Gangway
Bögengang Domination
The Birds finally broke a five-match losing run stretching back eight seasons against Arrogancae, with a stylish 4-1 victory against the admittedly understrength frontrunners. The visitors heavily reshuffled the team that had won 2-0 earlier in the season, and felt the effects as they never quite got going at The Cooking Pot.
Arrogancae coach Mauro Bagazgoitia, newly installed this season, hinted at the changes in his pre-match statement, though it had little effect on Grilled, who continued with their original gameplan. Not only that, some of their good fortune carried over from last week, as South Korean midfielder
Kyou-Chull Kim saw a shot deflected heavily over Platschka in Grilled's first real attempt. It was his first league goal for the Birds.
The visitors, who had the league trophy standing by in case of a win, were eager to get back into it, and Finnish winger Teemu Martiskin appeared to have a case after he was hacked down by Mausisa on the touchline. The referee played the advantage, and Arrogancae nearly hit the jackpot when big Serbian striker Radivoje Milašević slipped through. Thankfully, Valdir made himself large and kept it out.
Encouraged by match official Gavin Jones' slack approach, Grilled's experienced players upped the intensity of their tackling, and wingback Simeon Rupieper came out the worse from a charge with his countryman,
Domenik Bögengang. Rupieper made way for Cornelus van Schie after a few minutes of painful hobbling, and Bögengang added insult to injury with a magnificent free-kick from nearly thirty metres.
Arrogancae struggled to keep possession in their unfamiliar defensive 5-3-2 formation, but had enough residual class to bother Grilled whenever they broke away. Milašević would be prepared the second time he was put through against Valdir, and neatly sidestepped the Brazilian goalkeeper before finishing in the 31st minute.
It was game on, at least until Bögengang got his second goal six minutes after the restart. Mohd Safri was chalked up for the assist, while
Chow Ying Lee would have a good effort palmed over by Platschka soon after. The two U-20 stars were a little spent after partnering each other for a full ninety minutes for the first time against Oceania on Friday, though, and didn't quite make the impact expected of them.
Goalscorer Kim would be taken off for Josefsson late on, but it would be Bögengang who would continue to hog the limelight, as he swung a corner kick to
Yvan Lefébure, who leapt highest to claim an 88th minute headed goal. He might well have gotten another in the next minute as the discouraged Arrogancae defence ignored
Erik Back's movement down the right, but messed up that opportunity royally.
