Jaguars Guarded
Four On Parade
Grilled Birds returned to the Division Battle after a week's break, and did not have to travel far after they were drawn against their neighbouring league, II.3. Serangoon's Golden Jaguar had moreover won just one of their eight regular fixtures thus far, but with S$12.4 million Swiss goalkeeper Agostino Steccanella in the mix, this would promise to provide some challenge at least, to the Birds. 23 year-old midfielder Quek Xin Cheng was not to be trifled with either, having drawn plenty of rave reviews from scouts near and far.
Steccanella quickly lived up to expectations as he dropped impossibly fast to block
Brian Reddy's expertly-glanced downwards header from an eighth minute corner, but that did not account for the presence of
Aw Keng Chuan, who was waiting in the right spot to tap it in. The Jaguars resented giving up an early lead, and left winger Pavel Bláha provided its strongest expression, as he took Reddy on fearlessly whenever he could. The Czech Number Seven beat him for pace fair and square in the 18th minute only to knock it badly wide, and not even a terrible misplaced pass by
Ha Qicai on the short goal kick could make up for that, as Bláha intercepted without being able to get into position.
The Jaguar's efforts were not all wasted, though, and their sustained pressure paid off 25 minutes in, as Andrzej Liptak drove in strongly from the right instead. No-one was watching Indonesian forward Hanif Raweyai as he quietly repositioned himself in the defence's blind spot, and he caught
Dimitris Germanakos out with a well-placed lob on Liptak's assist. Sadly for them,
Federico Parada burst fourth four minutes on to restore Grilled's lead on a slow build up the centre, and Grilled never quite let off after that.
The Birds entered the second half looking the fresher team, and Parada's attention paid off in the 51st, as
Chad Thach bent it towards him after considering whether to put it out wide to Reddy instead. The angle of this cross wasn't the best with Thach letting loose from a more central position, but Parada kept his eye on the ball unlike former Cuban youth international Arístides Gallo, and connected nicely with the volley with Gallo missing the header. Steccanella got a touch on the shot, but not enough.
That was 3-1, but the Jaguars kept it competitive, with Pavel Bláha persistent in his exploits. He was helped by
Brian Reddy's continued bad habit of refusing to retreat promptly upon losing possession, and one such lapse in the 58th had him feeding Raweyai once more, but Germanakos kept his nerve to make a great short-range save.
Aw Keng Chuan cleared long to a breaking
Lim An Keng, who nearly supplied Parada with his hat-trick but for another Steccanella special - and with his head this time!
That brave stop won some appreciation even from the Grilled fans, and after a short stoppage where the goalie was checked for a possible concussion, the match continued. Quek copped the only card of the game with a rough takedown of
Chia Kwang Tse next, and Chia looked ready to react before seemingly recalling his own recent indiscretions. This had him return to play quietly, and the Birds would get a fourth in due time, as
Gústav Thoroddsen followed up on his own blocked volley.
