Dogs Tread Heavily
Chan Ze Han, who watched the match from the gallery, applauded his teammates for yet another convincing win. "It got a little nervous towards the end of the first half for some, but I was always sure that we would pull through." the key forward, who is battling to get back in the game within about three weeks, said. "That belief extends to
Phua Ming Xin too - look at how consistent he has been, once he has gotten into the groove!"
Another indifferent showing by
Damian Hutter aside, the suspension for
Federico Parada will see him unavailable against Offshore Haven on Sunday, but Grilled Birds will likely be able to cope. Next cup competitors Tampines Phoenix F.C. should be a far more challenging obstacle, to which
Tian Yonghang has promised another strong lineup. "We will be the underdogs, but not by all that much."
Not only that, the Birds would receive an unexpected windfall, from former youth star Wee Ping Fu making a S$14.8 million switch from English Division Five side Cornish Pirates, to Dutch fourth divisioners Magic Fighters. Given that Wee is only 26 years of age currently, Grilled's finance department must be hoping that he has a few more big transfers in him yet.
The other Grilled clubs would go out this midweek, with Farmer Bunnies falling 0-3 to Orchard II.1 side Singapore Big Dogs. It was not that they did not manage to counterattack, but that the Big Dogs could deal with them well enough, while having sufficient attacking flair to get it past
Gilberto Sorondo thrice. Rajen Bhatnagar, who opened in the 36th minute with a well-struck grounder, would have to leave with a torn hamstring in the second half - but they had it won by then.
Grilled International did little better against Dutch H.I. V.16 opposition Herintreders United, who seemed to be hanging on grimly to Joram Wirtz's 32nd minute rush, before a quick double by Massimo Montaruli and then Gaston Boudier in the 82nd and 83rd minutes.
Umut Koza grabbed a consolation from a creative free-kick setup, but that was never about to be enough.
