Dinh Turn Up
Harun Helps Himself
Vietnamese III.14 champions Nam Dinh UTD, undefeated for nine competitive matches, drew nearly four thousand attendees for their friendly at The Cooking Pot, but did not even pretend to pose a real challenge in deciding to field just ten men for practice. The Birds would not think too much about Russian boss Vasiliy Likhachev's reasons for such, in any case, as they gladly turned the meetup into shooting practice, and ended the day with three braces.
Most of Dinh's burden would fall on their 30 year-old Dutch sweeper Ewout Buddingh, who ended up having to do most of everything himself, what with the teenaged Đặng Văn Thống being willing but woefully naive positionally beside him. Nguyễn Sơn Hải likewise had much to learn in midfield, but Dinh actually had a serviceable forward trio led by exciting 19 year-old Võ Hùng. He would not get much of the ball, unfortunately for the travelling support, who had to wait fifteen minutes for the inevitable Grilled opener. There were many plausible scorers as
Aw Keng Chuan's low cross cleared the defence from the left flank, but it ended up with
Bilal Mohammad Harun.
Dinh's organization would not improve after conceding, and Bilal would do it again in the 26th minute, with the final ball again coming from the left for him to sweep home. The Birds mixed it up more after that, and Ferzan went for it himself on the next move upfield, and caught a lucky break as goalkeeper Nguyễn Phúc Thịnh was slow to get down.
Enrique Baena contributed the fourth next as he exchanged a quick one-two with
Teo Chuan Yong, for 4-0 at the break.
Poor Buddingh looked almost spent from forty-five minutes of running after Grilled's forwards, but his tormet was far from over, with
Paulino Trindade supplying a pair of fresh legs in taking over from the hardworking but not very impactful
Ibnou Balde. Dinh's time had come, however, and a dramatic fingertip save by Nguyễn would turn into a chase down the middle, where Võ Hùng's pace won out against the complacent Birds backline.
Atang Mangoye couldn't quite catch the youngster, who lured the just-turned-forty
Manuel Vadalà to the side, before seizing the right moment for a measured chip.
Well, the home fans could afford to be generous with their applause on that, as Tian relieved
Gilbert Webb from his duties next, with
Mohsen El Khateeb joining Mangoye at the back. He would not be called upon much with Grilled hogging the ball for long periods, and Baena had it at 5-1 in the 63rd minute, as he called for it with Ferzan searching for an out on the right wing. The pass inside should really have been blocked, but it wasn't, and Baena wasn't about to let it go.
It was a game of how many more the Birds could put in now, and Ferzan would rightfully join Bilal and Baena in the double club, as he immersed himself in a stunning passing sequence that sliced through some stiff Dinh resistance, 77 minutes in.
Teo Chuan Yong then opened eyes with a right flier of a free-kick from over thirty yards, although that had to be partly put down to the inexperience of the keeper.
Moey Xin Seng would then be on for Bilal half-unwillingly for the final five minutes, and nearly found the net himself.
