Selur Struck
Domenik's Eleventh
Grilled did the league double against seluraralc to break their run of five winless matches, and it was a case of not trying too hard, with a surprise 5-2-3 formation intent on soaking up the hosts' usual gung-ho approach and giving Grilled's midfield personnel a rest.
The Birds welcomed Mausisa back into the starting eleven, with Ross making an appearance too, as
Safri bin Mohamad was handed his first league start since a visit to Sentosa sonics last season. He took fellow national U-20 representative
Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim's place, with the senior Safri moping on the bench.
seluraralc made several changes to the side that lost three-nil at The Cooking Pot, with 21 year-old Turkish forward Can Arafat making a return, after playing twice against Grilled last season. Player-coach Aymeric Guillon captained the team this time.
The home side were briefly uncertain of how to deal with Grilled's heavy-duty backline, but quickly reverted to their normal approach of throwing everything at it. Plan A turned out to be ill-advised, as they found themselves severely outnumbered at the back when Ross found the time to look up and pick Safrinho out, and Brandão did well to barge the speedster off the ball.
Up stepped
Domenik Bögengang to net his eleventh league goal of the season from the ensuing free-kick, to the dismay of the home supporters, with seluraralc keeper Chua Puay Ming nearly preventing the strike from going in off the underside of the bar, but not quite.
While seluraralc kept the ball easily enough, the most dangerous chances belonged to Grilled, and only Villaro's flexibility prevented Bögengang from doubling the lead in the 17th minute.
Erik Back put in a battling midfield performance, which didn't let up even after was carded for going strongly into Sng Wan Rong.
Grilled's second goal came courtesy of Safrinho, who this time made sure to trace a path just outside Brandão's reach. The 37 year-old Portuguese defender couldn't keep up as Safrinho ran at full pelt onto a tantalising pass from Pujolràs into space, and the Grilled striker snuck it under Chua for 2-0.
This could have broken the hosts, but for a prompt reply by Can Arafat within four minutes.
Roberto Mausisa was all at sea after Guillon played a ball out wide for Arafat, and with Grilled's other defenders tied up with their own men, Arafat pulled one back with a precise grounder to the far post.
The match would be level going into half-time, same as with the other three going on at the same time, as Spanish right winger Jesús Puelles scored with a bullet header shortly after Stéphane Mabon came close with a powerful attempt that was blocked. Mabon picked up the assist, as he retrieved his own rebound and placed it nicely into the box.
With the points up for grabs, it was a question of which team would keep their heads about them, and the sentiment around aralcevol Arena was that it was seluraralc's to lose, with their coach able to adapt to Grilled's formation during the break. This prediction nearly came to pass as
Walter Ross dallied on the ball and nearly got picked off by Karas with only Valdir behind him, and only a quick recovery and last-ditch clearance saved his bacon.
Grilled found opportunity in that mistake, though, and the corner was won by Behr, who played it out to Pujolràs, who was waiting on the wings. The Andorran brought the ball up to the opposition penalty area, where he then unselfishly laid it on for
Chow Ying Lee, who ended his eight-game barren run with a textbook finish.
That would be the winning goal, as seluraralc had an effort by Guillon flying inches wide, while Lorenzo Minicucci had a passable shout for a penalty turned down after he spun into Crkvenjakov well inside the Grilled area. Italian midfielder Fausto Mercadante came on for Brandão in a final throw of the dice, but he found it hard to get a handle on the match, leaving the Birds to wait the ninety minutes out.
