Let Slip Late
Tian Yonghang bemoaned the loss of three valuable points at home. "By all rights, we should have had at least one, probably all of them." the head coach complained. "Not to downplay the Tonners, but this was a lot more of our defensive organization being downright silly at times. I guess that makes it my fault."
The Birds should bounce back easily enough next weekend with a visit to semi-pro club Ocean's 1q, who were destroyed 0-6 by Mayuyu AKB48 today without apparent effort. tpyers enjoyed much the same in their 4-0 steamrolling of Cloud Palace, with Merlion F.C. and Lawrence, KS FC settling for a one-all draw. LKS FC appeared to have done it with a counterattacking goal from Foo Tse Ping in the 52nd, but the Merlions' pressure would eventually tell, through Saad Khasawneh on a right wing cross.
It would be defeat for Farmer Bunnies too, as their new-look defence was honestly outclassed by hosts Brighton UK. With both teams playing the same game, it would be a question of who would sneak the goals through, and the Buns would fail miserably on several abortive breakouts in the first half. Tan Yeng Yau then broke the deadlock on Tay Jun Leng's magical fifty-yarder from right to left in the 71st minute, and there was no way back once Loh Ping Wen added a second.
As in III.1, pole position would be claimed by one facing a troubled side, with Really McCoys thrashing a fallen The EV 7-0 after the latter's administrative woes. Valiente Gallaga hit a brace as WhiteSandsMechs rose to second thanks to a 5-0 shutout of Zibaye_Khofteh, which was however frankly error-filled. Mangrove Pittas weren't far behind, as they crushed a desperately-pressing Forever Black Plum, four-nil.
Grilled International ended the first round fourth, to the Buns' fifth and the Birds' sixth, as they were held to a three-all draw by Spanish visitors Ortega&Cabrerizo on Saturday night. If International had thought that dropping a division down would make life easier, that remains to be seen as Jorge Valdayo leapt above the despairing guard of
Arcadi Sansalvador, to equalize in injury time.
Before that, International appeared set for a much-needed win thanks to two excellent strikes by
Tibor Atzenhain, which will be the German striker's farewell gift to the club. It has been confirmed that Atzenhain's contract has been bought out by an interested party, and it only remains to be seen if their successful bid will be outdone by another.
