K.A.C.M At Cook Mess
Rached Roast
Today's friendly visitors were Morocco's K.A.C.M, currently sitting pretty in third in III.11, and affiliates of former national Consolation Cup winners Nijem Marrakech FC. Belgian head coach Jelle Coussement would feature a mixed 4-5-1 with most of his younger trainees having already been deployed in the league, but it remained an unfair exhibition with the Birds packing too much in midfield. Out of favour they might be, but the likes of
Egemen Dinçer Ferzan,
Hwang Teck Fu and
Teo Chuan Yong would all press their case for reinstatement quite convincingly, with goals.
Cameron Law would be Grilled's goalkeeper with
Manuel Vadalà rested on the bench, with
Radovan Jaška continuing to establish himself as perhaps the club's fourth-choice defender, upon another friendly start. Opposite them, 17 year-old Nabil Masousi would stick out in an otherwise seasoned midfield led by Abdelmouqtader Azoulay, but the defensive stature that K.A.C.M soon found themselves mired in, did their chances no favours.
It wasn't a bad start for the team in red and white checks, however, as they repelled early Birds advances via depth, before a speculative long pass aimed toward Finnish forward Jari Teeri was put behind by a risk-minimizing
Damian Hutter. Or so he thought, only to be left watching helplessly as Abderraouf El-Bakhat's looping corner sailed over him, and veteran fullback Fatheddine Rached knocked it down into the bottom corner after Law flapped ineffectually at the ball.
Grilled regrouped, and were back level within six minutes as they began to find their feet. It turned out that K.A.C.M's turtling was not sustainable, with
Aw Keng Chuan and
Chan Ze Han scoring within four minutes of each other, sandwiching a poor tackle by
Gandhik Chitre that was a clear yellow. Chan's volley off Ferzan was of such exquisite quality, that even opposing custodian Youssouf Jbouri could only shrug.
Mohd Marzuki Khairul then whiffed a
Ibnou Balde's tee-up from a free-kick, before
Hwang Teck Fu headed a third goal in off K.A.C.M captain Abdelqayyoum Zaaf, after 33 minutes.
The interval brought no changes from either side with the visitors seemingly resigned to their fate, although the Birds took their time to ramp back up to their previous rhythm. The flanks would be worked particularly hard, and both wingers exerted themselves in supplying the forwards, with
Gandhik Chitre converting
Paulino Trindade's low cross in the 62nd minute, before a powerful header from the other flank was tipped over by Jbouri. The stylish save even brought some appreciative clapping from the Grilled fans, who could afford to be generous.
It wouldn't be long before the Ferzan got himself on the scoreboard, as he executed a clockwork-like swap with Chitre to shake Rached and get into the centre; Trindade followed five minutes later with an assist for
Mohd Marzuki Khairul from a long cross, before
Chan Ze Han's strike onto the crossbar, and substitution off for
Teo Chuan Yong - who arrived just in time to take responsibility for a handball penalty, making it 7-1.
