Rome was the place to be during the latest round of the Global Premier Football League. London City FC and Eternal Roma shared eight goals in what was probably the game of the season so far. City’s draw saw Union Buenos Aires jump to the top of the table, on goal difference, after a convincing victory, while Olympia Munchen and Paris Metro round out the top four spots.
It’s tight at the bottom too, with the bottom half of the table separated by only five points.
ROUND 5 ROUND-UP
Two late goals at the Stadio Olympico salvaged a draw for London City, with Mark Ives‘ leveler, his hat trick goal, coming a minute into added time. Ives had earlier opened the scoring, but Eternal Roma hit back hard, including a first half double from Davor Drazeovic, to have the Romans 4-2 ahead with only two minutes left in regulation time.
Union bounced back dropping points in round 4 to trounce bottom side, Emirates United, and go top. United took a shock early lead through centre-back, Dado Coutinho, but couldn’t contain their rampant hosts at a seething Monumental. Midfielder, Sebastiano Cruz, netted a perfect hat trick for his side, while a more subdued than usual Rico Cocci found himself on the scoresheet again.
Olympia ground out a solid win in Mexico City, scoring twice in the second half to overturn a half time deficit. Diego Mastache put CF Azteca ahead just before the break, but Mike de Wolf and Andre Peters stuck to ensure all three points headed back to Munich.
Metro also had to come from behind at the LA Icons. The free scoring Americans were two up just before the hour mark, but Tim Ludwig hit back with a late second half double to ensure the points were shared. Paris stay in the top four while the unbeaten Icons sit one point behind them.
Ciudad de Madrid completed a routine home win over Shanghai Pearl, which included another goal from centre forward Ranieri Lettiere, while Esportivo Rio maintained stayed a point ahead of them following their draw at al-Qāhirah Stars.
Greg Lockhart‘s goal right on half time was enough to gain New York Capitals their first win of the 2023/24 Global Premier Football League campaign, at home to Hong Kong Traders, and edge them into the top half of the table. Harbour City scored twice during the first half, then held on, to find that winning feeling again after three straight defeats.
Norberto Autino‘s searing drive was the difference as Constantinople FC narrowly defeated Johannesburg Rush in Istanbul. It was a close-run thing, as the Rush hit the woodwork twice and missed from the penalty spot.
The final game saw Marina Bay Flyers pick up their second point of the season in holding Tokyo-Yokohama United to a goalless draw. The Flyers have only scored once all season, while United will bemoan a toothless attacking effort in a match they would have been expecting to take full points from.
2 - 1Stadium Australia, Sydney HARBOUR CITY vs TORONTO ATHLETIC |
4 - 4Stadio Olimpico, Rome ETERNAL ROMA vs LONDON CITY FC |
2 - 2SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles LA ICONS vs PARIS METROPOLE |
0 - 0Singapore National Stadium, Singapore MARINA BAY FLYERS vs TOKYO YOKOHAMA UNITED |
2 - 0Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid CIUDAD DE MADRID vs SHANGHAI PEARL |
1 - 0MetLife Stadium, New Jersey NEW YORK CAPITALS vs HONG KONG TRADERS |
4 - 1Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires UNION BUENOS AIRES vs EMIRATES UNITED |
1 - 1Cairo International Stadium, Cairo AL-QAHIRAH STARS vs ESPORTIVO RIO |
1 - 2Azteca Stadium, Mexico City CF AZTECA vs OLYMPIA MUNCHEN |
1 - 0Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul CONSTANTINOPLE FC vs JOHANNESBURG RUSH |