Grilled Birds 6 - 1 FC Barca Singapore
League, Season 6121 February 2016 04:30 HTT
  Preview     Report     Comment      Milestones      HT Report     HT Ratings  

SCORING SUMMARY
Grilled BirdsFC Barca Singapore
Clément Meyer (4)
Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim (40)
Clark Won (47)
Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim (54)
Clément Meyer (67)
Tian Yonghang (73)
Kwan Kuanzhi (2)

FIXTURE HISTORY
Season 60L4 - 2League
Season 60W5 - 1League

Clémency Denied
Meyer Outstanding

A Player of the Season award has been an albatross for some, but to Clément Meyer, it has been nothing if a shot in the arm. So often overlooked as a roleplaying cog in Grilled's midfield, the Frenchman has made himself out to be its foremost driving force, as he guided the Birds to a very fruitful 6-1 home victory against close competitors FC Barca Singapore.
FC Barca Singapore, who finished a single point behind the Birds last season, were expected to severely test the rebuilding Grilled squad's credentials; however, the absence of S$10.2 million signing Panamanian international Jeremías Ávila, due to an unfortunate knee injury in last weekend's friendly, limited their potency somewhat. Nevertheless, they retained competent alternatives throughout, and head coach Suradhish Acharya adjusted boldly by taking the Birds on their own turf with their favoured 2-5-3.

And it paid immediate dividends. FC Barca Singapore spent the first minute passing the ball around crisply, and once they were ready, broke down the left side. Mikhail Smirnov broke on the outside of an uncomfortable-looking Ling Fuquan, and as the Grilled midfield hastened to cover, threaded a low ball over to former Hong Kong national star Kwan Kuanzhi. Kwan couldn't miss from that range, and to the outrage of the home fans, purposefully danced a jig right in front of the season ticket holders.

Payback was swift and sweet in coming, as Grilled would assault down the same flank that Smirnov had come up from. Old reliable Wong Ping Shun reminded that speed was not a winger's only asset, as he elbowed out multiple challengers to a contested pass, before sending a cross high over the first line of defence. Clément Meyer was prepared and waiting near the back post, and crashed his header in just outside of Edmund Crean's flailing hands. He then made as to taunt the visiting stands, before thinking better of it.

The electrifying beginning wouldn't last as FC Barca Singapore reverted to type in attempting their usual possession-oriented game, but the Meyer-energized Grilled team managed to nullify most of it. Neither would manage a sniff at goal for a long time, and it was 32 minutes before Wong Tian Han would make one of the saves of his life. Benedetto Diletti made the most of a free-kick nearly thirty yards out, with a world-class bender around the wall, but Wong somehow made it across despite being by all rights unsighted.

This sparked the match back to life, as the teams exchanged blows at a frentic pace with the first half drawing to a close. FC Barca Singapore again threatened to score against the run of play, with Hakim Niamuddin forcing another top drawer save off Wong Tian Han after Lee Lee Hao had waited too long at the other end, but it would be Mohd Safri bin Mohd Kassim to make it twenty consecutive scoring seasons, as Wong Ping Shun delivered another excellent cross from the right.

It then got dirty, with Swiss fullback Georg Weidl laying into Ling Fuquan with a full-blooded tackle, that buckled Ling's legs awkwardly. He was lucky to escape with a yellow despite it looking mostly accidental, which the already riled home support vehemently disapproved of. The heat was only turned up when Niamuddin swung into Mohd Safri's stomach as the home favourite leapt to chest one down, and referee João Paulo do Mato had to deploy all his powers of persuasion to maintain order.

Perhaps it was well, then, that he could blow for half-time immediately, before making a point to lecture both captains for several minutes on not letting the situation spiral out of control. Fifteen minutes' rest did appear to cool heads down, and after the game restarted with a handshake between Mohd Safri and Niamuddin, a certain vicious edge had thankfully been removed from it.

Grilled extending their lead a couple of minutes in probably helped to placate their fans, as Clark Won made the most of a friendly bounce from Tian Yonghang's stopped dribble. The visitors were reduced to seeking invention from set pieces, but in their defence, they did take the Birds unawares with a slick reversal in the 53rd. Unfortunately for them, the final layoff for Jørgen Ove was slightly short, and the best he could do was to spin it wide.

Wong Tian Han was thrown a replacement ball by an alert ball boy almost as soon as that went out, and he then found the other Wong near the halfway line with a massive overarm throw. Since FC Barca Singapore had committed extra personnel in their free-kick routine, there was nobody to hinder the winger as he lined up a deep cross, which was feasted upon by the grateful Mohd Safri for 4-1.

With Rashid bin Ahmad holding steady, Djan Bacelar evidently felt it safe to bed Yuki Irie in, and put him in for Gene Filippone on the hour mark. The returnee will definitely be contending for more action if Ling is sidelined, and he did his chances no harm with a confidence-raising marking job on Kwan.

The Birds would be freer to strut their stuff with the back mostly secured, given that the visitors were finding it difficult to bring their undeniably stellar cast of strikers into play. Meyer, who had much to do with that with his numerous clearing headers, then notched a deserved second after Clark Won advanced down the inside right. Spotting a hole from just outside the penalty area, Meyer blazed one towards the bottom right corner, and Crean was again a split-second too slow to it.

A four-goal margin repeat of last season's fixture seemed almost cruel given FC Barca Singapore's ability, but the Grilled fans were in no mood to be charitable, given the early provocation. The opposition would have their chances, but it was just not their day with Ove found wanting, and Tian Yonghang would get a popular sixth goal to finish the day off in celebratory manner.







      
     
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
2829
    Rule Revived
    Rogoe Out
    Baptism Of Fire
    Clémency Denied
    Excellent Opening
    Pioneers Lost
    Failure To Convert
    Marvels Manage
    Madaini Through
    Meyer Recognized
2016-08-01 00:37:41
anonymous: Thanks for the special mention :) I would just like to expre...
2015-08-17 18:50:02
anonymous: excellent read as always!- Yjorn
2015-06-13 03:08:41
anonymous: Rasha say
Thankssssssssssss
www.kfs.edu.eg
2014-12-14 16:56:39
gilbertlim: well, it seemed like that.
2014-12-12 18:26:33
anonymous: I didn't play a 4-5-2
473
13452793
Best viewed at 1920x1080+
Copyright © 1999-2024 GLYS. All Rights Reserved.