Forever Blue
Birds gaffer
Tian Yonghang graciously congratulated Florian Piednoël on his team's victory, but later denied that he had been outplotted by the Dragon Devil's head coach. "It was close, and in fact I think we should have won it, but saying that just sounds like sour grapes at this point." Tian explained. "Both of us advance in a way, and there are greater challenges ahead."
Tian also stated that the end of Grilled's nine-match winning streak was a relief of sorts, as they begin their Sapphire Challenger Cup defence against recent leaguemates Glory Paradiso. "We have had good results against them last season, but will not be taking anything for granted." he continued. "They were very convincing in their 5-2 win over FC Jurong Rovers, what with their very solid backline."
Farmer Bunnies will also be in the competition, after edging III.6 club Forever Black Plum 2-0, in this Clementi derby.
Arturo Rosano supplied
Guan Ming Kum with the opener from a 23rd minute corner, and although he missed a penalty late in the half, he went on to strike another past Spanish custodian Juan Tudo in the 55th minute. Stiff pressing otherwise meant that the Plums barely got a sniff, as 20 year-old tyro Kok Yong Ting got intimately introduced to the darker arts of defending.
Grilled International went out of the H.I. version, sadly, as they dropped 2-4 to German IV.26 entrants Internationale Lenni.
Snæbjörn Sigfússon opened smartly from a
Hardi bin Besar cross in the fourth minute, and
Umut Koza answered Jesús Ruiz de Galarreta's counter, but Ingolf Wenter took command in the second half with a flawless hat-trick. "There's nothing you can do against a guy in that mood." Hardi groused. "At least we can focus on the league now."
