The Birds could not win all three of their games on the opening day of the Trophy of Legends, with German IV.2 contestants Black Habaneros pipping them 4-3 in the second fixture, on a blatant counterattacking 5-2-3. Habaneros took the lead twice, and were chased down each time, before Hwang Teck Fu burst through in the 50th minute. Unfortunately, it was the Germans' turn to hit back through Justyn Reinhardt some 17 minutes later, before Heinke Busswoller made the most of a slow retreat in injury time.

Phillip Nagata, who scored the Birds' first goal from Raúl Himadas' overlapping cross in the 28th minute, insisted on giving the Habaneros their due. "Yes, we were tired, but what's to say they weren't either?"

Before that, Grilled Birds had opened against Italian VI.285 side A.C.TORO with a 6-2 tonking, with both Chad Thach and Hwang managing braces against the Redshields. Dutch V.35 club Stollie came after the Habaneros game, and were duly put away 5-2, with Hwang finding another double. "He's really growing into his new role." an admiring Lim An Keng, who opened the scoring from a corner, said.

The Buns likewise had two victories - if low-scoring - in the Heroes of 2014 Trophy campaign, as they defeated French VI.884 side Team72 and Argentine IV.60 competitors NOBRosario by the lone goal. It was Guan Ming Kum highest to Gabriel Priebe's 32nd minute looping corner against the French, and Guan again first to second-half substitute Arturo Rosano's engineered free-kick 74 minutes into the NOBRosario match.

"Guan seems to have developed an eye for such things." Buns boss Vishnu Tallapaka nodded.

It was again the middle game that was the toughest, as Italian VII.555 opponents Mêlée Island FC restricted Farmer Bunnies to a goalless draw, despite their Australian defender Daniel Kyle getting himself sent off in the 28th minute, for a pointless second yellow card. Mêlée had by then created the biggest chance of the game with Argentine striker Adalmasio Pepino one-on-one against Gilberto Sorondo, but the Buns captain made an incredible reflex save.

This pattern would be honoured by Grilled International too, who started brightly against Tuscan VII.486 club Vibrissa, with Remond Bergervoet smashing two past Giancarlo Bloise in a 4-1 win. Bologna's Ulcera would then avenge their Italian compatriots, with the VI.35 runners-up recovering from 0-2 down, to prevail 4-2 with Greek forward Kostas Karakaidos preeminent. German VI.327 participants Torbiene Zanarkand were then put down 4-0, as Umut Koza woke up with a spiffy 36th minute solo finish.

"It was not too bad." International gaffer Sazwan bin Hj Muhd Salleh summarized. "However, there's a lot of work to settle before the new season, that I can promise."