Lions Destroy Japan in SIFL but Defensive Struggles Continue in SPL

⚽ [ SIFL ] Shanghai Lions 9–0 Japan FC

Date: Saturday, March 3, 2012

A fantastic performance from the Lions last Saturday as we crushed Japan FC with a dominant 9-0 victory.

It’s never easy to win by such a margin, but the key was our relentless pace and hunger to keep pushing for goals until the final whistle. Credit to the whole squad for keeping the energy high for the full 90 minutes.

That said, we still need to sharpen our finishing in one-on-one situations. It might seem easy on Tomas, but practice will pay off—we’ll work on it in training.

📈 Our recent record is impressive:

• Goals scored in last 3 games: 12

• Goals conceded: 1

This shows the team is in great shape heading into next week’s Cup match vs. the Vikings. It’ll be the perfect challenge, as we must figure out how to break down ultra-defensive teams who don’t want to play.

⚽ [ SPL ] Shanghai Lions 2–4 Hard Days Night

Date: Sunday, March 4, 2012

Our Sunday Lions are having a tougher time this season, largely due to the departure of key players at the end of last year. So far, we’ve struggled to fill those gaps.

As expected, the match against Hard Days Night was tough—they’ve built a strong, well-balanced squad this season. We didn’t start well and found ourselves 2-0 down within the first 15 minutes. That early deficit made things difficult, but true to our spirit, we clawed back to 2-2.

Unfortunately, we handed them a goal just before halftime—a real momentum killer. In the second half, we improved and controlled the game better. Joel hit the post, and yet, another defensive error gifted them a fourth.

📉 Last 3 SPL Matches:

• Goals scored: 6

• Goals conceded: 10
  Many of these goals were self-inflicted errors—not a lack of skill, just lapses in concentration.

🔧 Moving Forward

• Priority #1: Fix the defense—with support from the midfield.

• Why? Because we always score—there hasn’t been a single Lions game without a goal this season.

• Solution: Show up for training. We’ve got a great field, and it’s where we can work on our weaknesses and rebuild form.

We will play the Super 48 next Sunday. That’s a perfect team to get back in the winning mode. Let’s keep a clean sheet and score plenty!

Cheers,
Freek