Making Do Mostly
Marzuki Mastery
The Birds grabbed an important three points at home versus Woodlands visitors Mayuyu AKB48, who had recorded a 4-2 away win in this fixture last season. Their Bosnian striker Jurica Prusina had to like it at The Pot, after again finding the net on the road, and the main difference would be an increased focus on the pitch, from the Grilled players. This would be enough to do away with the sloppy giveaways, allowing them to get by with the same two goals.
Grilled's lineup would be notable for the return of 19 year-old midfielder
Mohd Marzuki Khairul, who started his first league match in over a season for the club, having otherwise been relegated to cup and friendly games. He would take
Aw Keng Chuan's central post with Aw rested, in an XI largely unchanged from the previous defeat. The other chance was
Bilal Mohammad Harun in attack instead of
Teo Chuan Yong, with Teo not even on the bench due to personal reasons.
Mayuyu would see Gilbert Stepp at right wing with Gerardo Ravarotto moved back to central defence, with 39 year-old veteran Hakim Tüzüm left out. Head coach Sergio García de Camargo was not afraid to draw upon their previous victory here in detailing his side's gameplan before the game, but they would instead be ravaged by an
Enrique Baena whirlwind from kickoff. Refreshingly fearless running by the Spanish winger saw him make a hash of a return lob by Bilal in the third minute, but Baena would do it again himself in the sixth, with a hell-raising dash that no Mayuyu defender wanted to get in the way of.
Conceding jolted the visitors into action, and they would respond with much more proactive defending, and some quick feet of their own.
Kalki Parvathaneni would be penalized for a cynical takedown of Hunor Inczédi to prevent a three-on-two near the halfway line, but that wouldn't prevent Mayuyu from equalizing a couple of minutes later anyway. Antonio Olivieri flew down the left with an ambitious first touch gone right against
Egemen Dinçer Ferzan, and a simple pass across to Prusina at the right moment left
Dimitris Germanakos with absolutely no chance to interfere.
Possession tilted further in favour of the Birds as the game carried on, but clear chances eluded them until the 22nd minute, when
Mohd Marzuki Khairul gave a first glimpse for what was to come. Ferzan found his run about the back with a superb ball over the top, but Marzuki's chest-down got away from him a little, and the half-volley could only clip the top of the crossbar. Bilal then seemed certain to score as
Chan Ze Han floated a free-kick to him several minutes on, but the awkward height had him settle for a high kick after brief hesitation - which didn't connect properly.
Mayuyu had to fancy their chances of a draw at least at half-time, which saw
Chia Kwang Tse enter for
Chad Thach, only to be carded six minutes later for getting too hands-on with Joonas Ahola. Chia's time did come right after
Moey Xin Seng's substitution on for Bilal 70 minutes in, with
Lim An Keng's long throw turned temptingly onto his shooting foot; he didn't get it on target, sadly.
That draw was looking increasingly likely, but Mayuyu were after something even better, as they began to pull the Birds wide. Olivieri, who had done so much for their goal, would cut in successfully and feed Hunor Inczédi for a finish for four yards out, but for
Bhavya Panigrahi desperately throwing himself in the way. Panigrahi's sacrifice was not in vain, as Grilled found their opponents somewhat empty at the back for once. It would be Ferzan's turn to attack space, leading to
Mohd Marzuki Khairul throwing former Slovakian U-20 international Rudolf Kefalín off for a critical second with a sway, before making it 2-1.
Panigrahi would not return as Tian spent his final sub on
Gilbert Webb, and
Chan Ze Han gave the opponents something to think about on the next play, as he looked to the left and right, before nearly sending it straight into the roof of the net. Mayuyu were not willing to commit sufficient numbers to seriously worry the Grilled defence, and the match thus ended with scoreline unchanged.
