City clear again

Consistency is king in the Global Premier Football League – for London City FC, at least. City bounced back from last week’s defeat, while the three teams directly below them were all held to draws to slip off the pace.

The biggest shock of the day was at the Maracana, where Toronto Athletic rumbled into town, put up a wall, and held a previously charging Esportivo Rio to a goalless draw (Athletic’s third in a row). Union Buenos Aires snapped their three game losing streak, but needed to come from three down take a point from Eternal Roma.

Never a dull evening in the GPFL.

ROUND 29 ROUND-UP

Dorian Gross, in for his first significant minutes of the season, struck twice inside the first ten minutes to effectively settle London City’s match at Hong Kong Traders. The visitors looked the more creative side throughout, but their lead, and need for points, saw them more focused on not conceding, something they did with apparent ease.

And, at the end of the evening, that focus was well warranted.

Esportivo struggled to find any rhythm against a well organised and defensively sound Toronto Athletic. The visitors threw up two solid banks of four, sat it, held strong and frustrated a much changed Rio outfit. Not pretty, but an effective way for the bottom of the table side to deal with their previously imperious opponents.

Union went through the wringer at home before snatching a late point from one of the matches of the season. Cristofer Ortiz was at the heart of Roma’s fast start, assisting all three goals as his side built a seemingly insurmountable lead by early in the second half. Union were rocking, but goal machine Rico Cocci set about mounting the comeback, adding two more goals to his goal laden campaign. The cake was iced in the final minute when substitute, Elian Corral, popped up with his ninth of the season.

Geert-Jan de Walle struck a first half hat trick for Harbour City to see them home and maintain a fourteen match unbeaten run. Erkin Okay‘s early goal hinted at an upset for Constantinople FC, but their hope only lasted a few minutes.

Emirates United, Paris Metro and New York Capitals were other round 29 winners, while the remaining three games all finished level. Richard Casey‘s hat trick for Tokyo-Yokohama United was one of the individual highlights, while Bjorn Goudier‘s double helped LA Icons to a point at home against Marina Bay Flyers.

AL-QAHIRAH STARS

CF AZTECA

CIUDAD DE MADRID

CONSTANTINOPLE FC

ESPORTIVO RIO

ETERNAL ROMA

HARBOUR CITY

HONG KONG TRADERS

LA ICONS

LONDON CITY FC

MARINA BAY FLYERS

NEW YORK CAPITALS

PARIS METROPOLE

SHANGHAI PEARL

TOKYO YOKOHAMA UNITED

TORONTO ATHLETIC