Wanafunzi Wrangle
Quah's Parting Gift
Grilled put away four-time Kenyan top division champs and three-time Kenyan Cup winners wanafunzi in extra time, after a fast-paced and thouroughly entertaining ninety minutes of regular time. It was a second trip to the Wanafunzi Domé for eventual match-winner
Quah Han Kok, who had been there one before as part of the Singapore U-20 squad.
Marcus Liehner came agonizingly close in the 17th minute after an intelligent run from Alcántara had wanafunzi give up a free-kick at the head of the penalty area. Liehner could have asked for no better position as Hobson leapt over the ball, and he bent his shot towards the empty side of goal, just inches wide.
A spot of good old-fashioned tussling won Grilled's popular Number Eleven his 50th friendly goal.
Tim Hobson showed great heart in biting at the heels of defenders after the final pass went a bit too long, and ended up getting the ball back and pounding it rather unceremoniously into the net.
wanafunzi's answer came from 17 year-old Kenyan U-20 international Shade Kirop, who cheekily outdribbled Spirig and put two-time Kenyan I.1 top scorer Matthew Medina through. Medina clipped it on to Dutch strongman Jozias Tischler, who left Bao-Tam no chance with a blinding low shot.
Spirig got himself in trouble as he used his hands more than he should, but Grilled cleared the free-kick and Hjortlind could have scored at the other end from his quick breakaway. Argentinean keeper Néstor Gabriel Morales' acrobatics allowed him to repel the ball, though.
The tension reached fever pitch as young Paul Ianculescu was distraught after he was booked for diving, and many home fans agreed with him that Tuan-Mu had felled him in the penalty area. This was no time to take a breather, as Han Kok left the protesters behind and charged up the right side.
He sent a delicate cross in, which Hjortlind sent into goal with a twist of his leg. Notably displeased, wanafunzi's players responded with a ferocious barrage from the restart, and Medina outjumped all and sundry to Stuifbergen's high cross, only for him to direct his header across goal.
The second half saw Tuan-Mu miss a sitter, then Olaru followed Hjortlind into the referee's book for much the same offence. wanafunzi poured through into the Grilled half, and both Medina and Tischler could have equalized in short order.
There was a stir as the home side's goalie, Morales, ran upfield to take a corner as he has been known to do sometimes. It could have turned ugly had Grilled cleared, but Kirop held his position and did a first-time header that flew past Bao-Tam into the near post.
Many fans used the interval between full and extra time to stock up on snacks, in anticipation of a drawn-out finale, but Han Kok ended any hopes of that when he robbed Peter Hansson of the ball in the ninety-third minute. Morales had little time to move as Han Kok wrapped up the friendly with a bullet-like drive.
