Ulkered Under
Penati Kicks
Nearly five thousand turned up to watch Grilled's friendly against Azerbaijani top division side Ulker-FC in the latter's QAYA stadium. Grilled gave their three new youngsters their first run out, and perhaps expectedly they were no match for Ulker who dominated the game. Ulker's manager also being in charge of their national side was a measure of their tactical nous.
Ulker fanned out in typical continental style and gave a lot of the ball to their wingers ?liqulu Kamalzad? and Mikayil Ishaqzad?, thus turning the game into good practice for Chowdhury and Penati especially. The four were often seen scampering after each other on the flanks a tad naively, but judging from the spectators' cheering they appreciated their vigour for the game.
A painful accident occured in the 28th minute when
Hang Bao-Tam raced off his line for a loose through ball and ended with with a knee to the face from marauding defender Namiq Nahidzad?. Blindsided by a covering defender, Nahidzad? was apologetic enough for the damage caused, but it was of little consolation to Hang who had to be ferried off.
The game went on with
Cheung Huel-sheng installed between the posts and Bona handed the captain's armband, and Cheung was soon called into action when Penati lost Kamalzad? when the latter made a sharp turn. Kamalzad? was too confident trying to fool Cheung too with a shrug and walk it into goal, though, as the experienced didn't take the bait and swiped the ball off his feet. Some of his teammates immediatedly appealed for a penalty, but the referee was unmoved.
A goalless first-half was just about what Grilled could realistically have hoped for, but Ulker had their home fans to think about and shifted gears after the restart. It was Chowdhury's turn to be found wanting defensively, as he was nowhere in sight when his opposite number Ishaqzad? ghosted into the middle. Grilled's central defenders already had their hands full, and could only watch as Ishaqzad? blasted his strike expertly into the roof of the net.
The second was added by Norwegian centreback Jørgen Nygård, who found Cheung out with an accurate grounder after a prolonged spell of possession by his team. Grilled would not leave empty handed though, as Penati suddenly turned on the acceleration after being invisible for most of the second half. Mirchev picked out his run and played a good ball behind the defence that the Italian lad spectacularly lobbed over Faiq Mehdizade for a debut goal. True to his reputation, he then went on a solo celebration spree that would surely annoy some of his academy peers back home.
There was still time for Grilled to let in a sloppy third as no-one picked up Shashkov's dash inside. Cheung threw himself at the rocket-shot and came nowhere close, though it ended up flying back off the upright in the end. There would be no denying Ulker the second time around as Nygård was available to tap the ball in after striker Will Wheat headed the rebound back, unfortunately.
