Locked Down
Edvard Again
A tepid season for Grilled came to its conclusion with a 0-3 home drubbing by Federais, who improved upon the single goal they managed in Brazil. Swedish forward Edvard Stigén once again opened the scoring, before partner Leonida Pântea followed up, and Zunbeltz Zelaia put the finishing touches on.
With their position in the second division secured once more, the Grilled players looked a relieved bunch when they took to the field, but their casualness while attractive to look at translated into little of actual impact.
Chow Ying Lee, returning from his suspension for the qualification game, was easily the fulcrum of an otherwise largely sparkless side, but even his constant dropping deep to retrieve the ball couldn't make up for his less-experienced teammates not knowing what to do with it.
That said, the Birds did come up with a great chance in the 39th minute, after
Tang Hengcai managed to hook the ball sideways for
Walter Ross to run onto despite being under the close attentions of the Federais centrebacks. Ross tumbled under slight contact from Afonso Gamboa instead of shrugging it off as he most probably could have, which brought a card for diving from unimpressed referee Sílvio Castelo Preto. Next to be booked was Leonida Pântea, for a typical striker's tackle.
Stigén would get the better of the Grilled backline again soon after, as he bedazzled
Vukota Crkvenjakov with a couple of stepovers before poking a shot wide of Silvera. Grilled had no time to regret that before Pântea added another seconds from the restart, connecting magnificently with trainee Italian left winger Jemal Oviparo's low cross.
There were some ugly sights just before the end of the half, as uncompromising Brazilian playmaker Vítor Luís Neiva hacked at the ball without being too concerned about the Birds' young midfielder
Mayur Gudivada being in the way. Gudivada's knee buckled under one of Neiva's swings, and the local lad had to be stopped from trying to clamber off the stretcher to confront his opponent.
Hung Wee Li came on for
Neo Da Teck in an attempt to change the game, but that had no effect as they had to watch Zelaia swagger through for a very soft third in the 65th minute, after Grilled's defence went missing.
Lin Jungui, who came in for Gudivada at midfield, had a go at Vukota and Ross for that.
Grilled went a man up after Pântea couldn't resist pulling Ross's jersey despite already being on a yellow, but they couldn't translate the advantage into opportunity, with Zelaia nearly getting a fourth for the visitors, which left the young Grilled second team looking hard at themselves.
