[ SPL News ] The End of the World? Not the End of the SPL

Dear Amigo’s and Amiga’s,

Santa has officially arrived—and he brought more than just gifts! He graciously picked the teams for this year’s Santa Cup and even promised to try delivering snow for the big event. 🎅❄️

Last Sunday marked our final round of SPL matches in 2012, and the action was hotter than ever with 40 goals scored across 5 matches! Sadly, we also had to say goodbye to two SPL icons:

• Danielle (Galacticos), our all-time top-scoring female player, is moving to the Netherlands. She fittingly scored in her farewell match—your passion for the game will be missed!
• Emerson (Gremio), a Brazilian powerhouse and one of the league’s best players, is heading back to Brazil—but not before banging in a hat-trick in his final appearance.

We wish them both the best in their next chapters! 🌍⚽

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📝 Match Highlights

Galacticos 4-6 Super 48

A battle between two sides hunting for their first SPL point. Galacticos showed signs of a Christmas party hangover, while Super 48, unaffected by holiday distractions, came ready to play. The back-and-forth scoreline says it all:
1-0 → 1-1 → 1-2 → 2-2 → 2-3 → 2-4 → 2-5 → 3-5 → 3-6 → 4-6
SPL is anything but boring! Congrats to Super 48 on breaking their duck.

Gremio 7-0 Pistolera Bulls

Emerson ran the show, leaving defenders in his wake like a Chinese bullet train. The Bulls hit the post four times but couldn’t find the net. Gremio is bouncing back after back-to-back losses, while the Bulls headed straight to a “training camp” in Macau.

Marlins 4-3 Lions

A proper SPL thriller, intense but fair with just one yellow card each.

• Lions took a 2-0 lead into halftime (header + own goal gift).
• Marlins came out swinging, reducing the gap to 2-1.
• Lions extended again to 3-1 thanks to a rocket by 17-year-old Martin.
  Then came the drama:
• A foul triggered a debate—in or outside the box? Ref Kevin pointed to the spot.
• Marlins converted and surged with new life, scoring twice more to claim a 4-3 win.

Welcome back to Peter Rosseli, making his return after a long shoulder injury.

Japan 2-7 Cowboys

A game played in good spirit despite the strong Waigaoqiao wind. No cards! Cowboys are now back on top of the SPL standings with this convincing win.

Flamenkos 3-3 Shanghai 2000

With manager Bart sunning himself in Sanya, Flamenkos pushed for a new disciplinary record. They collected several yellows and saw their keeper Gonzalo sent off. In the end, a draw was a fair result.

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🎅 Final Stop: Santa Cup 2012

All that’s left in 2012 is the Santa Cup—a festive, friendly tournament with 11 SPL teams + 5 guest teams competing this Sunday at Waigaoqiao. Bring your family and friends for a fun-filled football day of sportsmanship and celebration before the world (allegedly) ends!

We’re closing a fantastic SPL year in style—thanks for being part of the journey.

Cheers,
Freek – SPL President, on behalf of the SPL Committee