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LIGA 11-a-side Week 16 Update

  • 14/03/14
  • By Daniel Corlett
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Week 16 LIGA Team Of The Week FC Banterlona

Summary of the action from Week 16 in the LIGA 11-a-side competitions

Week 16 proved to be a week of vital results across the three LIGA's and in the Quarter-Finals of the LIGA Plate, with results keeping the leagues as close as ever and causing cupsets in the Plate.

The highlight game of the day BSOC derby, which became the first competitive 11-a-side match to be played on the new 3G pitch on Clifton campus. Bulldogz came into the game with the edge on league points and on form, with their unbeaten run stretching back to their 2-1 defeat by the All Stars in Week 7. This form looked to have been carried forwards as they burst into an early lead. However, the All Stars victory in their last meeting proved to be no fluke as they scored three goals either side of half time to finish the game as 6-2 winners and keep alive their faint hopes of a league title.

Back at Victoria Embankment ACS were put through the ringer by old foes History Society. In their only previous meeting, in the 2012/13 LIGA Cup Final, History had roared back from 3-0 down to win 4-3 and looked to be making things tough for ACS again, especailly when they equalised on the stroke of halftime. ACS appeared to have learned from the mistakes made in drawing their last two games and, despite being pushed asll the way, ground out a 2-1 win to keep their position at the top of the league. Kings Of Leon Osman kept up the pressure on ACS as they got a comprehensive 5-1 win against FC Futsal.

In LIGA B Chaps Society maintained their 100% winning streak this season as they made it 11 wins from 11 games in putting Cypriot Society to the sword 7-1. LIGA B's big game of the day though was the match between Bayer Lexerkusen and Puyol Pants Down. A Lex win would have all but guaranteed them promotion, whilst Puyol knew defeat would see them all but written out of the promotion race. Puyol also came into the game on the back of three straight league defeats, but a mix of fine counter-attacking play on their part and wasteful finsihing by Lex saw Puyol take a 3-0 to move level on points with their opponents and up to third in the league.

Just one game took place in LIGA C at Clifton Playing Fields as Ajaxonometric put up a brave display with just eight men against Blenheim, but were ultimately beaten 8-1, though scoring with just eight men on the pitch is a creditable achievement in itself.

The LIGA Plate Quarter-Finals provided the final two games of the day, with both being held at Victoria Embankment. Chamakh My PItch Up went into their game with Goldsmiths FC as marginal favourites despite their lower league status, with this owing much to Goldsmiths previous poor record in front of goal... This seemed to be resolving itself as they took the lead three times against Chamakh twice in the first half. However, Chamakh's greater experience in the league showed in the second half as they ultimately ran out 6-4 winners to set up a quarter final with either BSOC All Stars or Teenage Mutant Ninja Skrtels.

The result of the day came in the game between Bassetts All Sorts, sitting third in LIGA A and FC Banterlona who top LIGA C. Bassetts came into the game as heavy favourites, but these assumptions were swiftly blown out of the water by Banterlona, as two goals in each half saw them take a shock win 4-1 to move into the Semi-Finals to play Bayer Lexerkusen.

Following their Quarter-Finals win against all expectations FC Banterlona take the LIGA Team Of The Week Award for Week 16.

Week 17 could be a decisive one in the LIGA's. In LIGA A ACS know a win will leave the title firmly in their own hands, but anything else could see Kings Of Leon Osman and Bassetts All Sorts take advantage. With Chaps having already sown up the league title and the Cypriots and Bayer Lexerkusen not in action Puyol, Pub Sports, Teenage Mutant Ninja Skrtels and Puyol Pants Down all have a chance to advance their claim on the promotion spots with wins. In LIGA C three of the top four play, with defeat for Chamakh My Pitch Up, Blenheim or Red Stripe Belgrade having the potential to end their title hopes.

Viva La LIGA!