Jihad Halted
Fjällbratt Saves Day
Grilled began their Insane Hard World Cup V campaign with a satisfying draw against Norway Division Five club Jihadkameratane, as they gave
Ahmad Tharmini bin Selamat his first ever professional start after his graduation from the Chicken Wings.
Feng Darong was given the responsibility of attacking down the right wing, after Penati was rested due to his weekend exertions against Arrogancae.
With neither side being familiar with the other, the first half was spent mostly just probing for openings. Jihad were the more settled team, and would have surely gone ahead had Valdir not been in commanding form. His save against Swedish striker Charles Josefsson was the pick of the bunch, a raised leg preventing the goal despite being flat on the grass from a previous stop.
Jihad's goalkeeper Mats Gustavsson overextended himself while clearing his lines, and had to be replaced by Stefan Tjäderby after pulling his thigh muscle. Grilled had not yet gotten the chance to gauge the replacement, when the skilful Armontas Gridasovas jumped well to power a header that spun towards the goal. Alcántara launched himself at it and blocked it just in time, but he hadn't counted on Ids Kerremans following up.
Now one behind due to the Dutch winger, Grilled injected more urgency into their attacks, but their crude long ball style was all too often intercepted by the tall Nordic team. It took another Scandinavian to batter them down, as midfielder
Peter Fjällbratt somehow timed his run just right to nod a Han Kok corner past Tjäderby.
Although the match would continue into extra time in the event of a draw, it was the rule only the full time result would count for the qualifying group. That didn't diminish Grilled's will to win, with
Sándor Deme leading a charge only to be blocked off on the edge of the Jihad penalty area. He went to ground too easily for the referee, however, and was booked for his pains.
Jihad took the game to Grilled after the ninety minutes were up, and the mostly local Egyptian crowd got into the swing by roaring the footballers on. Erik Kyhlland gave away a free-kick in a decision that he opposed, and was promptly yellow carded. Nothing came of that, and indeed Jihad came closest to snatching the tie when goalscorer Kerremans fired a powerful flyer at Valdir's top corner. The Brazilian's long arms barely pushed that over the top to keep the game going.
There was to be no winner in extra time either, and it went to spot kicks.
Valdir's predecessor Ahmed Abed-Sulaiman had made a name for himself in these situations, and it was clear that the Brazilian wanted to share that honour. He acrobatically saved the first shot by Immo Naujoks, who hit it well but without much pace, and even converted Grilled's second kick himself after
Quah Han Kok made their first.
Mohd Firdaus was nervous and missed his by some distance though, as did Mirchev. Valdir saved yet again, this time from Filip Ranman, to keep Grilled ahead, and eventually caught Kerremans' kick decisively to claim bragging rights for the Birds.
