MBL vs MARC - Champions League

The Japanese are enjoying their best football after years of development and this year looks the brightest for them as they are gunning for a treble this season. Having already captured the Charity Shield in pre-season, Marc United looks to be the only hurdle left for the Japs as they inch closer to the Champions League Final. For the French, they have a point to proof after being ridiculed by a majority of the managers in the league. Kaixian was a man of a mission.

The Maibuliwa side was still missing club captain Hayato Fuse so Culebras stepped in once more. Sorenstam was also dropped for the game as Viguier was given the thumbs up. Svistunov was also left on the bench as he was replaced by Naoki Amano. Away side, Marc United swapped Chuter for Oosting as they wanted to change their approach to their game. This game is brough to you by Premier : The Premier Tissue.

The game started off well as both sides were equally matched. The ball spent most of its time in the middle of the field but possesion-wise, Marceiliacos had more of it. The absence of Svistunov has proven to be a problem for the home side tonight. Crowley was quick to make a mark on the game after diving into a rough tackle on Yusuki which forced the referee to show him the yellow card as early as the 5th minute. Alfonsi then started off a series of passing of passes which resulted in him having a pop on the Maibuliwa goal but Endo was alert and caught the ball with ease. Time passed and the Marceiliacos offense found it hard to break the brilliant defensive partnership of Preetnav and Yamagishi. Maibuliwa then had a couple of decent chances from both Viguier and Ryrosyuki before the match came to half time.

No changes in the second half as both sides took the field in a more spirited condition. Marceiliacos had a few more shots from Duff and Oosting. Oosting played very well tonight and almost made it into the score-sheet in numerous ocassions. Teralidis had a rare chance in the game when Maibuliwa caught the French on the break but his shot was parried away by Hoyle was doing well in the Marceiliacos goal. On the 70th minute Crowley was once again involved in a scuffle with a Maibuliwa player, this time Viguier and the referee had enough of the talismanic midfielder. Reggie Crowley was sent straight into the dressing room after a second booking. Surprisingly the sending off did not stop the French from attacking. On the 77th minute, Adelof which replaced Bozikovic after the sending off whipped in a cross which caused havoc in the defense. An unlucky Yamagishi accidently pushed the ball into his own net and the visitors were now a goal up. Manager Kaixian was screaming out orders to his players to keep attacking as his side needed just one more goal to bring the game into extra time. In the dying minutes, Maibuliwa almost buried the game as substitute Amadeus Sorenstam's cracking shot rattled the woodwork. The French then counter attacked the Japanese side as Duff bombarded down the left wing. Duff decided to cut into the penalty area instead of whipping in a cross. With just seconds to spare, Kyle Duff pulled the trigger as he cut into the Maibuliwa defense. Endo was rooted to the spot as the ball flew over him and crashed into the top left post. Kyle Duff could not believe his effort didn't go in as he covered his face in disappointment. The referee blew the final whistle and the game was over.

Duff : Could not believe it.

FFC vs GAL - Champions League

This was going to be a tight affair be it a cup final or even a friendly game. Furtorn Forest FC has had one of the clubs worse starts this season. Lying 9th in the league table now puts the pressure on the manager coming into this evening's game. Galaxy FC on the other hand was on a good run of results as their latest win over the Pinks see them move to 5th spot last night.

This evening's Champions league game is definitely a game to be remembered. Galaxy FC was without Peters and Sukasame and that meant Munoz and Rivas had to step in again while Hedges started tonight instead of Alarcon. For the Arabians, Kjellberg replaced Stollman in this return leg. The aggregate before the game was 3-1 to the away side, Galaxy FC but their weakened side without Peters saw them having to fend off shots from Abusibah and Sveden in the early minutes. It was clear that manager Calvin Tan was in no mood for jokes from his players. Xeno on the other hand kept his calm. Bashar Sofi played a good game and he made his presence felt on the 21st minute when he whipped in a ball from the right wing which met Abusibah head and resulted in a goal. The home fans were jubilant as Abusibah reeled away to celebrate. Iker Cruz almost found the net a couple of minutes later when broke free from his markers but his shot lacked power. Sofi continued to torment the weakened Galaxy side with his nimble feet and even got a shot on target before the final whistle.

The second half promised a much more competitive half as Galaxy FC came out stronger this time round. Hedges also got a piece of the action but he was lacking accuracy. Sveden had his fair share of chances but too was unable to convert them. He also got involved in a scrappy tackle on Rivas which saw him seeing yellow in the 72nd minute. The ball was seen mostly in the middle of the park as both sides had trouble breaking the opposition's defense. Alberca was then brought in to replace Sveden on the 75th minute. On the 80th minute, the home fans went wild once again as Wennerstrand tapped in a cross from Sofi which saw the home side lead by 2 goals to nil. If this carries on, the Arabs will turn out to have made the perfect comeback. Galaxy FC continued to counter attack the Arabians. In the dying seconds of the game, Juanito sent Cruz free with a slicing pass which saw the experienced striker going one on one with Jaleel Fekmoor. He chipped the ball and the crowd went silent for a moment but when the ball clipped off the post the Arabian fans were back to their jubilant mood again. Final whistle is blown and the Arabs are through to the semi-finals after winning on this stage through the away goals rule.

Abusibah(left) celebrates after opening the scoring.

Champions League Update

The Second Leg of the knock out round will commence tomorrow afternoon and Thursday afternoon.

Games to be played tomorrow :

Furtorn Forest FC vs Galaxy FC

Maibuliwa vs Marceiliacos United

Games to be played on Thursday :

Forever United vs Vadern Oranje FC

Alien 24 vs St. Lunatics

MARC vs MBL - Champions League

Definitely one of the games to watch in the first leg. Maibuliwa visited the French side in this fixture. Dennis Harrell was present but could only watch from the stands as he will not be eligible for the Champions League competition. Marc United had a full squad to pick from in the game.

Hayato Fuse was also out from the game after suffering a long term injury. Culebras stepped in for the experienced Japanese. Sorenstam also starts while Viguer was left on the bench. Marc United played a traditional 4-5-1 formation which sees Simu, Crowly, Alfonsi, Duff and Bozikovic across the midfield. The game started with a bang as Himesh Sawant's header was tipped over the bar by Leighton Hoyle. Sorenstam then had a couple of attempts on the 21st and 25th minute. Marc United knew they had to improve their game and Alfonsi headed the ball towards Endo but was held. Sorenstam then broke free from the clutches of Christian Eder and slotted the ball past Hoyle on the 29th minute after a good pass from Yusuki. The Swede opens his account in the team and celebrated by kissing the club badge. Chuter then had an attempt blocked by Endo on the 36th minute. 2 minutes later, Simu's stinging shot gave Endo a bit of a problem as the Japanese could only push the ball out for a corner kick. Before the whistle was blown for half time, Ryrosyuki had a half volley blocked by Hoyle. Ryrosyuki looked dangerous in the game and looked like scoring in several occasions.

Sorenstam celebrates with his teammates.

On the second half, Ryrosyuki's hard work was paid off as Teralidis played a nice ball to him and he finished it off with class 2 minutes after the restart. The Japanese side continued to bombard the French with shots from Sawant and Sorenstam. Oosting then came in to replace Chuter as the manager plans to change his attacking capabilities. Duff had a few shots on target but Endo was clearly on form tonight. Oosting had his only chance on the 87th minute but it did not bother the keeper. Duff's injury time shot was also punched away by Endo and the game then ended 2-0 to the visitors.

The man of the match was Kiki Ryrosyuki who dictated the Japanese midfield and offense.

STX vs A24 - Champions League

The league champions hosted Alien 24 in their leg one fixture. Alien 24 manager was not confident with the game but his players were as they plan something special for their fans. STX's victory against the Guns yesterday was a morale boost and they look to claim all 3 points from the Brits.

The game started without Pantelis Karaliopoulos for STX and Broderick McIntyre for Alien 24 as both were out with an injury. It only took 9 minutes for Huntington to get his first shot on target. The game was unexpectedly open as both sides had equal chances in the first half. Hollingdale had a lot of chances but could not convert them while Tristan and Robredo could only see their attempts held by Steele. The first half ended with both teams tied on nil nil. On the second half, Pique came in for Finley as it was clear that Yen Chuah wanted to stop the Alien offense from advancing. Despite making that change, Huntington was once again threatening the STX defense with a few attempts. Voight even had a rare chance in the game on the 60th minute. On the 66th minute, the away fans were disappointed when Ashoory Barkho brought down Robredo in the penalty area. Hylander cooly converted the penalty and they were a goal up. Robredo then had a shot blocked on the 76th minute. Alien 24 found it hard to break the American's defense in the dying minutes but Portoles almost drew the side level with his shot but Casillas remained clam to push the looping shot over the bar.

The game was a boring affair but the away side played very well and will look to score goals in their second leg when they are home. The man of the match was awarded to Harvey Huntington for his vision and sturdiness in the game.

Hylander takes the glory from the spot.

GAL vs FFC - Champions League

Leg one between Galaxy FC and Furtorn FC was a interesting one as both are considered underdogs in this competition. However both managers are eager to progress as much as they can in the competition.

Galaxy FC was without Kob Sukasame as he was out with an injury while a shock exit by Yoshida left the Furtorn Forest FC defense depleted. Krishna filled in the for Yoshida while Rivas replaced Sukasame for the Spaniards. Rivas took only 6 minutes to make his presence felt as his shot skimmed over the bar and stunned the visitors. Rivas was once again in action on the 18th minute when he had yet another shot but was held by Jaleel Fekmoor. The home team looked comfortable as they controlled most of the possesion and never looked like conceding a goal but Furtorn came close to opening the score when Sveden beat the offside trap but his shot was well wide. On the 23rd minute, after a series of nice passes from the Galaxy Fc, Alarcon grabbed the first goal after a pass from Juanito. Things continued to look good for the home team 10 minutes later when Chumillo's cross met Cruz's header which doubled their lead. The looping header left Fekmoor rooted to the spot. Manager Calvin of Furtorn was not impressed as he shouted orders to his players. Sveden was quick on the break to follow up a shot from Alberca and they finally clawed one back. The score was 2-1 on the 40th minute when Sveden scored. Alarcon continued to punish the weakened Arabian defense but Fekmoor stood his ground to stop Alarcon. On the 43rd minute, Chumilla scored a beautiful goal after receiving a pass from team mate Enrique Alarcon. They were 2 goals up again.

The second half proved to be a snore as Furtorn Forest controlled most of the possesion but failed to convert their chances. Shots from Biernat, Sveden and Sinan lacked venom as they saw their efforts fizz away from the goal. Galaxy FC sealed a first leg win after an emphatic performance by Alarcon. Enrique Alarcon was then awarded the man of the match award.

Sveden's solitary goal was not enough to start a comeback.

VOFC vs FOR - Champions League

The leg one of the Champions League kicked off a few hours ago and here are the results. First fixture was between Vadern Oranje FC vs Forever United.

The Fins is now considered a struggling side after 2 defeats in the league. Manager Jjin is confident that his side will come out winners in this first leg affair with Forever United. Things went well for the Fins as Kingston scored a brilliant bicycle kick after receiving a cross from team mate Delgado. It was one nil on the 32nd minute. Forever United had their fair share of attempts from club captain Zarza. The winger caught the Vadern defense off guard a few times and managed to beat the offside trap a few times. After the Kingston's opening goal, Forever United took only one minute to get the game back in leveled terms. Etxabe slotted the ball into the empty net after Zahovic parried away Mondragon's early shot. Jjin was then seen pushing his players on to attack more as he wanted the win dearly wherelese Yew Jian just kept his cool his team's first goal did not even put a smile on his face. Last season's top goal scorer, Grierson had his first shot of the game on the 41st minute but was parried away by Nieto. On the 42nd minute, Korkatti who was filling in for the injured Blatherwick gave the ball away cheaply to Santiago Uriz, who continued on and slipped in a pass to Mondragon who cooly put the ball beyong Zahovic's reach and they were now a goal up. Forever United now started to play the passing game as they held most of the posession and refused to push forward. The half time whistle was blown and the teams go into the dressing room.

Adalberto Formigal was present and was sitting at the bench during the game. He was delighted with the team as he is confident that he will get to play in the Champions League soon. The home side started the second half strong as they had attempts from Winter who replaced Fundell during the interval. Grierson had yet another decent chance denied by Nieto on the 53rd minute. The Vadern Oranje defense was once again tested on the 56th minute when Ekblom surged forward and attacked. The Spaniards continued to exploit the weak left side of Vadern and it paid off. Mondragon scored from a beautiful half volley to put the game to bed. The rest of the game was disappointing for the home side as Forever retained possesion but Vadern still got a few shots on target from Kingston and Grierson.

Nieto in a jubilant mood after Mondragon seals the win with a 56th minute strike

The game ends at 1-3, Forever won the first leg but Vadern plans to come back stronger in the second leg. Man of the match for the game was Miguel Mondragon.

Live From Milan

The Past Glory : Vadern Oranje FC

Manager of Vadern Oranje FC has been given the honor this season to lead the draw tonight in Milan. The manager has agreed to collaborate with the League officials to carry out the draw. The draw begins with the first Fixture. The Finnish manager's lucky got his team in his first draw so that means Vadern Oranje FC will be at home in their first fixture.

Vadern Oranje FC vs

On the next fixture, Jjin, still smiling grabbed the next ball and quickly opened it. The team to play the home side in fixture two would be Galaxy FC.

Vadern Oranje FC vs

Galaxy FC vs

The draw continues for fixture 3 and 4 and here are the results.

Vadern Oranje FC vs
Galaxy FC vs
St Lunatics vs
Marceiliacos United vs

Things are starting to look interesting as Maibuliwa and Furtorn Forest are still not drawn yet. However Jjin was well aware of this and his next pick would be crucial as he plans to give his side an easy start to the campaign. He grabbed one of the balls but eventually changed his mind and went for a different one instead. He passed the ball to a league official who then proceeds to open it. Vadern Oranje FC will be scheduled to play Forever United in their first game of the Champions League.

Vadern Oranje FC vs Forever United
Galaxy FC vs
St Lunatics vs
Marceiliacos United vs

Next was the pick for Galaxy FC's opposition. Jjin proceed to pick the next ball and when it was opened, it was Furtorn Forest FC. The Arabs are now having a shaky start to their season and will look to test their luck with the Spaniards from Galaxy FC.

Vadern Oranje FC vs Forever United
Galaxy FC vs Furtorn Forest FC
St Lunatics vs
Marceiliacos United vs

Maibuliwa and Alien 24 is left in the draw. The next pick will be crucial because if Maibuliwa is drawn, they will play against St. Lunatics in the first leg of fixture 3. However it was not meant to be as Jjin picked the next ball, it turned out to be Alien 24. This means the Japs will have to travel to France to face Marc United in their first fixture in the Champions League.

Vadern Oranje FC vs Forever United
Galaxy FC vs Furtorn Forest FC
St Lunatics vs Alien 24
Marceiliacos United vs Maibuliwa

The draw is completed and the manager of Vadern Oranje FC is satisfied with the draw. He signs a document regarding his presence of the draw. This draw is then ended as there were no objections.

This means, Maibuliwa and St Lunatics will not meet in the finals as only one of them will make it through to the finals. As they are both on the same side of the draw.

A Fairy Tale

It looks like the excitement in the league just is beginning. Going Green FC was once again at the top of their game as they beat one time high flying Furtorn Forest FC. The Greeks were not shy in front of their opposition's goal as they had more shots then the Arabs. However Asterios Papandreou played a quiet game as he could not find the net. Panagoulis and Tavlaridis's goals were enough to cancel out Abusibah's early goal. The Greeks are now high flying and they will need a whole lot more than luck to face French side Marc United.

Marc United tonight were unlucky when they were taken down by Kibosh Wanderers. The French played like sissies and their weird style of play made them pay. Kibosh looked comfortable on the offensive and could have settled for one point but Bujia'a solitary goal gave them 3 points. Their impressive start has also boosted by their impressive defensive record so far. Only conceding once made them a side serious about their chances on qualifying for the Champions League.

The Start

Season 5 started with more surprises as the lesser sides shocked the big guns. Vadern Oranje was the first top side to taste the cruelty of defeat as Greek side Going Green FC was merciless up front as they escaped with a narrow victory over the Fins. The Greek had a slow start to their campaign last season but tonight's win will prove to be crucial for them as they plan a new start for this season. Asterios Papandreou was the star of the night as he grabbed both goals and sent his side to 6th place after the opening game.

Papandreou : Greek Power

There are also real thrillers in the opening fixtures. Both Galaxy FC and Fishnette United went home with 3 points after scrapping home a win after late winners from their players. Fishnette United's Jaiwon Ahn grabbed this week's headlines as he scored a brilliant hat-trick as a warning to the X League that the Koreans mean business this season. Now both Fishnette and Galaxy take 4th and 5th place respectively.

Jubilant Fishnette Players Celebrating with their manager Davids Lim.

The opening fixtures also see wins for defending champions, St. Lunatics and runners up Maibuliwa. Forever United, Marc United and Termite-Nator FC recorded their first wins of the season.

Forever United's Great Start

New Season Starts

After the one week postponement of the new season, the league admin has finally decided to restart the campaign tonight. A league official said, "The admin has decided to restart the season as soon as tonight. With the new season, we introduce two new sides, The Fighting Mongooses and Yaoshaw. A team from the Faroe Islands and a team from China."

The league now features 20 teams and there will be the official Champions League this season, consisting of the top 8 of last season. Here are the 8 teams involved.

St. Lunatics, Maibuliwa, Marc United, Furtorn Forest, Vadern Oranje, Alien 24, Galaxy FC, Forever United

The first round draw for the champions league will be drawn this weekend. The rules applies to the knockout system rules.

However the big question is, can St. Lunatics retain their title for the 2nd time and if not, who will be the first to topple them ever since their run of glory for the past 2 seasons?

The Big Prize

St. Lunatics Champions Once More

The title says it all. St. Lunatics has made it into the history books as the first ever team to retain a title in the X League. Having battled a full season and 34 games later, they scored 90 goals while conceding only 25 and made it to the top of the table. They beat rivals, Maibuliwa, Vadern and Pinks to the title and it was definitely one of the seasons to be remembered.

Club captain Jermaine Finley was absolutely to be part of the team when we interviewed him, "Its just great to achieve this feat with this Lunatic. I've been here all my life and it was about time we got this. We clearly deserved it."

The Influential Captain : Finley

Danijel Nadarev also had his thoughts as he was interviewed, "I'm 29 and I've helped the club win back to back titles. What more could I ask? I am also excited with the prospect of playing in the Champions League next season. This season's Champions League was a test and it went well so I have no doubts that the league admin will bring it back. My next goal is probably to win the Champions League next season then. This season was a very stable one if you ask me. We were at the top most of the time but all of this would not be possible without consistency. Our boss has always stressed on the importance on keeping our feet on the ground and playing our best in every game."

When asked about the prospect of claiming the X League Footballer of the Year award, he said, "It would be great to win an individual award considering the fact that I missed a small portion of the season because of an injury. Last year Love won it and it would be an honor to win it this year. However, this is a team game and I would gladly give my award away if it gives my team 3 points."

Nadarev Lifts the X League title as Sergei Santa Cruz watches.

Nadarev has also been shortlisted to win 2 other awards, the League's Golden Boot and the league's Silver Boot for most assists, "Currently I tie with Kiki from Maibuliwa. He is a young lad and I think if he wins it, it would be a major lift for his career. As for the Golden Boot award, I do not think it is possible as I am currently behind two top notch strikers in the form of Jason Hupkes and Tommy Grierson. Gazzetas have a considerably easy game tonight against the Barretts so I reckon Hupkes to grab a goal. As for Tommy, he will be facing HMGS in a home game. Vadern are incredibly strong and consistent in home games so expect no surprises from Tommy as he will definitely make it into the scoresheet. As for me, I'll stick to supplying the balls to the likes of Tristan and Santa Cruz."

Next was the manager's thoughts on next season and possible signings? "I don't know. Probably not or maybe one or two more. I've got a strong side now and if they pass the pre-season trainings with ease, I do not think we would need to dive into the market anytime soon. We have youth and experience in the side. David(Muniz) and Matt(Lilley) are definitely ones to watch season. Eddy(Zuzul) hardly got a taste of the league yet so expect a lot more from him next season. As for the strikers, Santa Cruz, Robredo and Stanley(Young) are established finishers so why should I get anyone else."

Gustavo Robredo : Watch him soar.

So ends yet another chapter in the X League. This season has been a roller coaster ride for everyone. Exciting yet emotional. Players and managers went a bit mental and even got physical. New teams came and old teams struggled but there were those that stayed consistent. New stars were born and old stars are immortalized forever. Goals were scored but nothing beats the sound of cheering of fans and the cries of victory from the players themselves. It was 34 games but it came and gone so fast. Now everyone looks to the horizon for the coming season. Players are already hungry for more glory while some are struggling to keep up. Whichever it is, it is sure to be action packed in Season 6 of the X League and the X Champions League, comprising of the best and elite sides from the League. But for now, the X League trophy returns to the Asylum as the Lunatics' reign over the league continues for yet another season.

Back at the Asylum

Vadern All Grier-ed Up

Earlier today, Jjin made it clear that he wants Tommy Grierson to give his all to win the Golden Boot and with just one goal behind leader Jason Hupkes, Grierson was relishing his chances. In the pre-match interview, Sportscenter managed to catch up with Grierson and he was feeling confident, "I am feeling very good with this. Hupkes is a great professional and if I were to miss out in the title, I would still be pleased but still the gaffer wanted me to not only win the game tonight but also to be the best at what I do."

Both Vadern and Gazzetas had their games played at the same time and both Hupkes and Grierson started in the game. It was going to be a great night as fans were seen holding portable radios to keep themselves updated on the happenings on each other games. The Finnish fans were in shock as it only took the flying Dutchman, Jason Hupkes 5 minutes to get into the scoresheet. However sighs were quickly switched to cheers as it turned out that Hupkes goal was disallowed.

The cheering Finnish crowd clearly gave Vadern a boost as Blatherwick was first to score for them. Things start to get worse for the Dutch side when Jason Hupkes was badly injured by Rui Drent. The news quickly went to Varedan Park and the fans continued to cheer again. That was the moment when Tommy Grierson knew it was his cue and it was time he stopped giving "warnings" to the opposition keeper. After being disappointed by Roni Burla over and over again, Grierson finally leveled Hupkes goal tally on the 69th minute. The crowd went wild.

Ending on a high : Vadern players saluting their fans after the game.

Hismamagotserved was a victim tonight as the keeper was made into a target practice for the fins. Kingston and his teammates had a pop at Burla but on the 88th minute, that was when history was made. Never in Xpert League history that anyone has even overtaken another player on the goal tally on the final game and Tommy Grierson did it with a well placed header.

Grierson : The header that sealed him the Golden Boot.