That Was Sparta
All The Ra-ra
Grilled had to again turn to a friendly game for rejuvenation, and Czech runaway third division winners AC SPARTA NEBORY were happy enough to oblige, as they started the well-attended match with just nine players, the rest of their squad having been delayed on a flight back from another appointment.
This meant no Argentine star José Fabián Chao as Finnish coach Tomi Pitkäkoski gamely led the hosts out, and it was hard to take what followed too seriously given what had happened.
Chow Ying Lee was not one to hold back, though, and Raúl Lofiego almost looked bemused when Chow flew by him to center one for
Rashid bin Ahmad to clip past reserve goalie Gustav Wurm.
One attack followed another, and the Birds were soon two ahead after
Lee Lee Hao sent a floater in for
Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim. He didn't make the best of contact, but it was enough to help it on to
Clément Meyer, who made the most of the unexpected windfall.
The home fans took it all in their stride, but the Grilled side had developed a fairly thick skin, and continued pressing their unwarranted two-man advantage. Mohd Safri was certainly not going it easy when he flubbed another strike. This was only for Chow to make up, as he sliced by Lofiego yet again to bang in a third.
There began to be some derisory whistling from the stands as Chow refused to let up on the much-beloved veteran, and even assistant coach Luis Alcántara looked slightly embarassed as Chow milked his advantage for all it was worth. Rashid didn't mind getting a second, though, even if he toned the celebrations down somewhat.
With no sign of the missing players when half-time was up, the teams restarted a little reluctantly, and after a long stretch of snooze-inducing possession by the visitors, Mohd Safri collected his dues with a run by the surprisingly fit Pitkäkoski, to sarcastic cheers from the by-now dissatisfied SPARTA fans.
They were entertained slightly by
Che Harun bin Sabtu's over-the-top entrance, as the old showman decided to enliven the proceedings with a cartwheel. He was an instant hit with the crowd, perhaps due to being a fairer match for their men, and they did not begrudge him his sneaky assist for
Pompeo Bellamoli six minutes after coming on.
There was no such allowance for Chow, whose earnest striving was not at all popular, and there was genuine applause when Wurm saved from the Grilled Number Ten. Desiring not to leave a slightly more positive impression, Alcántara put
Joan Cisquell on towards the end, but to little response this time.
