Can't Play For Nuts
Three-Peat
Grilled's grand plans ground to an abrupt halt as they were outmanouvered expertly by an Ultimate NutsZ team coming into flow. Grilled may have been unlucky to have to travel to NutsZ days after they wiped out Nationalmannschaft with a six-nil scoreline, but it remains painfully clear that Grilled have some big problems they have to resolve - fast.
The game was essentially a repeat of the one a week ago, as NutsZ took control and never let go. High balls have been underrepresented at the top levels of local soccer, but can still be deadly effective as Grilled's defenders found out. Jonas Henriksson came in unnoticed from the wing as Grilled crowded the center, and he met no resistance as he leapt for a straightforward header at the far post in the first minute. Grilled's unchanged lineup cranked out predictable attack patterns utilising an overworked
Ma Dai-Lin that NutsZ handled without breaking a sweat. In the 25th minute, Virjonen took the aerial option and this time strong fullback Magnus Christiansson converted in a gutsy surge that took him above Pakpao.
Under-fire coach
Frank Öhmo stuck to his guns, and was vindicated for a while as Grilled looked the more inventive of the two sides in the second half, though they never got around to testing the formidable Jimmy Elte in goal. Håkan Ovesson received a warning for barging crudely into
Aznan Noor Yadah, but the tide never really turned. Grilled's resolve cracked as the game neared its end, and Patrik Gunnarsson took the fight out of the team when he squeezed past Tuan-Mu to hammer the nail in the coffin. Svantesson could have added one more, had Harlow not flown across goal to touch his shot away, by then a futile gesture at best. Things looked decidely upbeat for NutsZ as they prepare to face lcfc on Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the Singapore Cup, while Grilled were still left wondering what hit them.
