SIFL 2014-15 Season Final Roundup

By Tom Bus

On June 13, 2015, the Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC (above) win SIFL Cup by beating Shanghai Puxi Lions FC 2-1 in the final. The End of Season Tourney of the Shanghai International Football League got underway as well. Shanghai Puxi Lions win Gold Cup beating Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC 1-0. In the Plate final, Voodoo (below) beat Kangbei United FC 1-0 and win Plate.

The 2014/15 SIFL Cup Final was a closely contested match between the Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC and the Shanghai Puxi Lions FC. For the Lions a win would deliver the illusive treble that only the Shooters had won before. For the Shooters a win would end their drought for proper silverware.

The Shooters proved most eager on the day. Their dominant power play resulted in a first goal from a corner. Hit man Kevin Wiessler (below right) jumped higher than they entire Lions defense and headed the ball in the net taking a 1-0 Shooters lead. After that the Shooters made a play over the left then got the ball to Lachlun Nichols in the middle. He played a one touch through ball in the box where Wilson Scott (left below) picked it up for a one on one with the keeper. Scott delivered it in the net sending the Shooters up 2-0. Before halftime the Lions did something back when Romain Haution (middle) worked the ball over the line getting a goal back at 2-1, which was also the halftime score.

In the second half, the Shooters came close to scoring a third goal but Chris Nie’s header from a corner just missed the target. He had a similar chance in the first half that just went wide. The Lions had a few chances as well, most notably from set pieces just outside the box. But the Shooters’ defensive lines stood firm and were able to clear all danger. The Shooters held on to their lead and when the final whistle came the 2014/15 SIFL Cup was theirs. With the Opening Tourney Gold Cup the Shooters have won two main trophies this season. Shooters’ Kevin Wiessler picked up the last man of the match honors of the season.

 The Closing Tournament format was 15-minute 8-a-side games with round robin stages of 4 groups with 4 teams per group. After that, teams would qualify for Gold with 2 groups of 5 teams or Plate Cup with 2 groups of 4 teams with the Lions and Shooters joining Gold. A total of 70 matches were played in which 116 goals were scored.

The two SIFL Cup finalists ended up playing the Gold Cup Final as well. Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC taking on Shanghai Puxi Lions FC. The Shooters fielded a slightly different team than their line-up in the SIFL Cup final while the Lions opted for a similar line-up. It proved to be decisive as most play took place on the Shooters half and it was a matter of time before the Lions found the net. It came when Charles Georg was at the end of a Lions attack and tapped the ball in from close range taking a 0-1 Lions lead (above).

The Lions created a few more chances but no more goals were scored with the Lions winning the Gold Cup of the 2014/15 Closing Tournament. The Lions have won three main trophies this season: Premier League Championship, Hebiguchi Cup and Closing Tourney Gold Cup.

The Plate Final was between Voodoo and Kangbei United FC (above). It was Kevin Dunn’s last match for Voodoo as he returns to Liverpool. He had a great game and it was his cross in the box that found Alex Meecham who scored with a header sending Voodoo up 1-0. It was Meecham’s first header ever.

Kangbei tried to do something back but Voodoo’s defense kept the nil and when the final whistle came Voodoo had won the Plate Cup of the 2014/15 Closing Tourney. They went on to the Camel for their end of season party until the early hours. It was a fitting end for Kevin Dunn who has played his heart out for Voodoo for two seasons. Good luck in Liverpool! (#18 below with Captain turned keeper Brian Doyle)

 

 

Below all winners of the 2014/15 SIFL Season:

 

SIFL 2014/15 Premier League Champions: Shanghai Puxi Lions FC

Runners Up: Shanghai ReUnited

 

SIFL 2014/15 Premier League Top Scorer and Player of the Year: Steve Ishemezwe of Shanghai ReUnited with 23 goals.

 

Premier League Coach of the Year: Sebastian Backer of Shanghai ReUnited

 

SIFL 2014/15 First Division Champions: Shanghai Krauts FC

Runners Up: Hstone HFC

 

SIFL 2014/15 First Division Top Scorer & Player of the Year: Jordan Campbell of Shanghai Cosmos with 19 goals

 

First Division Coach of the Year: Bilgin Guengoermues of Shanghai Krauts FC

 

SIFL 2014/15 SIFL Cup Champions: Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC

Runners Up: Shanghai Puxi Lions FC

 

SIFL 2014/15 Hebiguchi Cup Champions: Shanghai Puxi Lions FC

Runners Up: Shanghai ReUnited

 

SIFL 2014/15 Plate Winners: Shanghai 3United

Runners Up: Shanghai Vikings FC

 

SIFL 2014/15 Opening Season Tourney Gold Cup Winners: Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC

 

SIFL 2014/15 Opening Season Tourney Plate Winners: Shanghai 3United

 

SIFL 2014/15 Closing Tourney Gold Cup Winners: Shanghai Puxi Lions FC

 

SIFL 2015/15 Closing Tourney Plate Winners: Voodoo

 

SIFL 2014/15 Fair Play Trophy: Shanghai Japan FC

Below Japan’s Captain Mighty with referee Kevin and the Fair Play Trophy.

FC Oranje’s keeper Robin Johansson (above & below) played his last match for the Dutch as he is moving to Taiwan this summer. Dennie Lamers (below) won Oranje’s top scorers contest with six goals and earned new football boots provided by Beyond Relocation. Afterwards, the men in orange celebrated in style at Sasha’s & Zapata’s and Oranjeboom was there too. Below Bas ten Hoeve of Design2Gather and Robin Johannson on snuff. We wish the Swedish Chef all the best in Taiwan!

In the tournament, the Anzacs FC drew 1-1 with Voodoo Child, lost to Oranje, and then held on for a pleasing 2-1 win against ReUnited, allowing them to double the result of a victory against a Premier League side, but still going in the Plate. The Plate did not go quite as much according to plan. First up 0-0 versus Kangbei. Next up a 0-1 loss versus Hstone HFC. Last up were the Vikings, who the Anzacs had to beat by two to go through but they didn’t. The Vikings beat them. Each season the Anzacs have their own internal award ceremony and below the winners. First, a big thanks to Manager Ian Mote who sends in their reports inclusive of fines week in week out.

Anzacs FC Players’ Player of the Season 2014/15: Jonny Warburton

Anzacs FC Managers’ Player of the Season 2014/15: Andy Shepherd

Anzacs FC Top Goal scorer 2014/15: Carl Schopp

Anzacs FC Goal of the Season 2014/15: Jonny Warburton versus Cosmos

Anzacs FC Golden Oldie 2014/15: Steve Watson

Anzacs FC Most Fined Player: Stephen Walker

SIFL First Division Dream Team Representative: Andy Shepherd (below)

Footballer Granero Esteban (ex-Real Madrid) who currently plays in Spain’s Primera Liga for Real Sociedad made an appearance in the SIFL playing for the Azzurri FC. (#3 below). Esteban was pleasantly surprised by the high quality of play in the SIFL and is seriously thinking about moving to Shanghai to help Azzurri retake their championship crown, sponsored by YEYU and Shanghai Brewery.

Below an impression of the tournament, winners and dream teams.

 

And with that the 2014/15 season of the Shanghai International Football League is concluded. The league will retire for the summer and be back in September 2015 with the 20^th anniversary 2015/16 Season. We’re open to host new teams!

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