Safari Gone Mad
Tian Yonghang thanked Răducu for a good mutual training exercise today, and expressed his condolences after hearing that Olaru might be out for a month, after a knee joint issue sustained late on. "One never likes to hear about such, especially in a friendly game." Tian noted. "But given the spirit shown from both sides, there was always a risk."
There would be no lack of injuries in the other friendlies either, with Jordanian III.15 leaders Kongo Kicker losing Jamaician striker Jack Basil and goalkeeper Mahmoud Aziz Afoury, the former for up to three weeks after a possible rib fracture in their 1-4 loss to Farmer Bunnies today.
Mushtag Al-Nameeri had ducked in without looking - having already opened the scoring - in the 40th minute, and driven his head right into Basil's side there.
Afoury for his part would last until the 71st minute, having already eaten a
Miran Raulj charge early on, but all that leaping about would finally do a number on his already-stressed right ankle. Otherwise, it would be a fairly unadorned steamrolling of Kongo, who had only managed to scrape together nine outfielders to start with.
Grilled International would win 5-2 against Georgian fifth division frontrunners FC Kazreti Madneuli, which would however cost them captain
Safari bin Hj Jali, who had to retire with a badly-gashed left calf towards the end. Safari had already been furious at the lack of protection that he had been receiving, and referee Hanfried Freiherr von Eltz-Rübenach's refusal to hold anybody responsible for that assault, was the last straw.
This spoilt what had otherwise been a great return for
Wang Chu Chi, who scored twice starting at right wing, given the news that Safari's injury required stitches - and probably close to a month out. "This is ridiculous." longtime teammate
Wang Hanxuan agreed. "And they booked Zaini early on for heavens know what. You know I'm not usually one to complain about the match officials, but this may call for a formal complaint."
