Guichard Guillotine
Phua Ming Xin recognized Vulturii's discipline, even if Grilled Birds did get it past them once. "It's no fun to be up against such a setup - and that's a compliment, by the way." the Number Nine confessed. "Luckily, La Face took that shot when he did!"
This sees Grilled into the last sixteen, where they will meet frunzelax for the first time - or the ninth, if their previous incarnation as All Stars Team is considered. Many big names such as Singapore Big Dogs, Bukit Gombak, Arroagancae and Batok Earthquakes remain in the mix, but
Tian Yonghang felt that his team had as good a chance as any. "By my reckoning, nobody really wants to meet us, even if some like Big Dogs are probably the favourites."
Farmer Bunnies began this season's friendly circuit with a similar 1-0 win at Tahiti's A.S. Pirae, with the IV.4 side succumbing to
Vitaliy Efendiev's dipping free-kick in the 19th minute.
Edgar Popienia had a number of good efforts saved by Carl Carayon before and after, but this proved sufficient once
Gilberto Sorondo stopped Heimanu Poroi's last-minute counter.
As for Grilled International, their H.I. Ruby Challenger Cup run came to an end as they were swept 0-4 by France's Les Dieux de Géoffroy Guichard, with the IV.44 side making it six in a row without defeat. Forward N'Golo Téhéro was their driving force as he smashed in a brace by half an hour, with Rolando Biancolilla and Pietro Rafuzzi completing the domination.
Phua Li Kong bemoaned the visitors' ability to direct play, as he fought an at times lonely rearguard action against their incursions. "They were driving us this way and that, we need to work on keeping our shape."