Olsztyn Opened
Woon Wends
The Birds kicked off their partcipation in Turniej im.Witolda Pileckiego by picking off regular entrants COBRAT Olsztyn 6-3, continuing their habit of high-scoring extravaganzas. As in the Cup final, the Division Six opponents threatened a reversal, only to be shut out by two further strikes from Grilled.
With the invitation a rare honour, Grilled could do no less than field a strong team, though they did leave
Zhao Jing Wei out for
Abdul bin Jantan to reprise a central role.
Nicola Vandeneynde got a tryout on the left, while
Qassem Madaini took over from
Ling Fuquan as the last line of defence.
COBRAT's main attraction was, as usual, centre forward Urban Dydyński, who has had seven league goals this campaign, just one off the league leader; Regular partner Maciej Thiel was missing, though, with Kwiryn Wronowski preferred today by head coach Jannes Pötschner, likely for his deeper-lying style.
Pötschner's assessment was right, as the Birds began taking over possession, even with Wronowski making it a point to help out. Zhu Chanchun stayed in magnificent form, and
Qassem Madaini's opener after eighteen minutes was actually a long time in coming given Zhu's constant venturing all over.
COBRAT's wide men were impressive when they got the opportunity, though, and they were soon level. Targeting Grilled's narrowness at the back, COBRAT skipper Rudolf Derus penetrated on the overlap far left, and rolled it into space for Wronowski. It was weighted such that
Wong Tian Han could only stand his ground and wait, leaving Wronowski a large slice of goal to aim at.
They then could have taken the lead, as Grilled lumbered when in reverse gear, but Derus' finish was too straight. Grilled then concentrated on retention for a bit, and got their second following Urban Dydyński's foul on
Abdul bin Jantan just after the centre circle. Zhao took that quickly, and
Woon Shun An barged past the unprepared COBRAT players for a sneaky strike.
Two minuets later, Woon was at it again. With COBRAT's defenders busy with Grilled's strikers, the box-to-box midfielder offered Zhu a much-needed fourth option, and scattered the opposition defence with his swerving run that cumulated with his mighty right boot.
After fifteen quiet minutes of the second half, Zhao came on for bin Jantan, and almost immediately Grilled went further in front. Vandeneynde, who had been pressed back by Jerzy Mizgała and Derus for much of the game, finally got the opening that he had been waiting for when Mizgała misplaced a pass. Seizing upon the mistake, Vandeneynde sent it high for Grilled's forward line to attack, and
Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim obliged with a well-coordinated running header.
Needing three goals to salvage something, Pötschner switched tack, and introduced Brazilian import Aureo Chielle in support of Dydyński, sacrificing sweeper Costin Brucan. This was the right attitude to have, and before he managed to get the game stopped, Luis Desgurb had already pulled one back for COBRAT.
Chielle made an instant impact, with his very first feint drawing a foul and caution from Vandeneynde. COBRAT now looked far more dangerous when they had the ball in Grilled's half, as Chielle had the measure of both Filippone and Madaini in solo matchups. Indeed, he beat the Swiss comprehensively with a deft turn in the 81st minute, and after a quick release to Przemek Sieciński, a draw was within COBRAT's grasp.
Not so fast, however. Almost before their fans managed to get a new song going, the Birds undid Chielle and Sieciński's good work with a fifth.
Wong Ping Shun got in deep on the right, and raked in a cross that everyone missed... till it bounced free to Vandeneynde, who tried an improvised half-volley, and saw it go in.
Tian Yonghang then put the result beyond doubt with a simple finish from the restart, and
Gleb Dorogan would enter the game with the objective of killing it.
