Lions Fall to Azzurri on Penalties in Hebiguchi Cup Clash
Saturday’s Hebiguchi Cup match against Azzurri FC ended in heartbreak as we lost on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular time.
[ SIFL Hebiguchi Cup ] Shanghai Lions 1-1 Azzurri FC (Lost on Penalties)
The game kicked off unusually late, and by the time we started, Waigaoqiao was almost deserted—hardly the kind of atmosphere you’d expect for a knockout match. It ended up feeling more like a low-key friendly, not helped by the fact that Azzurri were scrambling to assemble a full squad.
The game itself was tight, with both sides fielding solid defenses and limited scoring opportunities. We were missing some key attacking firepower in Mendel and Dani, which made it tougher to break through. Azzurri struck first with a well-placed shot. Shortly after, Jerome had a golden opportunity to equalize, but he sent the ball sailing into orbit—he blamed the bounce, but we’re still looking for that ball!
In the second half, we dug deep and kept pressing. Eventually, our youngest Lion, Lucas, delivered a perfect cross that Matthieu (on his birthday!) slotted home for the equalizer.
With darkness setting in fast, we had no choice but to head straight to penalties. We converted two, missed two, and never got to our fifth shooter—Charles—before the Azzurri sealed the win.
Despite the result, this was a good challenge for the team—especially with the high-stakes showdown vs. the Shooters coming up next weekend. A win there could give us a 7-point lead in the title race. Let’s shift focus, train hard, recover well, and prepare to give it everything!
💪 Eyes on the Prize — Let’s Bounce Back in Style.
– Coach Freek
