Sarcastic Strike Back
Foppa Flyer
Sarcastic Fringeheads served notice that they were not about to be out of title running just yet, as they whacked the visiting Birds 6-3 on their home ground, for their first victory in this fixture for four meetings. Italian pre-season wing signing Marco Foppa would be their hero here, as he exploited Grilled's advanced right side, to record only his second career hat-trick.
Fringeheads certainly understood what was at stake, as gaffer Jorge Vicente Zegers not unexpectedly reverted to his more-usual 3-5-2, in seeking to seize the flow against Grilled Birds at home - much the same like-for-like butting of heads that Xaviers had pulled off in the Challenger Cup midweek. Iraqi midfielder Bashar Muntazir thus made a return to midfield together with Hans Heinrich Merkatz, with 37 year-old evergreen Austrian David Koppensteiner again trusted with their basic organization.
There would also be no man-marking of
Chan Ze Han by Bogdan Bărbulescu today, as he executed a classic sweeper's role. Grilled's main novelty would be the movement of
Heng Dong Chu to the right, where the idea appeared to be for him to come inside more often on his stronger foot. This was probably not the worst of ideas, but alas it would coincide with Foppa having the game of a lifetime.
This top-of-the-table clash would be a slow starter, with the hosts being well aware of the stakes, and although they displayed much more facility at keeping the ball than before, the adventure was somewhat lacking. Indeed, Heng's repositioning was going as hoped during this period, and he found fair success in running at Foppa and Mel Vayeshnoi from deep. His early cross to the back post then went largely unexpected in the 22nd minute, as was
Bilal Mohammad Harun's accompanying run. The angle was tight, and Ivan Borichev apparently had it covered, but Bilal somehow managed a diving header that crept in past Artur Rosa Gomes Oliveira.
The disciplined home supporters kept their composure despite going behind, and would be repaid with an equalizer eleven minutes later, as Fringeheads pressed upfield. Bărbulescu might have been an unlikely scorer, but there was little of luck about the quality of the curling strike that he unleashed from the top of the penalty area. They were then ahead five minutes later, as Heng's tendency to stay upfield had Foppa face
Douglas Carapaica almost without resistance. Douglas did steer him wide, but the Italian's shot placement in off the far post was simply perfect.
Grilled's day then went from bad to worse, as Fringeheads countered with speed and power down their right after Bilal was charged down by Vayeshnoi, and Hungarian referee András Kun ignored the foul calls by Grilled's attackers. Fringeheads captain Gareth Illes wasn't about to pay any heed either, and he put in a cross that Foppa met with a firm downwards header for 3-1. The match would only then be stopped to have Bilal looked at, and he turned out to not have been exaggerating his injury at all. The Birds midfielder would eventually be stretchered off with right knee encased in icepacks, with
Salah Kamel coming on in his stead.
There were few discernable changes from both teams for the second half, and if anyone had instructed
Heng Dong Chu to stay back more - the obvious response - it didn't happen. He was again miles from Marco Foppa when the latter broke inside to score in the 58th minute, but to be fair, tracking players and defending were never what Heng had been brought in for. However, this meant that the Birds were now three goals behind, and still falling away fast.
It was not going to get any better, as the Birds descended into one of their lowest funks of the season, with
Mateja Jeftić being culpable in large part for Fringehead's next two goals. The Dutchman's fading pace would be targeted by Merkatz in the 66th minute, as while Merkatz was not any younger, he was definitely fresher given how Grilled's defence had been hustling all day. Jeftić did just about stay on his feet as the German midfielder tapped it deftly in the opposite direction that he was heading, but he could then do nothing to block the ensuing strike.
David Koppensteiner would be replaced by Lillebror Bengtsson in the 70th minute to rapturous acclaim from the home fans, who had to be chuffed at how things were going. They would have more to celebrate shortly afterwards, as Jeftić was judged to have illegally put himself in the way of Heine Andreassen's run, after the forward had pushed the ball past him. This seemed a slightly soft penalty to award, but Bashar Muntazir had no qualms in rolling it past the committed
Jānis Salmiņš.
There was little expectation that
Wu Jinglong would be able to overturn a five-goal advantage when he replaced a despondent
Chu Xin Lee after that, and the former Fringeheads star would be afforded a decent enough welcome from his old supporters, who could well be generous given the circumstances. That would transform into ire soon enough, as
Teo Chuan Yong went in unnecessarily hard on goalie Artur Rosa Gomes Oliveira. This had Oliveira off, whilst tending to his left ankle, and the 42 year-old former Singapore youth international Tan Aik Shi on for him.
That turned out to be all that Grilled needed to score again, and Tan's rust would be evident on the Birds' first attempt following his arrival.
Chan Ze Han was surely not a happy camper at how his team were doing, and one could almost feel his directed anger, as Wu went about his business getting past Illes on the left.
Moey Xin Seng got the vital little touch to help it on to Chan, who bulldozed Bărbulescu before smashing it straight past Tan for 6-2.
The Birds upped their game as Fringeheads wound their participation down - not that they didn't have the right to - which brought back some memories of the proceedings from last weekend. Fringeheads were warding Grilled's advances comfortably enough, at least until the 86th minute, when Douglas channeled the departed Bilal in going hard for goal, as Heng squared it from wide right. Tan would be entirely unconvincing in trying to get across goal, and wound up allowing the grounder through his glove.
There remained three goals between Grilled and a draw, even with that, and with only four minutes plus added time remaining, that was never to be. Still, Douglas would be thoroughly appreciated when he made his way off for
Gilbert Webb at the end, as the Grilled fans may well have discovered a new favourite defender.
