City go top for Christmas

London City FC took advantage of Union Buenos Aires‘ first defeat of the Global Premier Football League campaign to go top of the table, while Olympia Munchen also slipped past the Argentinians on goal difference.

It was another set of games that saw its fair share of upsets and expected results, ahead of a busy January in the GPFL.

ROUND 9 ROUND-UP

London City have been going quietly and methodically about their business so far this season. They remain unbeaten after nine rounds thanks to first half strikes by star performers, Mark Ives and Jeroen de Rijck, at Wembley against Toronto Athletic. The visitors toiled hard, but once City took the lead it always felt like there would only be one winner. In  tight title race, so far, City are now a point ahead of Union and Olympia.

In Cairo, Union were on the end of one of the upsets of the season. Flavio Van Overstraeten‘s goal midway through the half was the difference as al-Qāhirah Stars kept a clean sheet to record only their second win of the season and maintain a mid-table position. Union had their chances, and on another day might have won comfortably, but this day belonged to the jubilant Stars.

In Munich, Olympia replicated London City’s score line, which moved them level on points with Union, but ahead on goal difference into second spot. Andre Peter‘s goal, his eleventh of a productive season, four minutes into the second half, killed off the contest against Shanghai Pearl, who threatened on only a few occasions.

Esportivo Rio and Eternal Roma shared the spoils from the match of the round, a six goal thriller at the Stadio Olympico. The lead fluctuated through the contest, with substitute, Xabier Ballester, grabbing a late, and final, equaliser for Rio in minute 90. Esportivo sit in fourth, on 18 points, with Roma only thee points behind. .

LA Icons are still unbeaten, one of only two sides to remain unbeaten in the GPFL, but were held to a frustrating draw at Emirates United. The much improved Emirates outfit, however, were well worth their point, which sees them unbeaten in four after a poor start to the campaign.

Paris Metro, like Union, were on the end of a 1-0 upset in Singapore as Thijn Vree‘s magical strike just before half time, and only three minutes after the visitors were reduced to ten men, secured an important win for Marina Bay Flyers.

Ciudad de Madrid picked up a comfortable three points against a Johannesburg Rush side that now sits bottom of the table. Ranieri Lettiere‘s third minute header, his ninth goal of the campaign, set Madrid on their way.

CF Azteca and Harbour City both scored 2-1 home wins to see them move up the table. Azteca had a two goal half time lead halved not long after the break, but held on to secure the points against Tokyo-Yokohama United, despite the late red card shown to Axel Gaos. The Sydneysiders went behind to Hong Kong Traders midway through the first half, but equalised before the break then saw Patrik Terzic head home with two minutes remaining to secure their fourth win of the season.

The final game, between New York Capitals and Constantinople FC, finished goalless. It was New York’s fifth draw in nine games.

CURRENT STANDINGS

UPCOMING FIXTURES

GPFL STAT ATTACK

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