All kinds of drama are happening in Group B this tournament. For the second time today, a team went from the bottom half to the top with the result of a single game. This time, the feat was accomplished by FC Cackalacky, who won a critical game for their playoff hopes 3-2 over Wolfsburg Dynamit. Israeli striker Sinai Kupferstoch scored twice and Pedro Delfs scored his second of the tournament to give Cackalacky a 3-0 lead. Wolfsburg then pushed the tempo late and got back within one after Read Lennon netted one in the far corner and Hernan Bordonaba, who scored four times this morning, added a fifth goal today to make the score close. A last minute corner kick by Wolfsburg amounted to nothing and Cackalacky leaps from 4th place to 1st in a game they had to win. With Swamp City Dragons having a bunch of games left, any two or three of these teams could advance.
FC Stolpen Steamroller extended their Group D points lead to three after winning on the road against North Polar Dragons FC 3-1. North Polar was playing their opening game and looked a little flat. By the time the 30 minute mark was reached, Steamroller was already up 3-0 as Greg Eardensohn headed in the third goal past Dragons goalie Aderet Schar. The home side looked better from that point forward, getting one back when Dany Rohr scored in the 33rd minute but a scoreless second half gave Steamroller all the points. Fortunately for them, North Polar has plenty of games left to right the ship.
VB Hibernian split the series with FC Trojans of SC, with each team winning on the road. After a 4-1 Trojans road win, Hibs returned the favor with a 2-1 visitor victory of their own. Veteran Rashan Berwick got the Trojans off on the right foot immediately when he redirected a crossing pass into the net but that was the sole output for the home side. The conservative 5-3-2 formation couldn't preserve the lead and Hibs ended up tying the game in the 22nd when Enriqueta Montaner beat his defensive marker and crushed a shot past goalie Jakobe Mullan. Then, Emilio Rivas clubbed a shot off the side of his foot for the game winner in the 76th as Hibs temporarily takes over the top spot in the group with a whopping 9 games left to play.
To wrap it up, Metropolitan Eagles get off the schneid by winning the final game of the tournament for both teams, a 1-0 over Bad News. Off a corner kick, Waldmunt Dohm hit a header down and away from News goalie Emiliano Bianchi. The shot was so well placed, Bianchi didn't even try to save it as it bounced by. Of the two 3rd Place teams that will be advancing, one of the spots will not be coming out of this group, increasing the odds for the other six.
10 games are scheduled for tomorrow as we are in the middle of the meat of Group Play.
9/17/2024 8:43 PM (edited)