Bogeyman Can
Set Piece Treble
German hitman
Domenik Bögengang seized the day as heavy rain made slick passing football difficult at The Cooking Pot, and he collected his first hat-trick since his debut season, as Grilled ran out four-nil winners against visitors heimu XI.
heimu XI had lost both previous meetings at the Pot, but were poised to wipe that record out, after showing steel in almost coming back against Changi Genius last Sunday. Regular forwards Zeynel Uraz and Tobies Turu trained well last week, and looked set to score, supply from the midfield allowing. However, the visitors chose a cautious approach instead, putting Turu up front alone.
Additionally, Grilled had dropped key English sweeper
Ronny Behr for the first league game since his arrival, after the Bear suffered a precipitous loss of form; Vukota took over in the centre, with Ross introduced on the right, which left the Birds' defence looking as vulnerable as it has for some time.
The home support were soon reassured, as the old mantra of possession being everything rang true. Despite
Erik Back's constant slipping whenever he tried to break free on the right, Grilled controlled the tempo fully, and
Gleb Dorogan might have done better with his fifteenth minute effort from close up. He tried for the roof of the net rather unnecessarily, and hit the crossbar instead.
Grilled were not lacking in chances, and soon won a penalty after a heimu XI defender fell over and swiped the ball with his arm while inside the area. It was hard to tell whether the move was intentional, but the referee had little discretion in the matter, and Bögengang boldly hammered the penalty kick down the middle.
The visitors sagged a little after that, and 30 year-old Spanish defender Roger Ricart got on the wrong end of
Chow Ying Lee's terrific speed, losing his man completely on the half-hour mark. Chow kept his balance beautifully on the treacherous ground, and darted around Smaev to put Grilled two up.
It was three just four minutes later, as Mohd Safri appeared to be clipped by Zannoni as he danced with the ball on the edge of the penalty area. Referee Chip Fox hesitated and consulted with his linesman for this one, who raised his flag in response. After the protests had died down, Bögengang finished it was as much confidence as he had the first, blasting it to the left.
Grilled then settled into defending their lead, a decision encouraged by the condition of the pitch, which was getting heavier by the minute. It however had no bearing on Bögengang's ability to put his boot through the ball, as heimu XI found to their cost, as the German smashed an unstoppable free-kick into the far top corner in the 55th minute.
Quah Han Kok, who had been warming up in preparation for a late cameo, was then waved back to the bench by his coach, and it was heimu XI's coach who had to roll the tactical dice instead. Frenchman Laurent Thelliez ordered Zeynel Uraz on, as his team reverted to a 4-4-2. Four goals, however, was a bit too much to ask.
Uraz's presence did peg the Birds back, and Grilled's only real opportunity after that was Mohd Safri's opportunistic lob from out wide, which clipped the top of the bar. The U-20 forward appeared unhappy that he was unable to keep up his scoring streak, having just gotten his sixth international goal in Singapore's final warm-up match before the U-20 World Cup, against Oceania on Friday.
heimu XI still harboured hopes of a consolation as a second league defeat stared them in the face, and Turu had a half-chance after
Walter Ross lost his footing late in the game. Unfortunately for him, Vukota was there to cover up in a flash, and the opening was lost.
