Just A Bit More
Himadas Doubletap
Radomil Marcol's unofficial debut for Grilled Birds would not end on a high, as Colombian II.1 leaders Kerambits C.f showed why they are undefeated in the league thus far, with a late rally born of unshakeable belief. The Birds were not actually that far from taking it either, but in today's duel of goalkeepers, it was hard to dispute that Kerambits' Finnish Number One Teemu Perämäki had been the better man.
In Marcol's defence, he was visibly suffering from jet lag after flying into Singapore from Puerto Rico with layovers in Chicago and San Francisco, before considering that he had yet to interact with his new teammates at all. His chosen Number 31 jersey made some waves, what with it being traditionally associated with attacking stars such as Quah Han Kok and lately Gústav Thoroddsen, but this would be relegated to a minor detail with Alfred Mitterbacher staring him down.
The rest of the Kerambits side would form up in their usual 5-4-1, led by current national starter Sergio Fajardo at leftback. He would be supported by fellow Los Cafeteros defenders Eneas Higuita and Sneider Leal in a formidable right wing tandem, that also former Azerbaijan youth international Aydın Rəsulov in central defence. Ex-Bosnian U-20 midfielder Kerim Kulenović would also feature, giving this World Battle fixture more than ample star power.
The Colombians were not above getting physical despite all that, and Norwegian stopper Eskild Bennetzen would be booked just three minutes in, after trying to disrupt a Birds free-kick. It would be a combative but ultimately unproductive first half from then on, as Kerambits spent the initial half-hour focusing on neutralizing whatever the Birds threw at them. It took 35 minutes before Grilled got their first real chance, but
Gandhik Chitre lobbed it a metre wide, after Rəsulov got in the way of
Brian Reddy's cross.
That reminded Kerambits to go for goal too, and two minutes later, Kulenović bent it just wide of
Radomil Marcol's far post, after Eneas Higuita had set him up just inside the six-yard box. A direct shot appeared to make more sense there, according to the commentators, but there was no time to linger as
Ha Qicai then forced Perämäki into a spectacular block at the other end, with Kerambits then earning a free-kick on the counter.
That was blocked too, and
Hwang Teck Fu claimed the last serious attack of the half with a dogged dribble, before
Chia Kwang Tse got carded for dissent.
Plenty of good football was on show, but with nothing on the scoreboard yet, and Grilled would redouble their offensive efforts in the second half. That would leave them vulnerable to unorthodox movements from the Kerambits team, however, as when Eskild Bennetzen of all people drifted into the box by himself, after 55 minutes. Marcol came out to challenge the sweeper, who proved to be a lot better at timing his finish, than his position would suggest.
Now a goal up, Kerambits were all the more willing to let the Birds come at them, but this turned out to be unwise too.
Chad Thach sounded a warning with a no-look volley that
Brian Reddy unfortunately missed connecting on for a likely goal, before
Raúl Himadas rode in to the rescue. The Spaniard might not have impressed overly with his general defensive prowess, but his deadliness from free-kicks remained beyond reproach.
Mohd Marzuki Khairul couldn't get his header on as the delivery zipped by, but it wound up to be unnecessary, as the ball then dipped in at the top corner!
Himadas was just getting started too, and seconds from the restart, he would have his second. Kerambits went for a rush up the right side that got interrupted by
Paulino Trindade, and the winger would understandably square it over to Himadas, once the goalscorer called for it. Jay Kloss, the closest Kerambits player to Himadas then, would take his time jogging over given the distance involved, only to regret it as Himadas crashed a thirty-four yarder past the late-reacting Perämäki.
One could hardly blame the goalkeeper for not seeing that coming, but Kerambits still had some aces in the hole, in any case. They would save those for only after
Lim An Keng came on for
Chad Thach, whereupon they unleashed their saved energy all at once. The overwhelmed Birds team would concede from Sneider Leal almost immediately, and after
Chia Kwang Tse replied with a crossbar-rocker, Sergio Fajardo won it on an 85th minute break as
Radomil Marcol dived too slow for his drive.
