Merlion Majesty
Martin Kingmaker
It only got worse for
Dan Alstani, as West Merlions followed up their narrow victory in the Singapore Cup, with a thumping 4-0 at Grilled Birds' own ground. This could be termed nothing other than a disaster for the usually-upbeat head coach, who would for once be stunned into silence, by his team's utter capitulation - which, alas, did not quite match the vital statistics being served up.
Alstani had performed his accustomed rotation for the match, while the visitors would make relatively few changes from the side that had acquitted themselves so well in midweek. Ghani Naim returned in defence in place of Hans Laidla, which was about it for Homero Balseiro. Alstani would rouse the home supporters with his aggrandizing statements in his pre-game statement - played in full glory right before kick-off - but those would simply serve to bite back at him, when all was done.
The fixture got off to a speedier start than some might have expected, as West Merlions proved quite adept at breaking forward despite their supposedly-defensive 4-5-1. The facility at which their fullbacks and wingers advanced made it all but a 2-5-3 on the offensive, which the Birds had evidently not expected. There was nobody watching Philippe Roudier as Naim threatened an overlap in the seventh minute, and the Frenchman duly slid a knee-high cross tantalizingly across the box, for Cambodian midfielder Chhay Rithy to get on the end of for 1-0!
Slovakian goalkeeper
Radomil Marcol knew that he should have done more about that, from his resigned look as he retrieved the ball, but Grilled in truth did not do too much wrong for the remainder of the half, as they chased an equalizer. Their general approach was maybe a bit too direct, however, and they just could not get the rub of the green, in the toss-ups that mattered. This was exemplified by a long pass that appeared destined for
Hwang Teck Fu in the sixteenth minute, only for a bad bounce that allowed Pierpaolo Fraviga to snuff it out.
All eyes turned to
Mohd Marzuki Khairul, who had been the Merlions' bane in their previous meeting, but he couldn't find that crucial goal, and not through lack of effort. He had a sizzling right-footed drive flash past Constantin Mihai in the 26th minute, only for Stefaan Blankenstein to cover the far post dramatically. Five minutes later, Marzuki appeared through as he carried
Phillip Nagata's exciting run forward, but there was just no opening in the end, as the backline converged on him.
After all this toil, it would be the visitors to double their lead, and it took only a single corner kick, from which Nicolae-Cristian Cută nodded it in at the left post after some poor defensive coverage. Grilled Birds were soon back knocking at the door at the other end, with
Hwang Teck Fu provided with a clear sight from some ten yards out. Hwang went for the lob... which had a little too much backspin on it.
0-2 didn't feel all too reflective of how it had gone on the pitch, and there would be scattered booing from the stands as the half-time whistle went.
Dan Alstani looked worried as he led his squad back onto the field, and he had every right to be; West Merlions had adapted better if anything, and
Radomil Marcol had to be in tip-top condition to pull off a save from Chhay Rithy in the 54th. Grilled were nowhere closer to reducing, however, as Mihai got in the way of
Lim An Keng's thunderbolt ten minutes on.
Merlions had executed their gameplan near-perfectly, down to the entry of Aide Gallartzagoitia with fifteen minutes remaining, after Cută had run his socks off. Grilled had continued working all angles, but they just lacked that needed flash of inspiration, to unlock a back four of Merlions' standard.
Ananda Hettiarachchi would increasingly be looked towards, but not even the composed Sri Lankan playmaker could conjure gold out of lead.
The final double kick in the teeth came three minutes from time, as Grilled Birds predictably overstretched in their final flailing attempts to salvage a point. There would be nobody to stop Aide Gallartzagoitia after
Hisham Zubari had gambled and lost on a dribble out of defence, and Merlions claimed a fourth almost immediately after the restart, as Martin Ramanayake seized upon an almost palpable lack of confidence in the Birds.
If there was to be any consolation to be taken from this miserable display, it would be that the hosts kept fighting to the bitter end.
Hwang Teck Fu's dash in the final minute would not have been out of place in the first, but his finish left very much to be desired, with it entering the atmosphere. A downcast
Genki Nagano and Marzuki departed for
Damian Hutter and
Kendell El Khateeb, with Joey Quan's grin standing out in contrast as he entered for Gavin Stockwell during the same break.
There would be even time for one last calamity, as
Hisham Zubari caught Ajay Lieuw Fat's shoulder charge square in his chest, and had to be stretchered off for
Mohsen El Khateeb.
Chia Kwang Tse would have his opportunity for a belated consolation with the declared two minutes of added time extended to almost five, but there was simply no getting beyond the last defender for him today.
