Busy Weekend of Football
What a busy weekend of football for the Lions! For the first time in club history, three age categories were in action across a single weekend. Our senior teams played their respective SIFL and SPL fixtures, the youth team took part in a friendly on Sunday, and the icing on the cake—a special veteran exhibition match versus the Scottish.
Let’s hope this momentum helps spark the development of a Veterans Football League in Shanghai!
[Veteran Friendly] Les Bleus (French Legionnaires) 3–4 Shanghai Scottish SC
The weekend kicked off with a spirited match between the French Legionnaires (Les Bleus) and the Shanghai Scottish SC. Played at Waigaoqiao, it was a tight encounter full of nostalgic energy and veteran pride. In the end, the Scots showed a bit more consistency and edged out a narrow 4–3 win.
[SIFL] Shanghai Lions 8–0 Krauts FC
Right after the veterans’ match, the SIFL season opener saw our senior Lions face off against the Krauts. Last season’s loss to them still stung, but this time, we were fully prepared and hungry.
A good start is essential if you want to win the league—and a narrow 1–0 wouldn’t be enough. We led 3–0 at half-time, then exploded in the second half with another three goals in just five minutes.
Benji sealed a hat-trick, generously assisted by Allan—who later joked about a discreet cash incentive from our top scorer! Final score: 8–0. With both the Shooters and Azzurri dropping points, we now sit top of the SIFL table.
[SPL] Shanghai Lions 10–0 Galacticos FC
Perfect weather, a pristine pitch, and 17 Lions ready and on time. It doesn’t get better than this.
After a shaky performance last week vs. the Cowboys, the team was determined to bounce back. Matthieu opened the scoring early, but Galacticos quickly set up a deep block, making it hard to break through again. Eventually, Maxime fired from 16 meters to double the lead before half-time: 2–0.
In the second half, we rotated the squad to increase pace and it paid off. Joel and Matthieu added goals in quick succession. Despite Galacticos’ efforts, they couldn’t keep up with our tempo. Joel, Matthieu, Patricio, and Jack rounded off a strong team performance.
Final score: 10–0. A clean sheet and great team spirit—Garret can finally breathe a little easier!
⚠️ But not every weekend will be this smooth—just ask the Hawks and Marlins, who played out a dramatic 5–5 draw.
[Youth Friendly] Lions U18 4–3 Lions Senior (8-a-side)
At 16:00, our U18 squad was set to face Japan FC. The match was canceled, but we quickly organized an internal 8-a-side between the youth and senior teams.
The result? A thrilling 4–3 win for the U18s. That’s a strong sign for the future and a proud moment for our club’s development program.
🗓️ One Club, One Roaring Weekend
A full weekend of football across all generations of Lions—and a series of strong performances to match. We’re already looking forward to the next matchday.
Come on Lions!!
Cheers,
Freek
