Cheng to lay off him and had clear sight of Hjortlind steaming in crossfield. Stern provided an alternative choice as he came up for the short pass, but Aznan's ambitious cross proved fruitful as Hjortlind outjumped Henrik Rahmgård to head it in at the far post.
Fired up by his potential match-turner, Hjortlind carromed into several unwise challenges that the referee tried to overlook, but when he nearly put a second GBR player out the referee had to send him off. Hjortlind hotly debated the decision, and had to be led off by team captain
Luis Alcántara. The team sunk further into despodency when Falkenstål rubbed salt into the wound with a clinical mid-range shot that put the score up to 4-2.
Aznan Noor Yadah tried to lift the team to a comeback, but Stern was outnumbered badly as he jostled for position to convert Aznan's excellent cross. Grilled didn't have the monopoly on rough play despite a spate of unbecoming scrappiness, as FC GBR's English midfielder David Chalmers appeared to bring down Stanton maliciously as the latter shielded the ball from him. The red card was of no consequence, though, as only four minutes were left on the clock.
