Second And Through
Sakatlar Eliminated
Grilled were effectively qualified after news filtered through that English side Neighbours United had forfeited their final game via walkover, but the irony was that they could still qualify were Turkish club sakatlar not to beat Grilled. The Birds were eyeing top spot in the group and were not prepared to be generous, though.
It was clear from the start that no quarter would be given, though first-team forwards Rotteveel and Subri were both rested for the match, with neither even in the squad that travelled to Peru. They were hardly missed as
Mohd Firdaus bin Yaacob seized the chance to impress, ramming a superb shot past Nihat Behin in just the third minute after Chowdhury tapped the ball to him.
Another fresh face who stamped his mark was winger
Feng Darong, who worked his way tirelessly up and down the flanks after being started as a wingback. The local youngster seemed to have a telepathic understanding with Chowdhury, who enjoyed another assist with a straightforward one-two that Feng hit rather weakly. It took a wicked bounce off a defender, though, and that was enough to take it past the already-committed Behin.
The Turkish team's hopes of staying in the competition were by now fading fast, and they redoubled their efforts, especially down the right wing where Akiner Alkiz did his best to stay behind Feng. This tactic nearly paid off as he cut a strong pass across the face of goal to his partner on the opposite flank, Rene Arkema, but Valdir easily caught the young Dutchman's decent effort.
Grilled might have surprised Behin once more as Mirchev cheekily tried to take a free-kick early while the goalie was still trying to organize his wall, but was prevented from doing so by Knut Kirkvaag, who had spotted the danger and thrown himself at the shot. This was all well and good, but when Knut tried to repeat his achievement when the kick was ordered retaken, the referee wasted no time in giving him a yellow card.
Korhan Çakili, who had limped into the tunnel after taking a bad fall minutes before the break, was the lynchpin of a clever free-kick routine in the 55th minute. He first knocked the ball to the left, received the ball back, and then sent it wide right to Alkiz with Grilled's defence now in tatters. The winger deftly skipped past Went Seng-Huat before sending a grounder barely past Valdir.
Their fans could hardly believe their luck when Fjällbratt played a long backpass soon after kick-off, not noticing that Arkema was in the way. It became a two-on-one with Kirkvaag steaming his way down the middle in support, but the central defender evidently hadn't had much shooting practice, as he put his attempt straight at a relieved Valdir.
Sakatlar had little time to regret that, as Grilled put the game beyond them through
Sándor Deme. Though he had not interacted much with Penati for most of the game, the two linked up brilliantly for once as an off-balance Penati managed to nick the ball back to his wingback on a raid down the right side. Deme picked his spot and saw the ball go exactly where he aimed it. 3-1, and sakatlar were out.
