Kilon Fusillade
Jansson Jazz
The Birds' return to the World Battle saw them pitted against Kilon Höntsä, second in the Finnish II.2 and the most highly-ranked club from Espoo, behind only Mestaruussarja leaders El Gato Monstro. Grilled would in the end succumb to Kilon's dynamic play that stretched their defence while pegging the wingers back, as even
Radomil Marcol's vaunted shot-stopping allowed three in.
Kilon had just come off a 0-4 upset by Nepenmäen Raittiusseura in the seventh round of the Suomen Cup, but any suggestions that they were adversely affected by the defeat would be swiftly dispelled. 35 year-old German defender Peter Zielwasser captained the team from his unorthodox position slightly to the right and in front of sweeper Johan Alexandersson, with Iranian midfielder Basir Zakki pulling the strings in central midfield, and the wings tucked in to match Grilled's. Former Nigerian international goalkeeper Michael Atika was an immense presence in goal, as
Gandhik Chitre soon found.
The Birds were behind by the seventh minute as Norwegian forward Roy-Jarle Jansson stormed a drive home from the left side, which had Marcol fairly beaten at his near post. Kilon weren't actually forcing too hard, which made sense with Grilled being able to retain much of the ball at this stage.
Aw Keng Chuan's booking for an early barge in on Zakki would be followed by Chitre's excellent rush, but his first effort would be prodded over the bar by Atika. The short corner went to Chitre again, and this time he found Zielwasser's suffocating close marking too much to handle.
Jansson would then be back with another mighty volley - this time from the opposite flank - after ex-Finnish national winger Timo Salenius wedged himself between
Lim An Keng and
Paulino Trindade in the 26th minute, and it would again be too powerful and well-placed for
Radomil Marcol to get to. There would then be a long lull as Kilon consolidated their lead, until Sakarias Pirttilahti threw himself high to thunder a third goal in, six minutes after the break.
This was turning out to be a dark day for Marcol, who could hardly be blamed for any of the strikes that he had conceded, and his teammates would not allow themselves to be put away like this. Buoyed by the loyal support,
Brian Reddy made the most of the space that Nick Berkesheim had left behind on his advance, and cut deeply into Kilon's centre in the 58th minute. Few would have expected
Ha Qicai to be the one sprinting forward in support, but Reddy was anything but prejudiced, and he duly assisted his skipper in making a neat finish past Atika.
Grilled would tease a rally as they pushed Kilon hard for the next five minutes or so, but Atika would get his body behind
Aw Keng Chuan's screamer from the left edge of the six-yard box, in the 63rd. A long clearance then had Kilon win a couple of free-kicks just outside the Birds' penalty area, but Peter Zielwasser was a little high for the first, while Marcol had ample warning for the next one. The action essentially ended with a yellow for Roy-Jarle Jansson in the 70th minute, coming right before the entrance of legendary Nigerian defender Kingsley Zuma.
