Fleet Threat
Safri Saves Blushes
The Birds came close to being sunk by Holland-based Benfleet Branch 2, who made light of prematch pronouncments by head coach
Djan Bacelar by holding Grilled for the first half, before stunning them by taking the lead. Thankfully, the players fought back with three goals to advance, but the way it came about was certainly food for thought.
Luis Alcántara had been placed back in charge for the supposed easy game, and the long-serving assistant duly whipped up a three-man midfield consisting of
Tian Yonghang,
Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim and
Clément Meyer, leaving the attack to be manned by reserve players. On Benfleet's part, local gaffer Martin Sing made few changes to their favoured 4-4-2, trusting in bargain buy Slovakian skipper Cyril Dunčko to direct on cue.
The past two weeks had not been kind to Benfleet in the league, as they suffered consecutive defeats against strong opposition. They didn't show much signs of being unduly affected, that said, although Tian flirted with putting Grilled ahead after just four minutes.
Chow Ying Lee laid the foundations with his speedy surge down the left, but Tian connected slightly off-centre with his weaker foot.
There was no question that Grilled were seeing more of the ball, but Benfleet's defence proved more than enough against the earnestness of
Leong Wan Kang and company. With the forwards rather too predictable to be effective, Grilled began whacking it from distance, and
Clément Meyer powered a mighty one not far from the half-way line that had the crowd on their feet.
Benfleet took a hint, and on their next possession, Brazilian midfielder Ranalpho Jaguarão lashed it from a similar distance, leaving
Krystian Rykowski to look a little more uncertain that he could have been, as it bounced a mere couple of metres wide. Their fans greeted that effort with wild and not wholly ironic cheering, making the Estádio da Luz feel fuller than it was for a time.
It wasn't working for the Birds, and the best they could do was a flick-on header from Leong that had Hugo Mansilla backpedalling. In fact, Benfleet should have gone ahead on the counter, as Mihovil Radola hit the bar before Cyril Dunčko smashed it wide; it was only then that referee Heiko Hoser could book Leong for trying to impede Jaguarão from joining in.
Alcántara had seen enough, and replaced the offensively impotent
Ling Fuquan for
Wong Ping Shun during the break.
Qassem Madaini also came on, and the 37 year-old Saudi nearly broke the deadlock, throwing all caution to the winds as he sprinted in support of
Tian Yonghang's incisive run.
Unfortunately, Mansilla blocked that one, and Madaini couldn't make it back as Benfleet raced back on the right flank. Local winger Sim Jian Yi took on and beat
Chow Ying Lee with a sharp change of direction, before knocking it on for his captain to fire past Rykowski.
That had the Benfleet supporters up and dancing, as Grilled contemplated another disaster in the making.
Low Aik Jia warmed up hopefully, but before he had to be pressed into service,
Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim had the honour of scoring the Birds' first-ever secondary cup competition goal. Substitute
Wong Ping Shun bent it right to his feet, and Mohd Safri had only to make contact.
The assist was acknowledged by Grilled's star striker as he jogged back, and the Birds began to seriously pressure Benfleet from then on. They had to cede ground slowly as the Birds compressed play, and in the 65th minute, Grilled took the lead for the first time as
Rashid bin Ahmad made a clever overlap to get a clear route on goal.
It was obvious that Benfleet had nobody who could quite keep Wong down, and Grilled wisely played to their strengths, letting the big guy wreak havoc down the right side as often as they could. Sing put Flavio Töröter on for the flagging Donald Monod in defence, and while that helped, there was still no stopping
Chow Ying Lee from getting in on the action - a deadeye strike in the 80th from him made it 3-1.
That move also spelt the end of Finnish wingback Kim Rissala's game, as he had to be stretchered off after seemingly tearing a thigh muscle. José Viriato Mendes replaced him, but Benfleet were more or less out of options, and a brave last stand marked the end of their cup journey for the season.
