Cool Snowdogs
Gaspart's Gunning
Last season's third-placed Snowdogs kept abreast of Winning Eleven at the top of the league as they dumped Grilled on their home ground, cancelling their mounting run of good results. Frenchman Miguel Gaspart was Grilled's downfall, as he knocked in an early brace that
Tim Hobson's reply was inadequate to address.
Chen Chiew-Yen may have fingers pointing to him for his two glaring misses that cost Grilled dearly, but he was top class otherwise. The scorer's touch simply deserted him when Seng-kar worked the right side to present him with a touch-in sitter that Snowdog's keeper Mu Linh-Nam incredibly stopped with his feet.
Gaspart in comparism had that knack in abundance, losing the ball easily but lethal when it mattered. Seto Chun-Jen's much less delectable cross was lapped up eagerly, with Bao-Tam coming out but never meeting the ball. Persson tried to save the goal, but ended a step slow as the ball trickled over the line. Chen scuffed a golden chance over in the 34th minute, then had to look on wretchedly as Snowdogs won a corner from the monstrous goal kick and put themselves two up. Gaspart stuck out a boot to divert the ball in, after Spanish teammate Juan Manuel Sánchez-Cámara's thunderous volley was parried by Bao-Tam.
Grilled had to depend on a penalty to bite back, after Linh-Nam caught Dai-Lin's legs as the midfielder waited to pull the trigger on a beautiful dribble.
Tim Hobson took a deep breath, but had nothing to worry about as his kick sailed high to clear the diving goalie.
Snowdogs got measurably better as the game progressed, as their players' athleticism allowed them to control the park. Grilled's cause was not helped with young defender Ong Tan slowed by a bad collision, and they did not have a single shot on target. Snowdogs might have made it three off a breathtaking overhead bicycle kick from Thomas Johansson that left Bao-Tam stoned, but it ended up hitting the posts.
