Rumanos Rumble
Facundo Soars
The Birds suffered their first setback in the latest edition of the World Battle, in falling 3-4 to Uruguay II.2 club rumanos. Rumanos had been searching for another major achievement since their capture of the national Copa Esmeralda "José Nasazzi" some 32 years ago, and from how they are situated just three points behind the leaders in Division Two - and have reached the last thirty-two of the Copa Uruguay - this may be sooner rather than later.
Dan Alstani had been clear that he wanted the team to have all the stiff opposition they could, to sharpen themselves up for the ensuing Cup semifinals, and rumanos would certainly supply it.
Johann Schwietzer made his unofficial debut alongside
Genki Nagano at the back, which had
Hisham Zubari pushed into midfield to partner
Mohd Marzuki Khairul and
Ananda Hettiarachchi. Former Uruguay youth international Facundo Calahan captained the visitors as part of a formidable central three also including Mateo Batto and Andrés Oddo, with Walter Forlán heading up their all-local eleven.
It was soon evident why rumanos had been such a feared opponent in Uruguay for the past six or seven seasons at least, which made it only the more incredible as to how Grilled made them look almost ordinary for stretches. They did require a bit of good fortune for the opening breakthrough, as a ding on the turf took Ananda's through ball past Benedetto Mazzetti, who had positioned himself to cut it out.
Hwang Teck Fu hardly needed to be asked twice, as he brushed past the recovering sweeper to put his grounder under Ribair Castolo's leap.
Hwang was back at it again in the 32nd minute, as he showed up at the right spot after
Hisham Zubari's strike appeared headed into the side netting. Oddo wasn't sure and stepped in with a block, which left Grilled's Number Nine with the chance he needed. Rumanos hauled themselves a goal back within three minutes as Eduardo Perazzo slashed in from the right wing to set Forlán up, but it was quickly 3-1 as
Genki Nagano jumped late in the penalty area to head
Phillip Nagata's floater down and in off the ground.
This was how it stayed until half-time, which had
Lim An Keng replace
Chad Thach at right forward. He was making good progress too, only for Grilled's concentration to falter for an instant, which had Batto spring an attack after intercepting a routine square pass in the centre circle. The Birds' backline pressed up immediately to try and compress the space available, but this only played into Facundo Calahan's hands as he simply lofted a thirty-five yarder over
Radomil Marcol, for a goal that will surely make their seasonal highlights!
A stung Birds squad tried to reply in kind as
Ananda Hettiarachchi attempted his own shot from distance about three minutes later, after
Phillip Nagata had served well to drag Luis Pandikian wide with a long dribble. It was miserably off, unfortunately, and rumanos wasted no time in bringing the ball back up the middle, with Perazzo carrying it most of the way. Calahan called for it as Forlán and Carreño engaged Grilled's defenders, and ended up with an easy equalizer.
The match was anybody's for the taking now, and for much of the remaining thirty-five minutes or so, the Birds still seemed to have the better case for winning it.
Wu Ping De was eager to build on his cup brace against FC Marttaliitto, as he took on and got past Pandikian with some stylish stepovers. Alas, he missed by inches, and Alberto Carreño won it with a far more staid finish from another Perazzo assist.
