Football - SIFL
Thursday, 04 February 2010 03:02
Written by Tom Gurney

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The SIFL returned to league action last Saturday with a packed schedule. Seven games in total with  third versus fourth in the Premiership being the pick of the bunch from the top flight whilst the season’s first Voodoo derby was the highlight from the First Division’s fixture list. Not all the games went according to the script mind, read on for more details.

In Saturday’s game of the day, third played fourth in the Premiership as the Shooters pitted their wits against a Japan team looking to move above them in the league. Two points separated the two teams before the start of the day but this was extended to five by the end of the day thanks to a 2:0 win that took the Shooters to second place, trailing the Azzuri by just one point. Mikel Ubis was the hero for the Shooters, scoring on his 150th league appearance for the reds. Jon Banks’ first half strike made it 2:0 to the Shooters, securing the three points and all but ending Japan’s title hopes for another season. A sterling second half goalkeeping display kept the Japanese strike force at bay and earned Christian Banyard the Shooters MoM whilst Masatomo Chiba’s tireless work rate gave him the Japanese honours.

An Olaf Philip-less Krauts side went down 3:1 to the Oranje on Saturday. The victory moves the Dutch to 10 points and, more importantly, moved them four points clear of the relegation zone. The Dutch damage was done by Benoit Doche,  Jeroen Bessuijen and leading scorer Lodewijk Boddeart. Marnix Drysdale scooped the Dutch MoM award, his sixth in nine games this season. Mark Xiang scored his second of the season for the Krauts whilst Kirk Fernandes won his third MoM trophy of the season.

At the time of going to press, few details had been released of the Cosmos-Azzuri match. The Azzuri ran out 11-0 winners, however, after leading 3-0 at half time.  The victory moves the Azzuri to the top of the table as they leap frog the Puxi Lions who had a rest week last weekend.

In the first division 2010 thus far has been the year of the Anzac. A fine string of performances has seen the dark blues rise up the league and into the lofty heights of automatic promotion. Saturday’s game against the Shanghai Krauts – Die Zweite saw the Anzacs extend their unbeaten run in the league, but it was one point, not three that the Anzacs left Tianma with, after the game ended 1:1. Chris Golding (MoM) rolled back the years on Saturday with a battling performance that did much to prevent the Krauts leaving the game with all three points.  Stuart Willy was on the scoresheet for the Anzacs but his goal was cancelled out by a Nicolas Anders who also picked up the Kraut MoM.

ReUnited took full advantage of the Anzac slip up as they ran out 4:0 winners against Shanghai 2000 in the day’s Century Park fixture. Amine Hammadi bagged a brace for ReUnited who were two goals to the good at half time. Antione de Mathelin’s debut to remember saw him not only scoop the MoM award, but also two goals. These two strikes were icing on the cake for ReUnited and only enhance Sebastian Becker’s growing reputation as manager.  34 players have now been used by Reunited this season, but to good effect. This victory moves them level on points with the Anzacs with a game in hand and just four adrift of league leaders the Voodoo.  Shanghai 2000 can take little from the game other than they have a star in the making in the form of young William Thompson. His magical performance on the wing earned the schoolboy wizard of dribble his second successive MoM award.

‘Which Voodoo Would Do What Mr Voodoo Did Do?’ asked the Voodoo last Saturday. Some questions get conclusive answers. Whether there is only one team in the Voodoo remains very much open to debate. The Voodoo did not do on Saturday. The season’s first Voodoo derby saw an under strength Voodoo Child win against their illustrious counterparts 1:0 in a scrappy but absorbing game. The Voodoo played the prettier football of the two sides but were lacking the final ball in the Voodoo Child half.  Chances were few and far between for the Voodoo with Brian Seifert and Phil Boyle squandering the best of the them as the Voodoo were unable to break through a resilient Child defense. Fox in the box Alex Ashmore proved the difference between the two sides with his first half strike, slotting home a rebound high into the net for the Child and securing an improbable victory. These kinds of victories have only ever come round at the end of season tournaments for the Voodoo Child before and manager Ian Dixon must be hoping the victory can propel the child to greater things this season. Colin White’s performance between the posts for the Child won him the MoM award for the Voodoo Child whilst Ari Johnson pocketed the Voodoo honours.

A much improved Crazy Turks side were denied the points by a battling Corea team who  secured their first three points of 2010 on Saturday with a 4:2 win. With all to play for, the Turks deservedly took the lead in the first half. The lead was soon cancelled out however, Kim Pyo scored direct from a corner in the first half whilst Sung Pil Yun finished off a fine counter attack to ensure the Coreans led 2:1 at half time. Another swift counter attack from the Coreans early in the second half saw them extend their lead, Sung netting his second of the game following good work by Kim. Sung Wook Choi put the icing on the cake for Corea, scoring a spectacular free kick to make it 4:1 before Turks’ hard work eventually paid off in the closing minutes with a consolation strike.

 

Saturday 30 Results

Premiership

Japan 0-2 Shooters

Oranje 3-1 Krauts

Cosmos 0-9 Azzuri

First Division

Voodoo Child 1-0 Voodoo

Anzacs 1-1 Krauts – Die Zweite

Reunited 4-0 Shanghai 2000

Corea 4-2 Crazy Turks

 

February 6 Fixtures

Premiership

Puxi Lions – Japan (12 noon)

Azzuri – Vikings (2pm)

Cosmos – Oranje (2pm)

First Division

Corea – Voodoo (10am)

Reunited – Voodoo Child (10am)

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