Cooked By Kiri
Frang Intense
The Birds weren't playing safe when they accepted Cambodian cupwinners and reigning Premier League holders Mondulkirin Kiri's friendly offer, and one had to expect that the first-teamers as well as the reserves learnt quite a lot from it. It ended 5-0 to the hosts at Fallow Field, despite them coming out in a defensive 5-4-1, albeit one topped by former national player Rotha Siv.
Their Norwegian starting goalkeeper Tom Tufte would be hardly troubled in this setup, particularly with
Vikram Mudaliar's sluggish performance hinting at why he was dropped from Sunday's league game.
Moey Xin Seng's individual excellence wasn't enough to compensate for that, with his main nemesis being big Spaniard David Donvela, who matched his altitude whenever called upon.
Kiri spent the first twenty minutes just going it cool, with the Birds not managing to find much headway - or even get into the penalty area. They weren't getting out much either, but 31 year-old rightback Rithisak Frang made it count when they did. He found himself shoring up the centre when Siv went for a direct run, and Frang's almost-accidental follow-up chip was enough to wrongfoot
Krystian Rykowski.
Grilled didn't do any better as the half wore on, and their midfield would slowly crumble under Kiri's nonstop hassling.
Chirag Thevar and
Dante Tran were unconvincing whenever their opposite numbers decided to latch onto them, and the Birds were passively forced on the defensive, surely a remarkable sight.
Pompeo Bellamoli's introduction for
Jérémy Tarin failed to make any real difference, with Slovakian icon and vice-captain Bence Fodor dominant on that flank. With Grilled all out of ideas, it came as something of a relief when Kiri set out to put an end to the sorry stalemate. Munney Chak's rushing down of
José Luiz Velho in the 72nd left Yaacov Kakoon with room to operate, and he made it 2-0 after rounding Rykowski.
Kiri had developed a taste for goals, and although Matthias Limprecht would be booked for an unwarranted takedown of
Hoàng Trung Quá, Grilled managed to turn that into a free-kick against themselves after a frankly risible mixup. Yaacov Kakoon took it with a measure of craft, positioning it just so for the invitingly-located Olli Uurainen to power home.
That third goal preceded some tactical reshuffling by the Kiri coaching staff, not that they needed it - the exhausted Birds midfield had all but given up the ghost, and Rithisak Frang would bury a right cracker upon Kakoon's departure, after which Chak came through for the final one.
