[SIFL News] Round 20 – Games played on 18 Mar 2017
SIFL Cup Quarterfinals
Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC win versus Shanghai Lions FC. Azzurri FC beat Shanghai Cosmos. Shanghai Japan FC victorious over Kangbei United FC. Shanghai 3United edge Voodoo.
First Division
Shanghai Vikings FC beat Long Tang AFC to top table.
SIFL Cup Quarterfinals
Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC faced the Shanghai Lions FC in their Quarters. The second week in a row the two top tier teams met. The Shooters put the Lions under pressure and chances came and went with Roland Broughton probably coming the closest but the half ended 0-0.
The second half began and within minutes of the restart the Shooters took the lead. Wilson Scott picked up the ball and fooled everyone with a cross that the Lions keeper misjudged, leaving it to go in to the far corner of the empty goal and 1-0 to the Shooters.
The Lions, who had been moaning all match, took it up a notch now and managed to pull a goal back-working the ball around the box before a through ball found Allan Mendel to dink over the Shooter stopper evening out the score 1-1.
Shooters picked it up another gear after this and were soon back in the lead as Wilson ‘Target Man’ Scott scored again- this time on purpose- heading in Mike McGirr’s corner at the far post for a 2-1 lead.
With 10mins to go, Ale Kamke made it 3-1 turning neatly in the box to hammer home and seal a place in the Semis for the Shooters. Wilson Scott won man of the match honors and went off to celebrate his birthday in true Hull lad style.
Shanghai Cosmos did battle with Azzurri FC. Azzurri put in another clockwork performance similar to the week before and this time versus Cosmos, one of three First Division teams that made it through to the Quarters.
A very solid Azzurri performance in the first half saw its continuance in the second half. All balls fell in the Cosmos net three scored by Azzurri and one scored by the Universe themselves. Antti Hintsanen, Kwame Agyei-Owusu and Andrea Speranza scored for Azzurri.
Giulio Bortolaso picked up man of the match honors. With this win Azzurri advance to Semis. The men in blue went to Cages for massive celebrations and picked up another Third-Half@Cages win. (Oranje went fishing)
Kangbei United FC locked horns with Shanghai Japan FC. Japan returned to fine form and routed Kangbei United in a convincing first half where they dominated the midfield with forward pressing.
That lead to several chances and three of those found the net sending the Japanese into the break 0-3 up. In the second half, Kangbei did something back as they scored as well via a Sheng Zhang strike.
The Japanese scored as well and won the contest 1-4. Takuya Nakano (2) and Kosuke Nagai scored for Japan as did an unfortunate Kangbei player with an own goal (above). Tomoyuki Hirai picked up man of the match honors.
Voodoo were slotted versus Shanghai 3United (above) in their quarters. 3United started out with some dominant play while Voodoo earned some possession and pushed hard.
With 15mins left in the half, trusty striker Nick Law ran onto a through ball from Joe Williams and hustled past the Voodoo lines and keeper to give 3U the 0-1 lead. Voodoo then put a spell on it trying to change things around but the half ended with a 0-1 score line.
In the second half, Voodoo mixed up their attack and put a lot more pressure on 3United but the goal fell at the other end. Sascha Höltke lobbed a cross to the edge of the box to Nick Law (#15) who headed home scoring his second of the day for a 0-2 3U lead.
Towards the end Voodoo were awarded a penalty and got a goal back when Jonny White (above) converted for 1-2. Voodoo then launched an all or nothing offense but the red brigade hung on to a 1-2 3U victory and a place in the semis. Derek Yesionowski (below) picked up man of the match honors.
First Division
Shanghai Vikings FC were paired with Long Tang AFC. The Vikings knew that a victory on the day would see them leapfrog to first spot in the standings and were motivated to the teeth to make that happen.
Once the match got underway they pinned Long Tang back to their own half creating several chances. Jasper Scheuermann converted two of these when he found the Long Tang net taking a commanding 2-0 Vikings lead at halftime.
Long Tang did something back in the second half when they scored via Wei Huang strike getting a goal back at 2-1 and that’s how the match ended. Stefan Søgaard (above) picked up man of the match honors. Søgaard: “Vikings are well on their way to loot and pillage the Premier League.”
STANDINGS
Shanghai International Football League
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Tom Bus