Ki Run Over
Clément Goes Wild
Clément Meyer and
Leong Wan Kang bagged hat-tricks against Azerbaijani Division Three club Ki Lokomotiv in the club's first weekend friendly game ever, and it was rather more fiercely contested than the scoreline might suggest, with Grilled having to rue the possible loss of
Zhao Jing Wei for the start of next season.
The grand occasion was presided over by Belgian referee Flip Postema, who was perhaps a little too willing to let play flow; the visitors weren't shy either, and only cranked their leg-chopping up once
Woon Shun An and
Leong Wan Kang cracked their defensive code by the 21st.
Lokomotiv had brought an experimental top-heavy lineup that was not going to get any purchase on the midfield, and bearded squad midfielder İntiqam Əmirov was particularly out of his depth. There was probably no malicious intention behind his mistimed swipe at Zhao, but from the Grilled player's perspective, it hurt no less than that.
Meyer came in as Zhao limped gingerly off, and carried on the departed's legacy with much enthusiasm, converting a couple of headers before half-time. Leong added another too by slipping through on the left, but
Che Harun bin Sabtu joined Zhao on the injured list.
If not for the accidents, the crowd would likely have been completely satisfied with the no-holds-barred styles on show, and teenaged visiting striker İlqar Axundov won more than a few new fans with his cheeky showmanship.
They wouldn't get to take home a consolation, sadly, with their best chance falling to Zaur Nadirov, who failed to get his foot to speedy Ramin Soltanov's perfect cross, after
Rashid bin Ahmad had put Grilled six up.
Meyer then completed his hat-trick with his weaker foot as
Ling Fuquan scrambled it in his direction, before becoming the villian with a dangerous charge in on Soltanov. The Birds however managed to come off better from that one, as Meyer was only booked, while Lokomotiv had to play on with just ten men, having not brought any subs.
Leong then got his third too, before Woon and substitute
Colby Awyong got Grilled to ten.
