Bay Tomahawked
This was a downer, but not an entirely unthinkable one, for Birds boss
Tian Yonghang. "The lads did their best, but it was evident that a few of them haven't been familiarized with each other. Perhaps we could have done better had we fielded more of the regulars, but development remains our top priority, at this stage of squad-building."
Tian did not forget to congratulate the Singapore Red Dragons, who however appear unlikely to get past S-League leaders Haha in the next round. "If it's any consolation, I can't objectively see ourselves going through either."
The Birds will face long-ago leaguemates Talpons in the Sapphire Challenger Cup, then, as the Farmer Bunnies advanced past FC The Sail @ MarinaBay in the Ruby version, after their many second-half counters yielded a late
Amaya Ravula decider. They had been fortunate that Porter Ho had missed a sitter from a corner in the 29th minute, but
Mauro Fau would be a particular culprit, in wasting the Buns' own creations. Ravula finally did it himself, taking advantage of a Mohd Irzani Lukman stumble in the 79th, to tuck it away.
That was a cruel turn of fate for the young MarinaBay defender, and Ravula could sympathize. "He'll have more goes at it, better luck next time."
Grilled International rolled over a H.I. Division Two club in their Consolation Cup, but with former top division challengers Hannover Tomahawks FC in administration, this was a poorer achievement than it might have seemed.
Arcadi Sansalvador and Singapore youth international
Phua Li Kong had them two up by the sixth minute, but it was again
Umut Koza shining the brightest with a brace. Niklas Kunnig hit a consolation for the Tomahawks, but it was never going to be near enough.
