Grilled Birds would seek to bury their disappointment in honest sweat, and sallied forth to three straight victories in the opening rounds of the Trophy of Legends. First up were Argentine VI.911 winners Sin Tierra Fútbol Club, led by their Palestine talisman Hamid Hammad, but it was to be a pristinely one-sided affair once Mateja Jeftić scored from the spot in the third minute. Bernie Egan added two, in this 7-0 romp.

Polish Division Six club SS Zjednoczeni Katowice 04 were next, and fell 1-4 with Heng Dong Chu opening from right wing, and Florian Sokal grabbing a last-gasp consolation. Heng had evidently not been up to Serpin's expectations, however, as the Birds went for Teo Chuan Yong in a narrow formation for their next game against newly-crowned Danish Superligaen champions, Rustenstorken; a grinding masterclass saw the Danes come back from two goals behind, only to be put down by Egan's 78th minute advance.

Vikram Mudaliar, who got the game going with his brilliant volley off Teo's fifth minute cross, regarded it as evidence that the Birds could still run with the best. "Rustenstorken have internationals such as Sergo Fimberg and Sándor Illés, and we handled them. True, Iñaki Garaicoa getting sent off helped, but that's part of football."

A transitional Farmer Bunnies didn't do quite as well, as they split their corresponding matches. There would be a win to start with, as Mushtag Al-Nameeri found the only goal of the match against German sixth divisioners FC Homberg ÄH, after being booked on his very first tackle. Swiss V.31 side BC Albisrieden 2 would then put two goals past Vivian Grubenmann, however, as the Buns' own forwards floundered in the pouring rain.

That led into a one-all draw against Portuguese Division Five club PORTOZITO, despite it being against ten men for a full hour following Rafael Ruipérez's dismissal for aggression against Vishnu Tallapaka. Nurlan Ablaev completed a quick counter in the 37th minute with slick dribbling, but Markus Aarni flighted a free-kick home in the 56th.

Grilled International for their part would avoid defeat thus far in their Heroes of 2017 Trophy competition, as they started with a Wang Chu Chi brace in a 3-1 taming of Italian Division Six side Atletico Napoli 2006. Two 3-3 draws against Chilean teams would follow, the first a notable rally against Division Four team Bululu F.C, with Wang Chu Chi then opening against Division Five's Duff Chelatovs, only for International to have to chase a Botond Csertői hat-trick.

Roar Olaisen could not help but laud the Duffos' Hungarian forward at that, before recognizing Wang's rediscovered prolificity. "He's had pretty bad luck with injuries this season. Let's hope he takes this form into the next!"