Late Blooming
Stern Chides
Bolivian Division Two frontrunners C Blooming were narrowly defeated by a well-drilled Grilled side, despite taking a fifth minute lead through German winger John Ghirin.
Ghirin was a force for Blooming down the left side, and Alcántara simply couldn't cope with the potent mix of power and skill that he brought to the table. It was all the Argentinean could do to herd him towards his help in the middle, but Tuan-Mu fared no better, and Bao-Tam was soundly beaten at his near post by Ghirin's swift left-footed strike.
Blooming were spurred on by Ghirin's exploits, and it could have turned ugly for Grilled as Ju-Hau was booked for a cynical trip on the German, which the home side didn't appreciate. Brazilian midfielder Domingos Cabral sent that free kick well over, but it was far from the end of the Birds' problems as they endured several very close shaves.
Even
Ulf Hjortlind's 38th minute goal, completely against the run of play, didn't stem the tide, as Blooming were desperately unlucky not to regain the lead a few minutes later. A rare run by the otherwise quiet Meelis Kottise surprised the Grilled backline, and Carlos Antônio Luz snapped up the incoming cross, only to see Bao-Tam being equal to it.
The home team's composure was finally shattered when Grilled's Canadian Number 33
Joe Stern forced Anders Nilsson into a lunging block in the 50th minute, and Hjortlind denied by a fingertip save from Pedro Feliu, as they realised that victory was less than certain; They attempted to raise the tempo, but it backfired as Stern swept the ball past Feliu in the 61st minute.
Blooming weren't sure how to react, and Grilled had further chances to put the tie to bed.
Zhan Ju-Hau had the pick of the lot after a wild clearance steered the ball to his feet in the six-yard box, but he somehow blasted it embarassingly wide.
Rottman was on a one-man mission to extend the lead, and he might have won a penalty had he not thrown himself into the air so theatrically after he was bumped off the ball by Nilsson. He then stole the ball off Luz, but struck it straight to Feliu, and his final effort in the last minute went into the side netting.
