Premier League
Shanghai Japan FC win versus Shanghai 3United. Shanghai ReUnited beat FC Oranje. Shanghai Lions victorious over Shanghai Krauts FC. Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC grab point versus Azzurri FC. 

First Division

Kangbei United FC beat HFC. Voodoo Child win versus Shanghai Tianfu FC. Voodoo (above) victorious over Long Tang AFC. Shanghai Vikings FC beat the Anzacs FC. 

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In the Premier League, top ranked Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC did battle with Azzurri FC. Two big rivals squared off against each other in their first meeting this season. 

The Azzurri have recently beaten both ReUnited and Lions, so the Shooters knew they would have to work hard to keep their title challenge going strong and retain their unbeaten record this season.

The pitch wasn’t helping either team play football and from the start it was clear it was going to be a tight game with few chances. Both sides battled hard and looked to play the ball early to their forward players. 

Azzurri started drawing fouls in the Shooters half and threatened from the resulting free kicks, with keeper Banyard having to stretch to claw out one effort.  

The Shooters meanwhile looked most dangerous from corners, coming close on two occasions. However the half finished 0-0 with both defenses looking solid.

The second half saw the Azzurri midfield starting to take a bit more of a hold on the game as the Shooters had to dig in, looking to break away down the wings on counters. 

Finally the deadlock broke when the Azzurri’s Guillermo Santamaria whipped a good ball into the middle of the box to Nicolas Fajardo who at full stretch managed to hook the ball looping it up and over the Shooter keeper. One nil to Azzurri with 15mins left to play. 

The goal seemed to wake the Shooters up a bit and they threw everything going forward, taking more control of the game. However shots were blocked and crosses cleared and it was looking like the Azzurri were going to leave with all three points. 

But with literally the last move of the game Loic Chudy delivered a free kick in to the box, which found its way to Stefan Sturm. The big German stooped down to head in the equalizer (below) to cue wild celebrations for the Shooters. 

The final whistle went after the restart and the points were shared leaving the Shooters still undefeated this season. Goal scorers Nicolas Fajardo and Stefan Sturm picked up man of the match honors. 

Azzurri were a little hard done by as they had the better of the match, defended well until the very last second and deserved more from this game. They all went to Cages for beers and burgers and drank with their mates from up North in another glorious Third-Half@Cages. Better luck next time boys!

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Shanghai Japan FC faced Shanghai 3United (below). Japan continued to get results versus good teams and this match was no exception. 

Japan went up 1-0 then 2-0 before 3United could get a goal back via an Oraz Arslanow strike for 2-1 score line at halftime. 

In the second half 3United tried to get another goal but the Japanese defensive lines held out great and the match ended 2-1 to Japan. 

Yoku Endo (above) and Hajime Sumitomo scored the goals for Japan. Yasutomo Toyofuku picked up man of the match honors. With this victory Japan cemented their grip on 5^th spot in the ranking competing with Azzurri FC for 4^th.

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FC Oranje were slotted against Shanghai ReUnited. ReUnited are still in the title race and were on guard against Oranje who are still playing for a first win, it was ReU’s to lose.

The match got underway with ReU controlling the midfield putting the Dutch defense under pressure from the get go. After a few bankable chances it was Adam Kling who opened the scoring. Free in the box he found the unmarked near post for 0-1 after 8.5mins. 

Oranje then played a good phase getting close the ReU box but their defense did well to clear all threats. Towards the end of the half some serious chances were created but the orange strike force did not score and neither did ReUnited. Game still open. 

In de last 5mins ReU picked it up a notch and simply overran the orange lines with the ball ending up over the goal line with an accidental claw out by the falling Dutch defense that ended up in the net as well. 

A red card was what followed and Oranje continued with ten. The ensuing penalty was swiftly dealt with by Sascha Höltke sending ReUnited up 0-2 at halftime (above). The mood was buoyant and upbeat, the sun was out. Twas a lovely spring day minds were already at beers afterwards. 

The Dutch however, never give up and were firm and steadfast to complete their mission and bring their German General more into play to pressure the ReU defense and crack them up good in the second half. 

It actually resulted in a few chances but a foul in the tight Dutch box was what happened at the other end. Another penalty was easily delivered by Mandela (above) effectively putting the game to bed with a 0-3 score line. 

Just as the General was making progress getting closer to goal, ReU’s sinister ploy of ‘kicking the Kraut out’ took shape. Thomas ‘Kraut Slayer’ Corbett (#25) unceremoniously kicked Christian ‘General’ Böcking off the pitch. The same happened during their previous encounter clearly showing Herr Flick’s wicked ways of engagement. 

It was time for Tom Bus to step in. Besides silky ageless play it was a great moment for Oranjeboom exposure (below). A number of new records were established clearly swinging back the momentum to Team Orange with another bar raising performance. 

In the end ReUnited won 0-8. Adam Kling (2), Sascha Höltke (2), Steve Ishemezwe, Ronald Kana & Mandela Ngueguim scored the goals with Höltke (#96) picking up man of the match honors. 

All the fine scoring fellows above with Cages, China Challenge, Beyond Relocation, Radisson Blu Hong Quan, Xindao, KCL Foods, Infinity, Orange Plastics and the record holder in humble attendance. 

Oranje took #583 for what it was and went to Cages in celebration of raising the bar. Third-Half@Cages was won, bar was raided, crowd went crazy. Their undefeated clean sweep streak has not gone unnoticed in the league underscoring the enormous depth, reach and potential of FC Oranje-Shanghai’s oldest & finest football club-We Believe in Turn Over! (& Elvis)

Meanwhile, ReUnited’s comfortable win sees them still in hot pursuit for the title as the Shooters dropped two valuable points. Herr Flick: “This means ze fate of ze league is back in our hands-pleasant news for Berlin.”

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Shanghai Lions FC crossed swords with Shanghai Krauts FC. The Lions stand-in goalie didn’t make the early kick off time so that President Freek Boelen started in goal. 

It proved to be a masterstroke as the new stand-in keeper saved a one on one with the very fast Krauts striker Stanislav Korchazhinkii and 0-0 it stayed. The Lions started a bit slow and not a lot of chances were created for both teams. 

Tomas Cabrera opened the score for the Lions 1-0 and just before halftime the Lions got their second by Tomas Zitoun for 2-0. In the second half, the Lions picked up the pace, started to pass better and danced around the pitch a bit more. 

Without substitutes, The Krauts ran out of steam and the Loins found the net several times. Felix Vroegop netted two, Tomas Cabrera scored his second and Agajan Nyazberdiyev got a goal as well. 

President Freek Boelen (above) then switched from keeper to striker and became an instant sensation when he got in on the scoring as well for a final 7-0 Lions victory. Felix Vroegop picked up man of the match honors. Boelen: “I can basically play anywhere.”

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In the First Division, Shanghai Tianfu FC lined up to play against Voodoo Child. A relatively strong VC squad was able to deal with further injury; Ben Nogoodwin’s struck down with a sore throat, we will pray for his quick recovery.

VC were looking to get back on track against Tianfu, who were hoping they were still scarred from the last meet. And so it seemed Tianfu were very content to sit back and try hit VC on the break with screaming war cries. 

Mad Eddy and Tony Nogood were able to mop up with relative ease, even though it was very very sunny and the ball very very high. It seemed complacency was VC’s worst enemy. Nil nil at the break and all to play for. Time for a change, a big change, a game changer you might say.

Ian Dixon back from his travels was introduced and rallied the troops. A penalty was soon earned by Dicko, which sir Ned Kelly dispatched with ease taking a 0-1 VC lead. 

Followed up shortly by a nasty Andy Rodriguez thunderbolt that he will talk about for years to come for 0-2. Finally young Patrick Mullarkey finished off a great move with a sterling effort for a final 0-3 score line. 

Wright brother Gary had Kam’s blessing for a tireless display up and down the wings. Only black spot was two further injuries to Irish and Julian Goodes. Ned Kelly picked up man of the match honors. (above with legend Dixon, Mullarkey and Rodriguez) 

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Happy FC were paired against Kangbei United FC (above) in another Chinese derby. Both teams started well and created several chances. 

However the keepers were equally to the tasks as no goals were scored in the first half. 

In the second half, Kangbei put more weight in the match. Their Cameroonian contingent stepped up and made the difference in this entertaining contest. 

Emmanuel Seneck scored a goal as did Jiamin Hou sending Kangbei up 2-0, which was also the final score. Kangbei’s Halidou Moussa (#9) was voted man of the match. 

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Voodoo slugged it out with Long Tang AFC. They say sequels are never as good as the original but the SIFL casted a handsome leading man as the ref and went for an early kick off time in the will they, won’t they comedy that is Voodoo versus Long Tang. 

The result?  We quote the reviews – “five stars” (Gary Bushell, The Sun), “monster, monster” (Eric Hall) and “Bruv wtf this is mad” (Stormzy). For anyone who didn’t see the original game last week they hadn’t missed much. 

The game kicked off and quicker than you can see a DVD special feature commentary track with goal scorers. Jonny White (above) had met a deep Fabby Fab cross to cushion a lobbed volley over the keeper from the edge of the area taking a 1-0 Voodoo lead but he should have passed. 

The fastest goal of the season for the Voodoo but it did little to settle the nerves as Long Tang looked to employ their not-so-secret weapon of playing it diagonal over a flat (footed) back four.  

First Blood Part II went to Voodoo as well after Ben ‘Spider Ankles’ Avery pressured the Long Tang backline and popped it off to the Taliban whiskered hitman to lash a left foot shot in off the bar when he should have passed for a 2-0 halftime score line. 

Second half saw the introduction of Sam Woollard’s glacial pace to complement Jack ‘I can’t believe he’s only 23 and that slow’ Webster, which saw Long Tang start the better of the sides. But it turned into an open game with chances at both ends. 

The next goal came from Avery nodding in at the back stick after another excellent Fabien cross from a flowing team move for 3-0 (above). Voodoo’s fourth came from what must have been a shanked White shot from the wing for 4-0. 

Long Tang answered back as soon as Big Dog was let off his leash and Phil Boyle started his goalkeeping heroics by picking the ball out of the back of the net from a Jinfu Gan strike and 4-1 (below). Big Dog then slipped White through once more and he lobbed the onrushing keeper from distance for his hattrick and 5-1, but he should have passed. 

A solid win with some goals and nice to see Alex Meecham back in the fold after an awkward toenail injury. No one got booked so to next week when Voodoo play Long Tang for the final time this season. It’s going to be emotional. Below: man of the match Jonathan White with Jinfu Gan and Ben Avery. 

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Shanghai Vikings FC locked horns with Anzacs FC. About 10mins into the game the Vikings won a free kick on the left of the box. A Viking swung it in on target and high and it snuck between the keeper’s outstretched hands and the bar for a 1-0 Vikings lead.  

The Vikings (above-below) kept pressing and had a few more chances which last gasp defense and keeper Thorsten dealing with the Anzacs managed to keep out. 

 

At the other end the Anzacs started to create a few chances with first James Viera breaking through and going very close when his curling shot beat the keeper but not the far post. Stephen Pek then had a chance, which he struck well but also landed on the post and the half ended with a 1-0 score line. 

The second half kicked off and after about 5mins the Vikings got another free kick on the left edge of the box. The same Viking strolled up and struck it over the wall into the opposite corner doubling the score to 2-0. 

After that Anzacs captain Ian Mote got tackled and face planted into the ground while the Vikings then scored the 3-0 and then netted one for the Anzacs for 3-1. Towards the end the Vikings scored two more for a final 5-1 score line. 

Jens Christensen (2) Adebowale Adewale (2) and Mikkel Lund Pedersen scored the Vikings’ goals with Jens Christensen picking up man of the match honors. (above)

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STANDINGS

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Shanghai International Football League

 

Visit the official SIFL website to find out more.http://www.eteamz.com/SIFL/

Tom Bus