SIFL 2014-15 Roundup - Game Week 24

By Tom Bus

On April 18 2015, Round 24 of the Shanghai International Football League took shape with SIFL Cup Semifinals, a Plate and a league match. Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC beat Shanghai ReUnited (above) while Shanghai Puxi Lions beat Shanghai 3United (below) in semis to set up Shooters versus Lions final. In Plate Quarterfinal, Shanghai Vikings FC victorious over Voodoo Child. In a First Division league match, the Shanghai Krauts FC win versus Kangbei United FC. Shanghai Japan FC and FC Oranje played a friendly. Five fixtures netted 22 goals.

In the SIFL Cup semifinal the Big Bamboo Shooters AFC faced Shanghai ReUnited. The Shooters came with a fully loaded squad including the three amigos aka orange traitors (below). They were all promised league championships by party secretary Zippy Kiwipom with Thai ancestry. Tom B: “You give them a platform to play football, free parties, free food and free beer after every match, and yet they got fooled to play for ASWC.” (Alcoholics on Steroids Without Championship-ed)

Nonetheless, the Shooters, motivated to the teeth, were at it from the get go and created several bankable chances over the left, right and middle. ReUnited played compact and focused on defending their half while trying to play counter. The Shooters anticipated that and their defensive lines were able to neutralize the pace and speed of ReU’s fast strike force. A Shooters goal was in the air and it came midway through the half. Kevin Wiessler got the ball and did what he does best-score. It was 1-0 to the Shooters and it looked like more goals would come. ReUnited did not give up and stuck to script. They were able to play some fast breaks of their own reaching their strikers creating some opportunities. Just before halftime, ReUnited got a great chance when Steve Ishemezwe got the ball in the box, then rounded the keeper with just an empty net to put the ball in. But with a heroic last second action Simon Moore slid across and cleared the ball of the line for a corner. The ensuing corner didn’t yield and the Shooters held on to a 1-0 lead at halftime.

In the second half, the Shooters continued their dominance on the pitch. Mike ‘Silver Fox’ McGirr in fine form doubled the Shooters tally to 0-2. Frederic Poncin showed great composure in the box and touched the ball past a defender from a difficult position that landed in the net for 3-0 effectively putting the game to bed. It was a stellar Shooters performance most their likely their best achievement this season. Shooters’ Lachlan Nichols received man of the match honors. With this result the Shooters are in the SIFL Cup final where they will face the Lions. They also face them coming Saturday in a league match and for ReUnited this may not be a bad thing with the Shooters red hot. Goal scorers below: Mike McGirr, Kevin Wiessler and Frederic Poncin.

Shanghai 3United (above in ReUnited kit) did battle with the Shanghai Puxi Lions FC in the other semifinal. For the Lions it was key to take the game against 3United serious. Lions coach Freek Boelen: “Cup games are always different and especially when one plays against first division teams one always needs to be alert.” The French Lions started well and took control from the beginning. After a while a great strike by left defender Nicolas Siaud (#3) opened the score taking a 0-1 Lions lead. Then, some misfortune as Lions captain Benjamin Guerin got injured on his upper leg and had to leave the pitch. That did not deter Azzeddine Takouloufa (#10) who was in great form adding two more goals for a 0-3 Lions lead at halftime.

In the second half, the Lions kept playing attacking football and Tomas Cabrera Cuyas (represented by #6 Simon Spangenberg below) added a fourth goal with his head for 0-4. 3United got a goal back from an Oraz Arslanow (below in red) strike for 1-4, which sparked some hope but in vain as a long pass over the 3United defense ended up at Allan Mendel (#8 below). With great control he set himself up for a one on one with the keeper and made no mistake to determine a final score line of 1-5. With this victory the Lions advanced to the SIFL Cup Final where they will face the Big Bamboo Shooters on June 13 2015.

In a Plate quarterfinal, Voodoo Child locked horns with the Shanghai Vikings FC. VC were expecting more out of this game and in truth offered a below par display against a strong and determined Vikings side. VC were not helped by the early departure of new local hero Matt Weirdo to a broken toe nail leaving Kam L Toe looking as fragile as Jules in possession but nobody really came through with a strong game. The Vikings started the game well controlling the midfield while staying solid in the back. After 25mins, Vikings’ central defender Lasse Møller took an amazing rush over the right and with a perfectly executed cross found Zhi Hong Cheng for a tap in from close range taking a 0-1 Vikings lead. At the other end, Voodoo Child had a few attempts on the counter but the Vikings defense and keeper Borys Priadko handled their attacks well for a 0-1 score line after 45mins of football.

In the First Division, Kangbei United FC crossed swords with the Shanghai Krauts FC. Kangbei played with vigor and determination and made it difficult for the Krauts in the first half. Most noticeable Si Wei Ren displayed a solid performance. The game went back and forth but after 45mins of football a spectacle score of 0^0 was what showed. In the second half, the Germans upped the ante and their overall finesse combined with power proved too much. Kangbei did create several chances however but the Krauts keeper and man of the match Larz Ertzinger neutralized them all. In form Thomas Schwab found the net twice while Stoyan-the General Atsarov and William Walker scored one each for an overall 0-4 Krauts win. With this victory the Krauts have cemented their grip on first spot with promotion to the Premier League firmly in sight. Goal scorers above: William Walker (1) Thomas Schwab (2) und Alexander Uhl standing in for General Atsarov (1).

​FC Oranje and Shanghai Japan FC played a friendly. Both teams decided to play three periods of half an hour each. Japan started the friendly well and were awarded a penalty after about 10mins. Japan’s Nakano stepped up to take the spot kick but stand-in keeper Dan Colen saved it. A few minutes later Japan managed to take the lead when Hajime Sumitomo pounced on a lose ball at the edge of the box beating the keeper taking a 0-1 lead. Japan pressed on and created several good chances. When they were awarded a free kick deep into Dutch territory, Tomoyuki Hirai (#9 above) stepped up to take it and beautifully placed at the near post out of reach of the Dutch keeper for a 0-2 Japan lead in the first period. In the second period Oranje fielded their sixth goalie this season and Eric Lamine (below) kept his goal clean. The Dutch did something back when Max Schuppert got the ball in middle, shook off a defender then fired a shot about 30 meters out that flew in the top right corner for 1-2.

In the third period the men in orange scored the equalizer when Marijn ten Wolde made the back line and passed to the free standing Donny Sijbrands who worked the ball over the line from close range for 2-2. A few minutes after that Ten Wolde made another rush to the back line then moved towards the goal and slotted home from a tight angle for 3-2 and that’s how the friendly encounter ended. Goal scorers above: Max Schuppert, Tomoyuki Hirai, Donny Sijbrands, Hajime Sumitomo and Marijn ten Wolde. Oranje have played Japan four times this season and booked two wins, one tie and one loss. With this result the Orangemen were in a buoyant mood and went on to celebrate with plenty of Oranjeboom at Sasha’s & Zapata’s. (below)

On April 25, 2015, Round 25 of the Shanghai International Football League will take place with league matches. Games to be played at the Shanghai Community & Sports Center in Waigaoqiao and at Songjiang Sports Center in Songjiang.

Visit the official SIFL website to find out more.