Poet Over Saints
Zubari Sacrifice
Grilled Birds signed off on their preparations for the S-League with a 3-2 result against newly-promoted Pakistan Premier League side FC St. Pauli 1910 e.V. at their Mora´s Millerntor stadium in Zhob. The two-time Pakistan Sapphire Challenger Cup holders had like Grilled spent some years in their II.2 league before finally going up, and in some style too as they swept all fourteen league games to replace Pakistan Cup winners Meteorismo F.C. in the top division.
23 year-old new signing Misbah Awan started in midfield for the hosts, but not star forward Rizwan Qadri nor fellow former national youth representatives Qavi Waheed or Abdul-Latif Qidwai, though Israr Gilani did captain their 5-4-1 this rainy afternoon. It would be a trainee backline other than for the capped Wasif Siraj, who moonlighted at fullback despite being St. Pauli's regular custodian. This left 39 year-old backup Midhat Changez between the sticks for this friendly.
The Birds would not impose too much on St. Pauli's hospitality, in fielding three young forwards in
Mason Glendinning,
Kendell El Khateeb and
Zaini Zainuddin Junaidi. The home team got off to a great attacking start anyhow, as their boldness from kick-off paid dividends. Adil Bhutta could hardly believe his luck as Gilani weaved past
Genki Nagano from outside, and
Mohsen El Khateeb would prove little obstacle as he drove into the box and put it past
Dahan Bok.
The remainder of the first half would be characterized by doughty defending when it mattered, with Grilled taking their time to get off the ground, before assembling a grinding advance about the fifteenth minute. Parvaiz Ishrat was overwhelmed by
Zaini Zainuddin Junaidi, but the teenager couldn't force the ball over the line, and
Paulino Trindade smashed the follow-up into the side netting under pressure.
It was St. Pauli to get the next bite at goal in the 24th minute, with Bhutta settling for a free-kick after briefly contending with
Hein Thiha Pyae Ko just outside the penalty area. Wasif Siraj got it over the wall, but
Dahan Bok leapt to punch it aside. Grilled came back with another patient build-up about the 35th minute, as
Kendell El Khateeb did well to draw attention and manpower to himself;
Fu Wenlong would have his drive slowed tremendously by the wet turf, however.
The second half had
Virgil Huang get his chance in place of the underperforming
Mason Glendinning, with Greek backup goalkeeper
Dimitris Germanakos also taking over from
Dahan Bok for his first appearance in a while. It would not be a happy return to work for Germanakos, as he lasted just nine minutes before conceding. Adil Bhutta was something of an expert in reading Gilani's intentions, and another straightforward through pass was all it took to make it 2-0.
Grilled did muster a strong reaction to going behind again, and they would push upfield in full force from the restart.
Fu Wenlong was deeply involved in bringing it up the left as the St. Pauli defence fell back into the centre, but his first ball to
Genki Nagano was given back after the Birds skipper was crowded out. No problem there as Fu simply tried again, and Genki would first-time it past Changez on the second go.
This success had the Birds stay on the offensive, with the hosts stuck in a reactionary state with the midfield momentarily unable to cope.
Hisham Zubari abandoned his usual stopper role for a time, and Misbah Awan proved unable to keep up in the 63rd minute, with
Hein Thiha Pyae Ko directing play forward. St. Pauli's numbers were not sufficient to keep Zubari out, and he was spot-on with his finish to pull Grilled level.
It was St. Pauli's turn to push back, and they had their chances to win it around the 83rd minute, if after a short scare from Kamil Ayub's late tackle on
Kendell El Khateeb that brought about a wasted free-kick. Hasan Siddiqui might not have been particularly outstanding before this, but he nearly won the game outright with an unstoppable twenty-yarder that crashed back off the crossbar. Parvaiz Ishrat elbowed his way to the rebound, but was ushered away by
Damian Hutter.
Extra time appeared a given now, but a couple of sharp twists in the tale beckoned; first,
Hisham Zubari would literally steamroll Misbah Awan in the 86th minute in a mad rush for the ball, and was rightly sent off by Ivory Coast referee Fabien Lado, who had been pretty hands-off before that. This however had St. Pauli too eager to try their luck at getting a third, and
Virgil Huang stole it instead as Grilled launched a quick break down the middle.
