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[SIFL News] Round 12 – Games played on 07 Jan 2017
Premier League
Shanghai ReUnited (above with 3U) beat Shanghai Krauts FC. Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC on rampage versus Shanghai United. Shanghai 3United win versus FC Oranje. Shanghai Puxi Lions FC and Shanghai Japan FC tie.
First Division
Shanghai Cosmos defeat Shanghai Vikings FC. Voodoo Child beat Voodoo. Kangbei United FC win versus Long Tang AFC. Happy FC victorious over Shanghai Tianfu FC.
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Kangbei’s Jackson Katta scored 6!
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Shooter Kevin Wiessler netted 4!
In the Premier League, the Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC crossed swords with Shanghai United. Rain and mud greeted the two teams for their first game of 2017. Neither was put off by the weather though and lined up ready to run off the Christmas break excesses.
The Shooters quickly took control of the first half with some direct football and plenty of wing play. It wasn’t long before the flood gates opened with Kevin Wiessler (above) bagging a pure hattrick, Roland Broughton scored two, Mike McGirr and Wilson Scott a goal a piece to make it 7-0 for the Shooters after 45mins of play.
A quick halftime change around saw Broughton ring in the changes for the Shooters with several players coming in off the bench. Wiessler scored a lovely 25 yard drive straight in to the bottom corner before Scott found the net twice more to get his hattrick for 10-0. Stefan Sturm also bagged one to make it 11.
United kept on battling and towards the end of the game started to find a bit more rhythm. This led to them scoring too late consolation goals through Temirkhan Adil’s head and a nice curling effort from outside the box by Zhanbolat.
The game finished 11-2 in favor of the Shooters who went off to the Big Bamboo to celebrate their first win of 2017. Mike McGirr earned man of match honors.
Shanghai Japan FC lined up to play the Shanghai Puxi Lions FC. It took both teams around 15mins to adjust to the apocalyptic pitch. Japan dominated the opening phase and were dangerous on several occasions with unpredictable long balls over the flanks that abused the Lions’ defenders.
Luckily, Lions keeper Radouane Guissi showcased classy saves on a few occasions. After a while the French started to play a bit more direct. It proved to be the right tactic with Romain Haution, David Rosenberg and Felix Vroegop excelling on the exercise.
About 20mins in, the Lions took a 0-1 lead when Xu Lin scored from a loose ball from a cross over the left. Ten minutes later, a clearance from Japan keeper ended up directly at Kevin Bertille’s feet. He immediately volleyed the ball back lobbing it over Japanese keeper from the 35 meters out doubling the French lead to 0-2 and that’s how the first half ended.
In the second half, the Lions opted to play on the side of the pitch to avoid the middle pitch no-men’s land. They weren’t able to do that very well then resorted to playing their traditional way. Japan got a goal back when Yasutomo Toyofuku scored the 1-2 on a brawl from a corner.
With 30mins to go the Lions reorganized somewhat and the game continued with limited opportunities on either side. With the pitch conditions deteriorating rapidly both teams opted to shoot from distance and play long crosses. Japan proved to be the better at that and managed to even out the score with a fantastic header 3mins from time by Tomoyuki Hirai. The game ended in a 2-2 draw.
Takuya Nakano received man of the match honors for Japan while Kevin Bertille received these honors for the Lions. Freek Boelen: “If you shoot for the title you must win 1-2 but we had to settle for a draw and that tastes like defeat.”
Shanghai ReUnited did battle with the Shanghai Krauts FC. ReUnited stayed tight with the Shooters at the top of the table following another fine victory over a dangerous Krauts team. The Krauts pushed ReU hard at first and took the 0-1 lead when they beat the offside trap for their winger to slot home.
ReUnited responded well though but missed some great chances before Essien Foba tapped home the equalizer at the far post after fantastic work from Sascha Höltke for 1-1. The German team could easily have found the net again but they missed some chances and at the other end it was ReUnited that went ahead when Nick Waters converted from close range to make it 2-1.
ReUnited were soon pegged back when a goal kick got stuck in the water and after a scrap in the mud, a deflected shot flew in the goal for a 2-2 score line after 45mins of football. In the second half, ReUnited regrouped and were determined to keep fighting.
The contest became cagier and ReU took the lead through another Essien goal midway through for 3-2. The Krauts launched a final offense but ReUnited saw the game out without too much drama. Burak Tuncay and William Walker scored for the Krauts. Steve Ishemezwe received man of the match honors.
ReU player José María Argüello and 3U player Ignacio “Nacho” Abelaire (above) played their last games for the club. They are going back to Spain to become full-fledged bullfighters. Good luck guys and thanks for the inspiration.
FC Oranje battled it out with Shanghai 3United. With several late cancelations including the keeper, the orange franchise started with Billboard Bus between the sticks. Cages, China Challenge, Orange Plastics, KCL Foods, Beyond Relocation, Xindao, Infinity, Oranjeboom and the Radisson Blu Hong Quan all thought it was a great idea!
Oranje did well in the opening phase but 3United slowly encroached onto Dutch territory and midway through the half it yielded when Joe Williams received the ball on the right. He moved towards the box forcing the goalie to the near post. He then played to the freestanding Markus Birgler at the penalty spot who simply played the ball in the open goal taking a 0-1 3U lead.
Oranje had a chance to equalize towards the end of the half but it was not to be a 0-1 it stayed after 45mins of quality football. In the second half, Oranje regrouped somewhat and were able to mobilize Daan van Eijkel in his last match for the Dutch. He almost scored from close range but unfortunately for him and the world his four efforts went wide.
3United continued attacking and Joe Williams got the ball on the right side of the box. His shot found the net at the far post for 0-2. Not long after that 3U were awarded a penalty. Despite some great moves by the keeper, Nick Law coolly converted for 0-3.
A fourth goal came from Oraz Arslanow for a final 0-4 score line. Nick Law received man of the match honors. Oranje went on to Cages to celebrate new match & cap records. Goal scorers below: Oraz Arslanow, Nick Law, Joe Williams and Markus Birgler with Tom Bus thank you very much!
In the First Division, the Shanghai Vikings FC locked horns with Shanghai Cosmos in the battle for top spot. Cosmos were looking to extend their winning run to six games, but having watched the last 20mins of the Voodoo derby puddle fest, this was never going to be a free flowing game of football.
Cosmos started positively and left-winger Connor Maye, seemed to cope well with the conditions by employing a chipping technique he had probably perfected during his Gaelic football career. On the 16th minute, it was Maye’s deep cross that allowed Jasper Verdam to open the scoring with an expert header taking a 0-1 Cosmos lead.
The Vikings evened out the score at the half hour mark when their striker broke down the left. His cross came back off the bar and fell at the feet of a Vikings player for a simple finish for 1-1. Soon after that the Cosmos retook the lead when Maye’s corner lead to scramble and Jack Greenwell headed in at the third attempt for 1-2.
An assist hattrick for Maye as his chip over the top stopped in the mud and allowed Jordan Campbell to toe-poke the ball under the keeper for a 1-3 Cosmos lead at halftime. The Vikings rallied at halftime and came out fighting in the second half. They won a corner early on in the half that led to a scramble and Waigaoqiao’s GDS decided the ball had crossed the line for 2-3.
The Vikings applied more pressure looking for the equalizer. With about 10mins on the clock they attempted a short corner routine, only for Matthieu Jouan to intercept and play in Adam Stringer. Stringer outpaced the tiring Vikings defense and finished into the bottom corner for 2-4.
The Vikings hadn’t finished though and after being awarded and contentious free kick towards the end, their captain (#21) curled the ball brilliantly into the top corner for 3-4. Cosmos then almost self destructed by passing the ball straight to the Vikings from the proceeding kickoff.
Jonny Sellars won back possession and played in Jordan Campbell to seal the win with a fine strike for 3-5. Stefan Søgaard, Peter Gullak and Rasmus Andersen scored the Vikings goals. Jordan Campbell received man of the match honors.
Voodoo slugged it out with Voodoo Child in a Camel Pub derby. Both teams were depleted and looking overweight following the festive period, especially Jesus but with the exception of Arod, nasty Arod. VC like to play the underdog in the derbies although league placements suggested otherwise, and it was looking a bit desperate sat morning, a couple of late drop outs.
A keeper still out due to a very lengthy and ongoing frigging related illness and the Cossack away following advice from Nogood. Luckily, VC have stalwarts to rely on in the form of Gordy and Milton fresh from having zero minutes of game time in the past year.
VC set out 4-4-2 as always, Irish the winger getting his shot at the big time with little Jesus in the middle. They did their running around thing and breaking up play, to let Kev and the other attackers terrorize the Voodoo back three.
Twenty minutes gone and 0-2 to VC a big score was looking on the cards. However over confidence and in-game analysis by Jules set in, it was quickly 2-2 and all the hard work was gone. But there is a new resilience in VC this year and they struck back to make it 3-2 only to concede again from another set piece for 3-3 and all square at halftime.
The second half was a slugfest, challenges flying in that weren’t so pleasing on the eye and the ref had no choice but to brandish a few reds. Nothing really to choose between the teams until nasty Arod broke clear to get felled in the box, Jesus stepped up to convert the penalty sending VC up 3-4. Voodoo had a chance to tie the game in the dying seconds but the effort hit the post and VC hung on to victory and the spoils.
Ned Kelly rolling back the years with another fine performance scoring a second hattrick in as many games (especially his second goal was a bit special) and made some new Voodoo history which I’m sure he will remind us of for years to come.
Jack Webster, Jonny White and Jordan scored for Voodoo. Andrew Rodriguez received man of the match honors. Phil Boyle: “The greatness of Ned Kelly determined the result on the pitch and everyone was in awe of the man behind the mask.”
Long Tang AFC crossed swords with Kangbei United FC. Both teams started well and found the net once for a 1-1 score at halftime. In the second half it was the Jackson Katta show as he singlehandedly demolished the Long Tang defense with 6 goals!
When all the dust had settled Kangbei had won the contest 1-7 with not surprisingly Katta picking up man of the match honors. Long Tang’s honor was saved with a fine Yi Ding strike.
Happy FC were pitted against Shanghai Tianfu FC. HFC started very well and pushed Tianfu back to their own half. HFC’s dominance paid off in the first half, as they were able to get five passed the Tianfu keeper for a 5-0 lead at halftime.
HFC took the foot of the pedal a bit in the second half focusing on defense. No more goals were scored and HFC simply played out the match wining it 5-0. Guobin Xi scored a pure hattrick while his colleagues Linlin Cen and Jie Gu netted one each. Guobin Xu received man of the match honors.
STANDINGS
Shanghai International Football League
Visit the official SIFL website to find out more.http://www.eteamz.com/SIFL/
Tom Bus
