Billionaires Busted
Cameron Scores
Academy graduate
Cameron Law had perhaps one of the most remarkable senior debuts possible for a goalkeeper, as he was fielded as a defender against visitors Haïti Billionaire club - and wound up getting a goal by the seventh minute. Not many strikers have managed this feat, surely, even considering that the Birds handily outmatched their Division Three visitors.
Founded by the group overseeing established Belgian club Tuincreaties VDB, Haïti Billionaire club have been pretty active in their first full season, with Spanish head coach Ignacio Soto Domecq racking up a net transfer profit of some S$2.5 million thus far. Results have been more mixed on the pitch with the Billionaires left behind in fourth place by the other professional sides in the league, but Domecq had warned that he would be taking his time in building a core for the future.
This could take a while, from how 22 year-old utility man Klaudiusz Wosiek was perhaps their highest-rated player available today, the promise of homegrown wingers Ricardo Presky and Dutherson Hill notwithstanding. With usual captain and stabilizing influence Matisse Pintieve reportedly leaving the club next, it remains to be seen who can step up to take over the Billionaires' on-field leadership. In contrast, the Birds had
Bilal Mohammad Harun,
Salah Kamel,
Teo Chuan Yong and
Bernie Egan all out to reinstate themselves in the first XI, which did not bode well for the visitors.
To this group might be added
Heng Dong Chu, who has frankly featured far less than might have been expected of Grilled's outfield transfer fee record holder; seven starts and five sub appearances was not nearly enough for a player of his reputation, and while the starts include the most recent three league fixtures, it's hard to deny that Heng's position remains very much up for grabs. Fielded on the right side today, Heng would have his ability to cut infield scrutinized - and came up big with a magnificent dribble and chip over young custodian Carlens Regis, in the fourth minute.
Regis certainly seemed anything but secure, all the more given that he was playing only his second game at senior level, and this was an open invitation for the Birds to test him whenever they could - which was plenty often. The visitors had no illusions about breaking out, but their packed defence was nonetheless not really up to guarding Grilled's cunning attackers.
Cameron Law found himself encouraged to shoot when released down the left side in the seventh minute, and looked as surprised as anyone when Regis let it slip in at his near post.
There was much merriment from the stands at the debutant's evident confusion, and the match would restart with Law having garnered a number of good-natured head-rubs.
Prokop Mottl made it three in the fifteenth minute, and
Wu Jinglong would replace
Heng Dong Chu in the twentieth - with his credentials proven, one suspects. It was
Bernie Egan time next for the next five minutes, and the Irishman would narrowly miss out on a hat-trick in that short period, as Regis got his body behind a powerful strike in the 25th.
Grilled were already five up by then, courtesy of Egan poaching twice from the Birds' unceasing pressure, and the match then took a decidedly less-intense turn with
Eren Serpin eager to keep his squad as healthy as possible for the title run-in.
Leonard Nguyen replaced a struggling
José Luiz Velho for the second half, which would mostly be notable for Egan trying - and failing - to complete his treble.
There would be a sixth amongst all the close and not-so-close flubs, that said, and it came in the 57th minute as Bilal's imperious header from a corner was blocked at the post, only for
Teo Chuan Yong to steam in and all but run it into the net. In the end, Bernie would have to rue his smashing it onto the crossbar after great build-up work mostly from
Salah Kamel, but frankly one could hardly have asked for more, in the bigger picture.
