Missing Soccer AM on your Saturday mornings? Well, don’t worry, GRIDSERVE has just the thing.
Welcome to Soccer EV, powered by GRIDSERVE.
As official electric vehicle partner of Fulham FC, GRIDSERVE headed down to the club’s Motspur Park training ground to put some players to the test – both mentally and physically.
Club captain Tom Cairney, Brazilian superstar Willian and up-and-coming Australian midfielder Tyrese Francois went head-to-head in a quiz and skills challenge.
First, the trio answered 10 questions about electric cars and sustainability to earn time to complete our Soccer EV challenge: a free kick around the GRIDSERVE High Power charger wall, a crossbar attempt and a penalty against the Tesla Model Y.
I’ve started so I’ll finish
It was grade A student Tom who came out on top in the quiz, scoring nine out of 10 and earning 90 seconds to take on the challenge. He even knew the original date of the petrol and diesel ban before the recent change. Coming to a Mastermind chair near you soon.
Willian, who took the wise decision to copy most of Tom’s homework, secured 80 seconds, while Tyrese finished with 70 seconds… and would therefore be up first.
For the free kick and penalty, players would be awarded one point for a goal and 10 points for hitting the GRIDSERVE logo in the top corner. For the crossbar challenge, it was five points for hitting it and a consolation point if you missed but it went in the goal. Crucially, no bonus for the GRIDSERVE logo (more on that shortly).
The players would be able to have as many attempts as they could fit in during their allotted time.
Soccer EV kick off
After a brief disagreement over the lining up of the free kick for the left footed Tyrese, the Aussie wonderkid got off to a hot start, clattering a GRIDSERVE logo early on and racking up a solid 16 points with penalties and free-kicks slotted home with ease, before late controversy over his crossbar attempt. VAR replays (and a lot of debate from Tom and Willian) showed it’d hit the GRIDSERVE logo and not the bar, so it was no points.
Willian was next with 10 extra seconds to play with. He got off to a slow start before showing some Brazilian magic to hit a crossbar and GRIDSERVE logo in successive attempts to take the lead and set an imposing target of 20.
Top of the class Tom was up last with a massive 90 seconds on the clock to take the win.
An early crossbar got him started and made him favourite. But the ultra-competitive Tom went for the bold attempt of trying to hit the top corner and a GRIDSERVE logo with every free kick and penalty to rack up a massive score.
Unfortunately, near miss after near miss – including some millimetre misses on the crossbar – left Tom needing a last second miracle. It wasn’t to be, and Tom finished on just seven points and picked up the wooden spoon… at least he had academic bragging rights in the dressing room after.
Winner Willian added: “I’m very proud… but I expected it against these two.” Ouch.
