Alivert's Nine Hold
Hovaness Noubaryan saw no reason not to be diplomatic after the Birds' light workout. "Well, Gahan's ownership have a pedigree that extends to former Luxembourg national champions DeltaMachine. There was some chatter when they moved the club over to India and refounded it as Shanti&Prém, but they've been doing splendidly too, or so I hear. All that expertise should rub off sooner or later."
Farmer Bunnies would draw 2-2 with Kuwaiti Division Three leaders Alivert Bis at home, with the visitors twice taking the lead.
Daniel Nguyen's sweet equaliser just before half-time would prove the last goal of the game, as Alivert hunkered down with first Ákos Bodnár and then Răzvan Ţărmure sent off for violent conduct.
If acting captain
Jon Benson wasn't impressed by Alivert's discipline, he had to acknowledge their grit in service of protecting a result. "I'll be honest, I'd likely come to fisticuffs after some drinks in a pub with that lot, but damn if they can close ranks in a jiffy."
As for Grilled International, they thrashed Romanian fifth division Infratirea Gemenele by nine goals to one. There were hat-tricks from
Fausto Perono and
Wang Chu Chi, as right winger Sorin Pătrăuţă chipped in with a controversial consolation goal on his senior debut.
