SIFL 2014-15 Roundup - Game Week 20

March 20, 2015. Excitement in Round 20 of the Shanghai International Football League with a final dash to the championships. In the Premier League, Azzurri FC hold Shanghai Puxi Lions FC to a draw. Adam Kling’s four goals keep Shanghai ReUnited in the race for top spot. Guillaume Leclercq nets five of ten goals in the Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC versus Long Tang AFC match. In the First Division, Shanghai 3United edge out Shanghai Vikings FC. Voodoo Child (above) stun Shanghai Krauts FC and walk away as winners. Hstone HFC and Shanghai Cosmos win their fixtures while Voodoo and Shanghai United share the spoils. Eight fixtures netted 41 goals.

In the Premier League, Shanghai Puxi Lions FC did battle with Azzurri FC. They played each other the fourth time this season and is always a good match for spectators as both teams try to play quality football. They both focused on defense and counter while trying to control the midfield. Azzurri drew first blood via a powerful strike by Adam Kluger taking a 0-1 lead. The Lions picked up pace and started to dominate the game. They were awarded a penalty but failed from the spot as the half ended 0-1 to Azzurri.

In the second half, a super pass from Charles Georg put Allan Mendel in position and after a great run he controlled the ball and put it in the net for the equalizer 1-1. It gave the Lions confidence and that kept the Azzurri in defense. A few moments later Fabien Barbet headed home from a Benjamin Guerin corner taking a 2-1 Lions lead. The Lions had several chances to put the game away but missed the end pass. In the final phase of the match Azzurri did something back when they were awarded a free kick taken by Adam Kluger. He put the ball in the box where Alejandro Felipe scored from a scramble evening out the score 2-2 and that’s how the match ended. The Lions felt a bit outdone by as they dominated the game but again came back from behind and still remain unbeaten. They are still three points clear of second ranked ReUnited with six games to go. Azzurri’s Matias Caputo and Lions’ Allan Mendel (middle below) received Man of the match honors.

Long Tang AFC negotiated the Big Bamboo Shanghai Shooters AFC in the battle of the AFCs. The writing looked on the wall for Long Tang when Roland Broughton scored with his first touch after ten seconds heading home a cross from Guillaume Leclercq for 0-1. Long Tang only went into the half 0-2 down after the just returned Mike ‘Silver Fox’ McGirr had expertly chipped the keeper from the edge of the box doubling the Shooters score. Guillaume Leclercq then got in on the act with a superb turn in the box before blasting home for 0-3 but the advantage was short lived. A Shooter back pass bobbled a bit, the keeper then miskickeded it and the ball fell in the path of Long Tang’s striker Qin Peidong who tapped into an open goal for 1-3. The game seemed evenly poised but then the floodgates opened in the last 15mins with Guillaume Leclercq scoring four more and Roland Broughton rounding off his hattrick with the last kick of the game to make it 1-9 to the Shooters. Mike McGirr picked up the man of the match award and Lionel Messi came over on loan from Barcelona. The Shooters were extremely happy with this result and went looking for Oranjeboom at Zapata’s where everyone had a fabulous time.

Shanghai ReUnited locked horns for the fourth time with Shanghai Japan FC this season. ReUnited created pressure with fast attacks from the start while their midfield and defense did not allow Japan to get too close to the box. Early in the game, Robert Parfait Nyonse Nyah out-dribbled the Japanese defense on the right then passed to the middle where Adam Kling converted for the first goal of the day taking a 1-0 ReU lead. Soon afterwards Steve Ishemezwe played a pass from the center to Kling who sprinted down the left and took a shot to make it 2-0. Apart from set pieces, Japan did not create too much danger. Yet it was one of these set pieces in the last minute of the half that brought them back into the game when they scored from a penalty sending both teams to tea with a 2-1 score line.

In second half, Japan pressed more into the ReU half but did not get too close to goal. On the other side, Tobi Junior’s deflected shot sailed in for 3-1. ReUnited kept speed in the game and not much later Kling was at it again and scored from a Junior assist completing his hattrick for 4-1. He scored his fourth of the day from another Junior assist for 5-1. Another set piece brought Japan back into game when from a free kick 25 meters out the ball bounced in the box for Japan’s striker to put it away getting a goal back at 5-2. Ishemezwe got on the score sheet as well with a beautiful distance shot for 6-2. Japan scored the last goal of the day from a free kick and the game ended 6-3. Kling’s stellar comeback performance was not enough for a man of the match award. Instead, these honors went to Robert Parfait Nyonse Nyah. Japan’s goals were scored by: Yosuke Tachi, Kibou Yamamoto and Dalong Xia. ReUnited are back in championship contention and are just three points behind league leaders Lions with 6 games to play.

In the First Division, Shanghai Vikings FC locked horns with Shanghai 3United. A match of 92 minutes of football. Two teams going at it but as it appeared later, only one would come out a winner. The Vikings were playing at home and went into the match as favorites. However 3United recent away streak would firmly put them in contention as well. The Vikings were warned. The Norsemen knew a win would set them 5 points ahead of third ranked 3United. Stefan Buchhave Sørensen and Jiye Fan scored the two Vikings goals and Viking legend and keeper Borys Priadko, at 68 was the best player on the pitch. But, 3United won 2-3 and jumped the Vikings in the standings. Vernon Tebong Mbah, Nick Law and Jan Schmitz scored the 3United goals with Schmitz picking up man of the match honors. Field marshal Becker shall be pleased with dreams of grandeur with two Uniteds in the Premier League. Unless Russian United stage a take over. Everything is possible in the Shanghai International Football League. 

On paper, there have always existed obvious mismatches. David and Goliath, Colin and Voo, Liam and Lin, Ritchie and Slug (in favor of the slug) and on Saturday it was the 30+ man squad and league leaders Shanghai Krauts FC versus the perennial underachievers and basement dwellers Voodoo Child. For this match, the VC actually showed up with a strong squad and big hearts. Boosted by the absence of Matt Eddy tracing his family tree back to a Liverpool slum, Gordy taking his fourth honeymoon in as many months, Kam being in the best form of his life and also having his lady boy phobia finally addressed with a new loyfriend (above) with BJOB (bj on beach). Disney Dave’s child minding meant Cherry could shop. It was the return of the philandering dirty Spaniard Jorge gracing the team once again; there was a strange air of optimism in the VC camp. That looked to be falsely placed though as the Krauts dominated the first ten minutes of the game and it only looked a matter of time until they scored. VC's very own Robbie Fowler (guess who) was warming the bench and that inspired those on the pitch to start to perform better and actually take the game to the Krauts. VC then had several half chances that unfortunately fell to those least likely of converting them. Against the run of play the Krauts punished VC with a goal by Philipp Theiler taking a 0-1 Krauts lead.

Despite this setback, VC remained positive at halftime and sensed the chance to get back into the game. Following good pressure Matt Peado hammered a header home from a well-taken Nick Lewis corner evening out the score 1-1. The Krauts, sensing a shock, brought on several man mountains to try and counter the ever strong VC midfield but it was not enough to prevent the once banished striker, Ritchie ‘Pikey’ Taylor (above) from putting the VC 2-1 ahead. Panic buttons were pressed and there were a few scary moments towards the end before VC finally held on for a deserved win and an end to some pretty poor results. Monk Jules Goodes (#20 below) was voted man of the match and to a man, all VC players were responsible for an excellent squad performance.

It was the Campbell show during the Shanghai Cosmos versus Kangbei United FC fixture. The legendary striker was on a mission as Cosmos were eager to get a result from this contest. Questions were asked of the manager’s tactical decision-making after, having hauled Kang off for conceding a penalty and getting a yellow, the man he replaced him with, Vu, came on and did the exact same thing. It was of little consequence however, as Kangbei’s kickers fluffed both penalties. Perhaps it was due to the domineering presence of US All Star keeper Tristan ‘T-Coop’ Cooper, unlucky not to win man of the match award in an assured Seamen-esque display between the sticks. The equally reliable defense of Verdam, Mullen and Matigol kept things calm. At the other end Jordan Campbell scored twice, one in each half, with the second a beautifully struck drive across goal bulging the inside netting. The in form Kangbei voice could not match the epic wail like the cry of an Emperor with Rome falling of Italian patriot Daniel Comarella, as he was tragically scythed down en route to goal. We wish him a speedy recovery. Kangbei’s honor saving goal was scored by Wei Zhou for a final 2-1 Cosmos victory. Jordan Campbell received man of the match honors. Campbell: “If I play like that every match I score one in each half all the time”. Campbell is seriously considering lending his name to a new oriental soup brand entering the canned soup market teaming up with I Wayway and Beckham. Campbell (below): “That’s correct, contacts have been made.”

A feisty mid table encounter between Voodoo and Shanghai United finished all square in Songjiang. A poor pitch frustrated the usually smooth passing game of both sides, resulting in a formidable physical contest with an abundance of yellow cards. Although United started strong, their lack of potency up front was ever-present. Voodoo then controlled the game with Steve Scott and Gino Dilibero winning the battles in midfield. Voodoo’s Kyle Hayes and Joe Holder caused United’s defense all sorts of problems, but were just unable to find the back of the net. It was United who came closest in the first half. A rare slip up in midfield from Voodoo led United on the break down the left wing. The ball was put into the box and the United’s striker had enough time to take a touch before hitting the bar. Voodoo continued to dominate the midfield after that, but were unable to find the finishing touch for a 0-0 halftime score.

The second half continued much as the first ended with Voodoo creating most of the chances and they eventually got their reward. Barcelona-esque passing got the ball into the box where suddenly everybody started playing pinball. The ball whizzed around the box like Sonic the Hedgehog on a certain class-A drug, and somehow ended up in the back of the net. Was it Joe Holder? Was it Steve Scott? Was it an own goal? No one knows! But it was 1-0 to Voodoo. After that, United’s Andrey Kravchenko came up strong and scored the equalizer 1-1. Kravchenko scored his second soon thereafter taking a 1-2 United lead. The second Voodoo goal came from a corner. Holder got his head on the ball and forced a save from the keeper. The ball bounced out to Kevin Dunn who was able to nod it over the line for 2-2. United rallied in the last 20mins and put pressure on the Voodoo defense. Kravchenko could have scored a third but missed a penalty with the last kick of the game and the contest ended in a stalemate. Man of the match honors went to Voodoo’s Steve Scott and United’s Alexandre Typakin.

Anzacs FC crossed swords with Hstone HFC. The squad from smelly down under versus Happy Football Club with such stars as Fei Fei and the most prolific goal scorer of the league, Dong Chen. For the Australian New Zealand Army Corps the return of Carl Schopp would almost certainly guarantee some cometh the hour Shopping time. HFC started well and created several chances. Fei Fei and Dong Chen combined very well through out the half. It finally yielded in the last minute before the break when Fei Fei scored from a header taking a 0-1 HFC lead at halftime. In the second half, the reinvigorated Anzacs were out to put Schopp in position but HFC caught them on a break and Mr Happy FC himself Dong Chen worked it over the line doubling the score with 15mins on the clock for 0-2. Not to be deterred the Anzacs ploughed on with Steve Watson and Julian Gras soldiering their team forward picking up some yellows in the process. The Anzacs finally succeeded in bringing Shopping in position for some serious Shopping time with Carl Shopp blasting one in the ropes for 1-2 leaving the keeper no chance. Suddenly the Anzacs were back in the game. They pressed on for a final offense but after several bankable chances they simply ran out of luck and time. The match finished 1-2 to Hstone HFC. Barrie Scrymgeour was the best Anzacs player and Fei Fei picked up man of the match honors. A good result for Hstone HFC, with 22 points still in contention for Premier League promotion.

On March 21, 2015, Round 21 of the Shanghai International Football League will commence with league matches. Games to be played at the Shanghai Community & Sports Center in Waigaoqiao and Songjiang Sports Center in Songjiang.

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