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| FIXTURE HISTORY |
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| Season 51 | L | 2 - 6 | Tournament (Playoffs) |
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Kings Closed Off
Ling Lashes Out
It was another clean sheet and win in the Singapore Community Cup for Grilled, as they reversed their sobering 2-6 tournament loss to All The King Men two seasons ago, with a five-nil roasting. The Kings had actually progressed since then, but when faced with a Birds eleven smarting from another season of title frustration, it would always be hard for the developing side.
Further without important wing inspiration Chia Long Su after he had his ribs fractured in Sunday's 6-1 league defeat to old rivals Carpmael Rovers, the Kings went to the Pot with a defensive 4-5-1 outlook, but it would last only four minutes as
Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim slipped through on the left to put it past Hwang Yong Yi.
The role of lone striker was left to Soon Liang Jing, who was tasked with using his muscle to make space for himself. That didn't quite happen with the reliable
Qassem Madaini sticking to him, and the wary
Woon Shun An and
Zhao Jing Wei always floating close by, and if Yeuh's movements are anything to go by, he would have made a far more natural defender.
Kings could indeed have done with him at the other end, and after Chow doubled Grilled's lead with a headed conversion off
Leong Wan Kang's free-kick floated into the box,
Djan Bacelar nearly poached an easy third; Azrul Hisyam bin Ahmad's back pass was simply far too obvious, and only Hwang's brave sprawl at Bacelar's feet prevented a certain goal.
Leong tried his free-kick thing again in the 38th minute, but by then the opposition were prepared. What they weren't expecting was
Ling Fuquan suddenly breaking forward on the left side, and the homegrown defender went on to take it past the goalie for 3-0.
Life didn't get easier for Soon as he had a fresh
Walter Ross to contend with after half-time, and Kings replaced Mrinmoy Kothari with Lai Yeng Yeng in an effort to get him more support. They did muster a fair attempt soon after, after Woon's wayward shot was returned deep, and Ibrahim Abdul Samad won his tussle with Zhao to make his own shot.
Bellamoli then had his crack, which found the post, which left it to Chow to increase his own takings with the delayed follow-up. Ling then closed it off with a skimming strike in the 80th minute, which left the Kings with little to do but offer Jeffrey Yeuh his debut.
