Three To Title
Safri Shines Bright
Grilled maintained their four-point lead while confirming De_Sangkakala United's relegation with a businesslike three-nil outing at the AfterLiFe on Pulau Ubin, with Mohd Safri celebrating his induction into the U-20 team proper with a classy brace.
De_Sangkakala United entered the match with three league defeats on the trot after their double-digit mauling of SAS Eagles, but at least with the confidence to hit the target - Kristof Drieskens, Kaleel Salah El-Talib and José Javia had scored in these games. Grilled began with their foot off the pedal, and were nearly made to pay as Argentine forward Gustavo Miguel Moreno raced clear of the defence and flew over a scrambling Valdir.
That didn't amuse the Brazillian goalkeeper, who angrily strode over to accuse Moreno of faking it, and the referee wisely decided to overlook the entire incident. Rotteveel's 10th minute lunge in on a defender was plainly terrible, however, and there was no way that it could result in less than a yellow card.
Young star Mohd Safri appeared the sharpest man on the pitch despite playing 45 minutes on Friday, and he overshadowed his more experienced strike partners at times. Showing the selfishness that has been the hallmark of many a great poacher, he ignored the better-placed Bögengang after he skipped through in the 18th minute, but gave the German no cause for complaint as he opened his body perfectly to angle a drive into the far corner of the goal.
Safri repeated the feat as Vukota made a rare foray down the right side and squared the ball, as he preyed upon a hashed clearance from Dekhil. That would be the end of the game for a disgruntled-looking Bögengang and slightly less annoyed Rotteveel, as they jogged off for Safrinho and Torsson to make an entrance and form an U-21 forward line.
Torsson was inches away from making an immediate impact as he stole down the right side and cracked a wildly-swinging shot that De_Sangkakala keeper Héctor Argentino Guevara couldn't get a handle on, only to watch in anguish as French defender Anthony Dieu threw his body in the way to halt its progress.
De_Sangkakala weren't the punching bags they were in the first half of the season as they assembled some decent attacks, and Drieskens should have tested Valdir at least after Giorgio Valsecchi left Grilled's midfield for dead with a superbly-timed turn. Sadly for the home fans, he powered the opportunity into the stands from fifteen metres out.
Torsson then got his third goal from five substitute appearances as he managed to stay on his feet after an ill-advised tackle from the otherwise blameless Szołtysik, which gave Lik-Tsun enough closure to send Mourão on for the flagging Han Kok on the hour.
