Polished Off
Soaring Sid
Though the weather was again unkind to Grilled's adventures in the FdgfD Cup, Sid single-handedly carried the Birds into the last four with a hat-trick that brightened a rather grim and tactical grind of a game.
Apocalipticos were obviously convinced that the best form of defence was a packed backline, and kept five men behind at all times when Grilled took possession. Their giant Polish captain Grzegorz Przybyla was a force to be reckoned with even alone in midfield, but the day would belong to another Pole, one not on their side.
While all eyes were on van Liere to open up space by beating defenders, it was his understudy
Peter Fjällbratt who crafted the first clear chance. Ivan Nahuel Garfagnoli had him in his pocket before, but got a bit too eager to shut down the Swede and ended up handing him a clear run down the sidelines. He crashed in a cross for the strikers, but it was overhit and went straight to an unmarked Sid at the far post, who just about squeezed it by Colombian keeper Pablo Janota.
Sid would have his second when Janota was ruled to have prevented van Liere from reaching the ball on Grilled's next attack. It was a strange penalty to give away for sure, and Janota was not able to make amends against the guile of Sid, who easily put the penalty kick into the net.
The Argentinean team were given a way back thanks to
Dani Spirig, who appeared to regress back to his floozy youth team days when he attempted to outdribble both opposition strikers on the edge of his own box. Zhekov scrambled the ball away from Spirig with an incisive tackle, and Steffansson held all the cards against Beckman who dived too late.
Apocalipticos' gameplan appeared to be working as they rebuffed Grilled's next attacks with some comfort, and Grilled were not helped by Rotteveel's new boots refusing to cooperate. The Dutch striker toppled multiple times as his studs failed him, and after one particularly embarassing fall flat on his face, he finally threw in the towel and signalled for his old cleats and an ice-pack.
Brazilian defender Tobias Samuel showed Talib a clean pair of heels with a parking lot trick in the 36th minute, though this time Beckman managed to bail Grilled out, as he got a strong hand out to hold the ball just in front of the line.
Finnish striker Marko Steffansson had been up for it all afternoon, and some may have felt that he deserved a penalty after coming the worse off a shoulder-to-shoulder contest of wills with Bona in the box. Not the referee, though, who booked Steffansson instead. The bitter taste in his mouth must have gotten worse when Rotteveel got the benefit of the doubt in a similar incident at the other end, which allowed Sid to complete his second FdgfD Cup hattrick.
Apocalipticos had to abandon their defensive philosophy and go for it as the minutes slipped away, though it was clear that most of their players were not exactly used to constructing offensive moves. Rotteveel was left to rue a close-range grounder that skittered off the post, but once the passionate Steffansson was sent off for hauling Han Kok down, it was smooth sailing for Grilled.
