Perspolis Battering
Tang Takes One
Grilled's reserves were once against submitted by an Iranian team, as Division Two visitors Perspolis_B rode a flying start to an effortless victory. 19 year-old native forward Kaveh Fakour presented himself as an absolute steal at S$76000, while Belgian wingback Franklin Van Suetendael marked his return after a two-week layoff with two of his own.
The match announcers had barely finished introducing the players when the visitors burst into action, jarring the young Birds, who had expected a far more conservative exchange. By the third minute, the Iranians had an overpowering attack going on down the left, with Omid Ali Mortazavi beating the uncertain
Anthony Nolan all too easily. Natalino Padricelli followed in support, received the cutback from an aware Omid, and coolly drew
Hovaness Noubaryan out before stroking the goal in.
Grilled had evidently not learnt their lesson, as they naively tried to retaliate from the kick-off but ended up badly exposed again down the left. It was Fakour who benefitted this time, as
Hilal Bakhtiar got in the way of an attempted pass, only to cuff it onto the preferred right foot of the feisty striker.
Two up already before the over five thousand spectators had time to settle down, Perspolis sought to consolidate their lead, but despite playing it safe were gifted another in short order. There should have been nothing in
Paolo Iten's long back pass to
Colby Awyong, but Awyong somehow badly misjudged the pass, and was beaten to it by a lurking Van Suetendael, who scrambled it past Noubaryan before the keeper could reach the loose ball.
It was a rotten day all around for Nolan, as the little-used Chicken Wings graduate, on only his first start in four months and looking completely out of his depth, ran head first into
Mayur Gudivada's powerful clearance in the 20th minute. Gudivada was completely mortified as Nolan was flattened by his kick, but to relief all around, the unfortunate winger stirred after a heartstopping moment.
Still, it was prudent to take Nolan off for observation, and
Rauf Khairul Akmal, who was on the bench only due to Daichi Togashi's sudden move judging from the match programme, eagerly took his place. He would suffer through a rather mean-spirited period, though, as
Neo Da Teck was booked for a cringing dive, and Van Suetendael likewise for nearly forcing another substitution with an elbow to
Pompeo Bellamoli's chest.
The second half brought another two-minute blitz, as Fakour and Van Suetendael struck either side of the 64th minute, thanks to some extremely amateurish defending down the flanks. It would have been a total whitewash had not
Tang Hengcai, who was perhaps the only Grilled player to come out of the game with any credit, taken things into his own feet with a magnificent solo goal cutting in from the left.
Perspolis suddenly appeared vulnerable, and
Teo Yong Yau nearly got a second as he just about stayed onside before charging for Tang's meticulously-weighted loft over the defence. German sweeper Eric Franner reacted quickly too, however, and slid it dangerously close by his goalpost and out for a corner.
That was it for the participants, and the enlivening if mistake-ridden friendly petered out with
Walter Ross doing his customary late cameo.
