Mangrove Slip Up
Little changed in the larger picture with Grilled Birds making up just two of a thirteen-goal deficit compared to Phantasm Hotspurs despite putting seven past Snohodez, with Hotspurs crushing tpyers 5-0 on the back of Eng Chi Wei's hat-trick. "They are a juggernaut too." head coach
Tian Yonghang admitted. "It's strange to accept that the race is still on when we have won all our eleven league matches thus far, but that's how it is."
Third-placed Controlar are officially out of contention on 21 points, despite claiming the largest winning margin of the day with a 9-0 against LAVINO QUAY, who somehow remain level on points with recently-entered-administration EF City. Mayuyu AKB48 managed just four against City, which had them drop to fourth behind Controlar on goal difference.
Farmer Bunnies threw themselves an unexpected lifeline with a huge upset of Mangrove Pittas at their Jalan Jelutong Grassfield, and had Swiss winger Sebastian Knarr to thank for the three points. There did not appear to be much danger when Knarr received a backpass in his own six-yard box in the 15th minute, but he must have overestimated
Edgar Popienia's proximity, from how he helped the ball on - only to realize that goalkeeper Mah Ho Keong wasn't where he thought he was.
That own goal turned out to be enough, as the Buns exploited Pittas' newfound impatience with a trickle of counterattacks for the rest of the contest, with no success of their own. Bogdan Kocić was close to tying it up late on as he blew by a flat-footed Toh Eng Guang in the 74th, but
Gilberto Sorondo was out in a jiffy.
With this and their own 3-1 away victory at Really McCoys, Bot Team FC are now four points clear at the top. Brighton UK moved up to third with a big 5-2 over WhiteSandsMechs despite Nicola Lodolini's brave resistance and brace, but the Buns will be most interested in Leeds Celts. Hasan Sürmeli struck three past a poor Singapore Foodies side today, and if
Vishnu Tallapaka's side is to stay afloat, they surely have to get something against the Celts next weekend.
Grilled International did what they had to in getting three off Ortega&Cabrerizo, but it was hardly accounted for as an achievement given that the Spanish side had resorted to fielding neighbourhood lads. Still, the travelling fans enjoyed watching veteran
Abdul Hamid bin Hj Ali Timbang sneak it home in the 25th, followed tightly by
Arcadi Sansalvador's own speculative backheel from a corner.
Waldemar Gołata then completed the job with a smart turn into the middle.
Concerns have risen over Turkish youngster
Umut Koza, however, as he strained his left groin badly, for a third time in a few months. "It may sound funny, but it really isn't." sympathetic International gaffer
Didi Reidenbach said. "We may have to get it looked at very carefully by the specialists - Umut's far too young to let something like this, risk his career."
