Sing Swing
Trapolino Set
The build-up to the Singapore Community Cup finale was comparatively underwhelming with Team 12321 having secured the team title beforehand, but the show had to go on in Rio de Janeiro. Piorzão, the home of the current Brazilian Cup holders, attracted a respectable mixture of curious locals and well-off Singaporean fans, as the teams set up to conclude their season.
singnet_utd chose to go heavy on the right flank together with packing their defence, with lone striker Markus Matsson ably supported by the wide duo of Oliver Meienberger and Tellis Rouvas. The Birds were, as expected, in a 2-5-3, with an emphasis on protecting the ball.
With nothing at stake, Grilled bordered on reckless in their play, though this rattled the opposition enough that
Tian Yonghang slipped through to come up against goalkeeper Sebald Strauß alone. Strauß dove in without fear, though, and looked to have taken Tian's feet away. The referee ignored
Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim's immediate appeal for a penalty, and the S-League runners-up wasted no time in getting the ball away from the area. Meienberger, whose contract is ending, made a good case fo a renewal as he clinically directed Rouvas' inbound pass beyond
Wong Tian Han.
Grilled were not without their chances, and Mohd Safri was active with two fierce efforts batted aside by an inspired Strauß. The German made all the difference in this half, as he denied numerous attempts, and even sparked the second goal with a big goal kick that got helped on to Clemente Trapolino. Mohd Safri would have had a hat-trick against a lesser goalie, but would have to go down the tunnel with nothing to show at the break.
Although Strauß swapped positions with Nicola Pillitu after that, Mohd Safri had no better luck against the Italian, with what seemed like a certain goal stopped by his quick feet. The Birds got away with one of their own when
Ling Fuquan's shocking elbow on Matsson somehow earned him only a warning. Fang Kunxian hit the free-kick straight to Wong, but the Birds really needed to score about then to get themselves back in it.
No such hope, as Strauß earned appreciative cheers from the crowd when he raced forward to nick in a third goal in the 58th minute. The native fans clearly like goalkeepers with the killer instinct, which he exhibited plenty of when he decided to get forward on the off-chance that
Wong Ping Shun would have the ball stolen off him by national playmaker Ling Zhicheng - which was what happened.
One never quite felt that Grilled were completely lost, however, as they continued making shots, but
Chow Ying Lee messed up an outstanding opportunity when he ballooned it from fifteen yards. Ling was finally booked after a messy challenge on Pietro Gilardone, which however indirectly led to the Birds' consolation. With Matsson strolling off to be substituted, Gilardone was left alone with Tian, who was certainly not about to show much sympathy for the defender's reduced condition.
singnet were not too concerned, and after a couple more substitutions, Trapolino completed his brace after Rashid and Woon failed to communicate properly in defence.
