Amelinho Excess
There were quite a few sour faces at The Cooking Pot as Norweigian referee Knut Valvåg blew for time after a single added minute on the dot, as the supporters recognized that yet another title run might be over before it truely started. "Last week was said to be an accident, but from today's happenings, it might not be so." unhappy fan Mohd Harun bin Besar complained. "The players looked like they believed that easy square passes would win it. They were wrong."
This had Grilled fall five points behind frontrunners Phantasm Hotspurs, who crushed Shadow Chaser(R) SC 4-0 in a show of strength, although Dutch defender Talib Umman's first-half sending-off helped. Florin Tarara would also leave with a serious left ankle injury in the 43rd minute, right before Mak Hao Heng put Hotspures beyond reach with an evocative third goal.
In the other half of the table, Sunrise Treasure FC stayed level on points with the Birds, the Chasers and Krattene, as they drew 2-2 against Mayuyu AKB48 on Ian Podlesnikar's late effort. Krattene for their part claimed their first victory of the season against a troubled tpyers side, who did come close in a 1-2 defeat. Injuries to Kwok Boon Yeow and Ben Ishikawa along with a suspension for Mo Jia Aik do not exactly signal better times ahead for tpyers, though.
At this rate, Farmer Bunnies may well promote before Grilled Birds, as the Buns maintained their lead atop III.9 with a very convincing 5-0 thumping of AFC Woodlands.
Arun Ponnusamy,
Guan Ming Kum,
Amaya Ravula and
Edgar Popienia all claimed their first league goals of the season after Ho An Kian's free-kick in the 16th minute.
Amirul Jufri Khairil raised some worries after he had to be stretchered off with four minutes remaining, but thankfully the diagnosis was simply a jarred shoulder, which should see him back in training by Tuesday.
FC Phondle continued providing the Buns' closest competition as they ran over Really McCoys 3-0, as WhiteSandsMechs dropped points in a dramatic 3-3 draw against FC Jurong Rovers, who appeared to have pulled off a famous upset before Nicola Lodolini converted a very debateable penalty in the very last minute, which had Finnish referee Jeeli Ruotsalainen mobbed after the whistle. Mangrove Pittas overhauled Brighton UK in the final fixture, through Luo Wencai's very late winner.
It was more of the same old, same old for Grilled International, as their initial exuberance at
Leri Bezhanishvili scoring right after being approached by the Georgian youth setup, and then
Zaini bin Hj Kaling making it 2-0, would be doused by Amelinho Kickers' classic comeback story. By the time it was over at the Stade Vélodrome, the Kickers had it at 4-2, and International could only wonder if
Phua Li Kong might have prevented it, had he not had to go off after getting his knee whacked.
That had International overtaken by AC Rabissale at the head of V.56, after the Swiss club breezed past Elefanten der Wüste 4-1, and
Chua Jun Long could only bemoan the team's lack of defensive solidity. "Maybe, someday, we'll open our pocketbooks to fix that department. Heck, I will even chip in!"
