Things Looking Up
It was a very merry New Year's Eve for the Birds as they took a clear lead at the top of III.1, one point ahead of Phantasm Hotspurs, who worked a 4-2 home win against Shadow Chaser(R) SC. Mayuyu AKB48 returned to the top half of the table - albeit nine points behind Controlar in third - by shutting Sunrise Treasure FC out 2-0, as Krattene failed to close the gap between themselves and tpyers after a 0-2 setback.
Tian Yonghang acknowledged that the Birds were where he wanted. "It's been a highly stressful few weeks for everyone at the club, but we have pulled through, and are the stronger for it. Our fate is now in our own hands, and it will probably be decided on the last day when we host Phantasm Hotspurs."
"I don't want the team to get complacent before that, it goes without saying, but we are in a very good position.
Joe Reece has been a standout this campaign, but it's hard to overlook the sheer consistency that
Gústav Thoroddsen has brought to the table. Well, there's certainly room for multiple goal-a-game scorers here!"
Farmer Bunnies returned to the top of III.9 too as they dismissed AFC Woodlands with goals from
Amirul Jufri Khairil and
Ong Li Jing, with Woodlands' Silvestre Ikeda drawing some concern for a nasty-looking rib injury later on. Brighton UK had to sweat before coming back against Mangrove Pittas to prevail 2-1 and climb back into second, with Really McCoys doing their level best to act as spoilers in dragging FC Phondle down to a 2-2 draw this week.
"They're really fair, you got to give that to them." an appreciative
Gilberto Sorondo quipped.
WhiteSandsMechs are now in trouble after being tamed 0-4 by a recovering FC Jurong Rovers, and with them six points to safety but only three rounds remaining, the Mechs may be going down after four seasons in this league. Nicola Lodolini may be looking for a new club, if that happens.
Grilled International's remaining faint dreams of a title challenge evaporated as they lost 2-3 to league leaders Amelinho Kickers despite two equalizers from
Safari bin Hj Jali, as Guillermo Lanzas Tenor settled it with a neat tap in the 73rd minute. The fans seem to have gotten used to it, though. "I'm not even bothered nowadays." five-year follower Mason Chew declared. "It's just something to do on Saturdays."
There had been some consolation in the Division Battle, as they outdid Dutch V.85 challengers Boykash International 3-2. With Kelt Hugo van der Kaaij dismissed for starting a fight in the 20th minute,
Umut Koza,
Leri Bezhanishvili and
Egidius van der Duin had International three up by the 48th. They proceeded to nearly throw it away, not helped by Luka Kovačević's inspired goalkeeping at the death.
This made a sweep with Amelinho Kickers having bumped Poland's Flotzilla Warszawa thanks to Heinrich-Ralf Freiherr Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim holding Toni Aurnhammer off in the 64th minute, and AC Rabissale whitewashing Portugal's Lerchenstraße Dreamers 4-0 too. Still, with V.54 four points ahead going into the ninth and final week, there will be no trophy from these quarters for International this year.
