Sun Sets
Fractures Appear
Grilled's standard pre-season romp merited concern for non-footballing reasons towards the end, with
Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim and
Shiya Shaahee jostling to be top dog in the attacking hierarchy. Fortunately, all went according to script before that, with
Chow Ying Lee quietly going about his hat-trick, and rather more unexpectedly,
Qassem Madaini too, for the first time in his long career.
The Pasir Ris-based SuNs have yet to emerge from the first round of the Cup for fourteen seasons, though they had gotten as far as the third in their first; This time would prove no exception, but with justification as they were up against the best the Birds had to offer. This included Shaahee, who lived up to his reputation as a smooth operator on the right, but would end the match goalless.
Grilled spent fifteen minutes taking the measure of the semi-professional team, before extinguishing their dreams with a treble in three minutes.
Chow Ying Lee's direct breakthrough was followed by yet another from Madaini, who is adopting the mantle of goalscoring sweeper with some relish.
Abdul bin Jantan completed the combination with a simple push after
Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim towered over the defenders to head the ball on from a Changchun free-kick.
That was that, and it was again a matter of running up the score. The task fell to Chow and Madaini, who added another couple from open play before the break.
Madaini's historic moment came four minutes after the match restarted, as he clipped a free-kick by the outside of the wall and in at the far post. Granted, the arrangement wasn't the best, but it was the first time in a long while that the Saudi captain had been given the duty, and he made the most of it to record his third.
Much head-patting later and a booming right footer by
Zhu Changchun later, Chow followed suit on the hour, completing his own hat-trick.
Abdul bin Jantan then contributed a ninth through a mazy dribble bisecting the defence on the left, before the talking point of the game.
Shiya seemed to be in clear when the cross came through from Jungui on the right side, but just as the Maldives winger prepared to chest it down for an easy finish,
Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim hurled himself straight in, cutting Shiya off before proceeding to thump it past Neo Dong Wan for 10-0.
If looks could kill, Mohd Safri might have been dead as he turned automatically towards Shiya to celebrate, and an awkward moment followed before
Tian Yonghang broke the impasse by hugging the two together. It was clear that their hearts weren't in it, though, and their interaction remained pained for the remainder of the non-contest.
