Out By Fiat
Tantalizing Ever
Grilled Birds crashed out of the AFC ASIAN CUP at the first knockout stage, but hauling Kyrgyzstani II.4 opponents FIAT_1 back to 5-7 was an achievement in itself, after falling three goals behind. Grilled would not let FIAT_1 rest on their laurels throughout, but neither were they able to draw level with the Kyrgyzs staying at least one step ahead.
FIAT_1 had not been beaten in four games, with their last defeat coming a fortnight ago against Zürich side Atletico Holzmatt in a friendly. This was by all accounts up for grabs, with FIAT_1's marginally superior defence up against the Birds' slightly more formidable offence... if tempered by general exhaustion. This soon became evident as
Ha Qicai jumped with leaden legs against Romanian forward Laurenţiu Andronachi, who floated easily a head and half higher as he bashed Stallone Roelandt's unstoppably past
Radomil Marcol.
Thus began another nightmare for the Slovenian goalkeeper, who looked surplus to requirements at times, as he was continually let down by amateurish lapses from his defenders. Tuomas Kontoniemi hit the base of the bar after being all but invited to run in by
Brian Reddy, but he would come good six minutes later from much the same situation - and this after Eise Vandermaelen had just doubled FIAT_1's lead from American midfielder Hassaan Abd El Ghani's clever feinted pass.
Some of the Grilled players looked stunned as
Tian Yonghang cupped his face in the dugout, but they would nearly turn it around as quickly as they had conceded;
Chia Kwang Tse restarted promptly after Kontoniemi's goal, and his dribble with
Chad Thach in tow mesmerized the opposition, leading to Thach clipping it beyond Alfredo Marco Soave for 1-3. Five minutes on,
Gandhik Chitre teased a comeback with his dextrous drive from wide left, only for Gianluca Sanavia to pick off a short backpass by
Raúl Himadas.
The spectators could not complain about a lack of highlights - and bloopers - at the very least, and the Birds supporters in attendance would have their own reason to stay, what with their team continually looking on the verge of equalizing.
Paulino Trindade gradually made a good matchup against slowing Belgian veteran skipper Stallone Roelandt, and he would work his way to a brace by the 74th minute, though another big Andronachi header meant that Grilled remained a goal behind.
FIAT_1 did seem a bit shaken at 4-5, but Grilled simply could not find that little extra to get back on level terms.
Chad Thach for one was completely spent after racing up and down the pitch countless times, but
Lim An Keng's entry would be spoilt by Tuomas Kontoniemi's brilliant flying strike. There would be no time to savour that, however, as
Brian Reddy flew by a careless Umid Otashxon on the right, which had Chia slip it past a crouching Soave for 5-6... and sustained hope.
It was now or never for the Birds, and they would absolutely batter FIAT_1 from the kick-off, with
Aw Keng Chuan sparking it off with his smart reading of Eise Vandermaelen's intent, and resulting interception. Reddy was the spearhead once more, but
Ha Qicai crashed the finish back off the goalpost.
Chia Kwang Tse's desperate foul as FIAT_1 broke would only delay the inevitable, as Spanish playmaker Dou Diwen had the last say.
