[SIFL News] Round 10 – Games played on 03 Dec 2016
Premier League
Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC take top spot with win over Shanghai Japan FC (above). Shanghai Krauts dispose of Shanghai United. Azzurri FC beat FC Oranje. Shanghai ReUnited win versus Shanghai 3United.
First Division
Shanghai Cosmos edge out Voodoo and tops table. Voodoo Child beat Long Tang AFC. Anzacs FC beat Kangbei United FC. Shanghai Tianfu FC victorious over Shanghai Vikings FC.
* Sam France scored 4…. again!
In the Premier League, Shanghai Japan FC did battle with the Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC. Grand Shooters Founder & Chairman John Jofre (above) was in town to celebrate the recent 500th game landmark and ensure the team was up to scratch. The match started evenly and both teams were well matched.
Anibal Correira got injured and had to come off. His presence in midfield was missed as Japan began to find more space in between the Shooter lines moving the ball around nicely. This soon paid off as Takuya Nakano pounced onto a through ball to then lob the onrushing keeper to give Japan the 1-0 lead.
It was short lived however as Pierre Dantin whipped in a corner for Roland Broughton to delicately glance into the far bottom corner for 1-1. This was soon followed by a second, as a hopeful lofted free kick was not dealt with by the Japan backline, allowing Broughton to half volley the bouncing ball inside the near post giving Shooters a 1-2 lead going into the break.
In the second half, the Shooters grabbed an early third goal, as fox in the box Broughton was on hand to apply a classy finish from a Gui Leclercq assist to get his hattrick and 1-3. Japan upped the ante after this, looking for a way back into the game and played some good stuff. However they could not find their way through the Shooters’ defense.
The one occasion they did they hit the post and then the bar. Japan continued to push but the Shooters caught them on a quick break allowing Gui Leclercq to tee Kevin Weissler up for a tap in into an empty goal for 1-4 and that is how a tough contest ended. Roland Broughton once again rolled back the years with his hattrick earning himself man of the match honors.
Shanghai Krauts FC were up against Shanghai United. The Krauts came with a fantastic bench with dreams of goals, glory and lederhosen.
General Stoyan Atsarov was there and motivated his troops to just think of all things German such as ordnung und pünktlichkeit. Only then Fritz would reach nirvana.
Fritz did just that as Stanislav Korchazhinkii netted the first goal taking a 1-0 Krauts lead. Before the half was over the Krauts scored again sending both teams to tea with a 2-0 score line.
United made some good plays on their own but the Siegfried line held out well and keeper Jonathan Cleasen from the Ol Transvaal (above) kept his goal clean. Sister Sarie Marais was in town and witnessed a flawless performance.
The second half arrived and the Krauts just went on with their deadly efficiency. They netted the third for 3-0 and when they scored the fourth for 4-0 the match was effectively over.
Korchazhinkii scored two goals as did his colleague Moussa Rouag who promptly received man of the match honors.
Bilgin G: “I was kidnapped by the Russian mafia and vodkaboarded unable to mail match reports will buy Tom Bus beer for life.”
Azzurri FC locked horns with FC Oranje in a Cages derby and first leg of the inaugural Cages Cup. The Dutch Italian combination came up with a number of novelties such as bus race back to the pub.
Oranje employed a flexible axis of evil to try and do some damage to the sturdy Azzurri defense. From the start the men in blue moved the ball around quickly and play took place mostly on the Dutch half.
Despite some outstanding saves by keeper Robin de Fox, it was a matter of time before Azzurri would score a goal. In the 18th minute it came when Marco Michelazzo (above) found the net taking a 1-0 lead.
Oranje regrouped somewhat with the occasional attempt at counter but they could not prevent most of play taking place deep in Dutch territory. Adam Kluger then rounded off another Azzurri attack and doubled their tally to two. The half ended with a 2-0 score line.
In the second half, Oranje’s flexible axis of evil moved up to try and claw a goal back. More goals would be scored and it came when Antti Hintsanen slotted home to make it 3-0.
Desperate times called for desperate measures and the Dutch resorted to the aging master to turn the tide. It worked immediately, records were broken and Tank Zhang’s effort from a difficult angle (above) almost found the net. A glorious comeback suddenly appeared possible.
Despite Dutch courage, man of the match Alex Brown had the last laugh when he pounced on a lose ball outside the box that flew in for 4-0 and that’s when the fat lady started singing. First leg Cages Cup bragging rights to Azzurri. In breaking with tradition the management may decide to make the Cages Runners-up Cup the larger of the two.
The bus race was on, a feat that surely Bus senior was going to win-NOT! Azzurri beat them to it by a mere 2mins and 18 seconds. The men in orange bought beers for all men blue and had a blast at Cages playing porn hole and darts.
Below: Antti Hintsanen, Alex Brown, Tom Bus, Adam Kluger and Marco Michelazzo. Oranje won the Third Half by a landslide. Brown: “Oranje out drank everyone and deserve a bigger cup.” Miss Tennessee could not agree more. Oranjeboom boom boom!
Shanghai ReUnited were pitted against Shanghai 3United. It was the first time in history the two teams faced off against each other in a SIFL derby. 3United was prepared for one of the toughest games they would ever have to play and it was against a group of players that we call friends and brothers. The sun was out, the sky was blue, the pitch was dry and emotions were high.
Straight from the first whistle, 3United was on the defensive all over the field. It was truly a team effort, with every 3U player going one hundred percent on each and every tackle and 50/50 ball. ReU kept the pressure high and consistent for the entire 45mins yet the 3U defense was able to stop all dangerous attacks.
There was a hopeful moment halfway through the first 45mins when Oraz Arslanow ran onto a through ball alone behind the ReU defense. But Cody Ahlstrom made a spectacular save and touched the ball just enough to put it on to the bar for a 0^0 spectacle score at halftime.
The second half played out much the same with ReUnited stepping up their play. 3U keeper Matthias Kuck made some amazing saves keeping his goal clean. ReUnited were awarded a penalty but missed it and then, an almost sure goal was sent into orbit from less than one meter away.
It all changed when Mandela (above) won a ball in the middle. He went on to beat three defenders and smacked a grounder past a diving defender and keeper to give ReUnited a 1-0 lead. 3U tried an all or nothing offense in the last 20mins but were unable to create anything dangerous and the game ended 1-0 to ReUnited. Mandela received man of the match honors.
It was Romain Peythieu’s (middle) last match for 3United. He will be sadly missed not only as a player and captain, but also as a highly valued committee member. All the best in Paris mate, send us a postcard☺.
The boys from ReU & 3U went to their Xmas party at the Park Tavern and had plenty of meaningful conversations about monsters of Cosmos.
In the First Division, Shanghai Cosmos squared off with Voodoo. Following the Vikings defeat earlier on the day, Cosmos and Voodoo faced off for table-topping bragging rights. The opening exchanges were end to end with Voodoo clearly edging it.
Cosmos keeper Criss Kang (above) kept his team in the game when he saved a swerving drive with legs in the 13th minute, before tipping a looping header over the bar in minute 15. At the other end, Jordan Campbell caused problems for the Voodoo defense, but he couldn’t find the net.
An electric run from the effervescent Evan Kleinberg sent the Cosmos defenders into a dizzy haze before he slotted into the bottom corner taking a 0-1 Voodoo lead. Cosmos responded at the half hour mark when Conor Maye found a completely free Jordan Campbell, but he couldn’t get his header on target.
Shortly after that from another Voodoo attack, Marco Luraghi smashed the cross bar on the turn, then, the finest defensive midfielder Voodoo has ever fielded, Sam Woollard smashed home a bobbling ball from the edge of the box on the slide doubling Voodoo’s lead to 0-2.
The second Voodoo goal prompted the introduction of eventual game-changer and new Cosmos recruit Adam Stringer. Just before halftime Jonny Sellars gave Cosmos a lifeline, running from inside his own half, beating a couple of defenders and somehow looping his second attempt over the Voodoo keeper for 2-1 and that’s how the half ended.
The second half started slowly but in the 55th minute the game came to life again when Campbell turned his marker and slotted the ball through for Adam Stringer to even out the score at 2-2. Soon after that, Stringer’s powerful header made it 2-3 from Paul Baird’s cross.
Voodoo stepped up, were all over the place and with 10mins to go Phil Boyle pulled it back to 3-3. Voodoo then had a chance to win the game but keeper Kang made a brilliant save to stop Voodoo going back in front.
Adam Stringer was on his way to complete a hattrick but was tripped in the box and Cosmos had a chance to steal three points from the penalty spot. Jordan Campbell (#7) dispatched with easy sending the keeper the wrong way for 4-3. Cosmos clung on for an epic win and top of the table bragging rights. Jonny Sellars received man of the match honors.
Voodoo Child crossed swords with Long Tang AFC. Fresh from a week off on his jollies, VC captain Kam was back to great fanfare. With all the pressure of last week the Cossack had aged noticeably and had to rely on Ned Kelly to bail him out in his hour of need, the impeding closure of M&S is bad news for them both.
It was an uneventful build up to the game, with a couple of chunky UK colony members, nearly feeling the wrath of equal rights and opportunities Disney Bus Nazi Dave.
Luckily they managed to catch up to the bus and Jules Goodes’ pre-match warm up wasn’t too badly affected. There were loads of changes on the wings, Brian ‘Santa’ Claus, Andrew Rodriguez and young Pat Mullarakey running all game.
The first half ended with VC up 4-0 and scored two more in the second half for a final 6-0 score line. Sam ‘Jesus’ France was at it again scoring four. Irish Andy Graydon (with beard) literally terrorized the Long Tang defense and also had a blinder adding a couple of goals too. Jesus received man of the match honors.
A great game, well controlled by the ref and his team, was capped off with handshakes all round, only Irish was booked, and Eric Johan the Dutch chopper somehow escaped yellow.
Kangbei United FC were pitted against the Anzacs FC. The Anzacs pressed on early creating one clear chance when Dan Aubin hit the post, and then Ian Mote was outrageously penalized for tackling the KB keeper on the rebound, when an open net would have beckoned.
Kangbei soon got up to full strength most noticeably Jackson Katta who had scored a hattrick against the Anzacs in a cup game before. The Anzacs hatched a plan to man mark him.
The first half was pretty tight; with Kangbei trying to play counter but without any success as Katta was being double-teamed at every opportunity. As the Anzacs settled down and started working the ball across the pitch they looked more dangerous. Still the half ended goalless.
In the second half, Kangbei won a corner in the first minute, which the Anzacs failed to clear. Kangbei captain Joye Yang (#10) stole in unmarked at the back post to head home the opening goal and a 1-0 Kangbei lead.
The Anzacs fought back quickly and around 15mins in Ben Davis picked up the ball and drove into the area going through a couple of tackles before driving the ball into the roof of the net for the equalizer and his first goal in Anzacs colors.
The Anzacs then had their best spell of the game and soon found the net again when Dan Aubin scored at the near post for 1-2 from a Joe Hatch assist. Moments after that Aubin scored again finishing high into the net from another Hatch cross to make it 1-3.
With a couple of minutes to go Kangbei came back when Jackson Katta went down in the box. Katta converted the ensuing spot kick to pull one back at 2-3. It was little too late as the Anzacs played out the rest of the game safely.
Above: Joye Yang, Dan Aubin, legend Thorsten Kalus, Jackson Katta and man of the match Ben Davis. Ian Mote: “Good performance by everyone, especially those who weren’t fit and were coerced into playing. I think you thought it was worth it!”
Shanghai Tianfu FC locked horns with the Shanghai Vikings FC. The Vikings’ rape and pillaging campaign the night before had not gone very well. It would spell a bad omen for them going into this fixture.
Both teams played attacking football using the midfield to launch quick attacks over the flanks. It lead to several bankable chances on both sides.
In the first half, Tianfu drew first blood when they scored the 1-0. The Vikings put on some pressure to try and score the equalizer. They managed to do so when they were awarded a penalty towards the end of the half.
Mikkel Lund Pedersen (above) converted from the spot kick for 1-1 and that is how an entertaining half ended.
Tianfu regrouped in the second half and created several chances. From one such offense they slowly encroached towards the Vikings goal until they finally managed to work the ball over the line taking a 2-1 lead.
The Vikings then gave it a final push but to no avail as the Tianfu defense denied them and the matched ended in a 2-1 Tainfu victory.
Tao Sun and Shi Hang Li scored for Tianfu. Tao Sun received man of then match honors. Below: Shi Hang Li, Tianfu keeper Zhu Yun, Tao Sun and Viking Mikkel Pedersen.
STANDINGS
Shanghai International Football League
Visit the official SIFL website to find out more.http://www.eteamz.com/SIFL/
Tom Bus