Sentoza Borking
Pens Pain
A lack of scoring nous would finally catch up to Grilled Birds big time, as they failed to put II.3 challengers Sentoza Springboks away over 120 minutes, despite creating by far the more chances. The Springboks also knew what they had to do once
Gústav Thoroddsen came in, and the Icelandic target man would last mere seconds on the pitch, before being put out in a very cynical but ultimately successful way.
Already in their ninth straight season in II.3, with two titles in that time, the question amongst Springboks fans has long been when they would be taking the next step - either up to the S-League, or by capturing their first national cup. Colombian gaffer Francisco Javier Riascos had not been short on ambition since his arrival some four years ago, with one of his first signings being Finnish goalie Leo Savolainen, for close to S$20 million. Eskild Rysgaard and Freddie Abrahams - all three starting today - would follow soon after, though there were also high-profile sales, such as former U-20 forward Tan Chun Fu to the Netherlands' Jean United.
Against Sentosa's premier club, the Birds would stay with their 2-5-3 against their 3-4-3, with wingers tucked in for additional holding power. Much post-game analysis would muse on whether this was required, but in terms of creating opportunities, there was little to be said against the Birds today. What the Springboks lacked in quantity in that department, they more than made up for in quality, as Spanish wide forward Gao Ruxian showed 27 minutes in.
Ha Qicai tried to protect his middle, but Gao pulled confidently to the outside, and found the minute gap between goalkeeper and far post for the opener.
The Birds kept their heads at going behind, and truthfully had little reason not to, with more quantitative statistics suggesting that they were in the ascendancy. All they lacked were the goals to prove it, and on this
Brian Reddy would come up with the goods in the 34th minute, as he blazed in from the right to lash a screamer past Savolainen. Grilled then went ahead four minutes later, as
Mohd Marzuki Khairul put it away after a more sober buildup.
That had Riascos exhort his team to overload the left with Freddie Abrahams switching over, and while the Birds refused to be intimidated, they lost the gamble after Savolainen saved Marzuki's next strike, and the Springboks counterattacked successfully with Heinrich Goldhafer cannily finding space on the right for the equalizer.
Aw Keng Chuan then had his header off
Chia Kwang Tse's flick-on from a corner go narrowly wide, and while he remained in the right place to receive
Chad Thach's instant return from the goal kick, his solid attempt would be blocked over by Savolainen, who was having a very busy day.
Tian Yonghang made his usual switch of
Gandhik Chitre into attack at half-time, which again paid off immediately, with Chitre scoring on his first touch of the second half, after Eskild Rysgaard had taken his eye off the ball at an inopportune moment. The Birds kept being unable to build on their lead, sadly, and Joel Örnman tied it up with a pretty curler across
Dimitris Germanakos in the 59th. Chitre tried to answer at the earliest, but Savolainen batted away his rising drive from ten yards, that was headed for the top right corner.
Heinrich Goldhafer had been a great leader for the Springboks throughout, but his legs were clearly giving out, and he would be succeeded by Sigbert Swärdbeck with fifteen minutes of regular time left. Grilled were also getting somewhat frazzled by their inability to make more of their many chances, and
Lim An Keng being presented it on a platter two minutes after Swärdbeck arrival, only to rush it well wide, only added to their sense of frustration.
Niels Meitil would replace Benin playmaker Chukwunonso Mitchodjehoun shortly, while
Tian Yonghang waited until extra time was all but certain, before bringing
Gústav Thoroddsen on for Marzuki. This would probably be the shortest stint that Thoroddsen would have for a while, however, as he had barely strolled over to the opposing penalty area, when a long throw from
Ha Qicai reached him, and had him instinctively help it on to
Hwang Teck Fu, who lobbed it barely over.
That might have been the end of it too, had Swärdbeck not lunged in right as Thoroddsen raised his knee to play the ball, and hit said knee with force. This was the biggest decision referee Vojin Sredojević had to make by far, and he would consult the replay before judging that slight contact had been made with the ball, which saved the Springbok from a straight red. In any case, Thoroddsen was in no condition to carry on, and
Paulino Trindade would thus be press-ganged into action.
Thoroddsen's know-how would be sorely missed in the half-hour that followed, and with Gundu Prabhu supplying fresh legs by replacing Gao, Sentoza would reduce Grilled's chances to a minimum. Nevertheless,
Federico Parada should really have won it in the 99th minute as he broke past the last man, only for Savolainen to stick a leg out just in time.
Gandhik Chitre was next to try and work his magic five minutes on, as he worked to make an angle against Choong Yeng Aik, but it was not quite enough.
Penalties it was, then, and Leo Savolainen would cement his status as hero of the day, by saving from Chitre and then Trindade as the Birds' third taker.
Hwang Teck Fu's cool take was for naught as
Dimitris Germanakos could not stop any of the Springboks' attempts - including a cheeky one down the middle by Savolainen himself - and Choong Yeng Aik won it with the fourth kick, burying it neatly at the left corner despite Germanakos guessing correctly.
