2022-11-05, 07:01 AM - Word count:
The shock of Match Day 6 in Simulation Soccer League’s Division 2 came as F.C. Kaapstad stunned Inter London with a late goal for a 1-0 victory, handing Inter London its first loss of the season. Lochlann O’Rourke scored the pivotal goal in stoppage time for Kaapstad, bringing them within two points of promotion in the table with four matches left in the season.
So what now?
Two major obstacles, both literally and figuratively, currently stand between Kaapstad and a promotion to Division 1. The first, of course, are the two teams ahead of them, AS Paris and CA Buenos Aires. Both of those clubs also won on Match Day 6. Thus, despite pulling off the upset of the season, Kaapstad did not gain any ground in the promotion race.
If anything, Kaapstad lost ground in the battle, on the basis of goal differential. Buenos Aires defeated Montreal United 4-2 on the strength of an Antonio Governo hat trick, while four Leonidas Papadopoulos goals led the way for Paris in a 6-1 victory over Seoul.
That goal differential gap was already a daunting gulf for Kaapstad to breach. The 1-0 victory only allowed Kaapstad to improve to -2 on the season. Meanwhile, Buenos Aires is now +4 on the season, while Paris is up to a daunting +10.
That, in particular, makes Match Day 7 particularly crucial for any hopes Kaapstad harbors for promotion. While Paris faces an Inter London squad eager to right the wrongs of last time out, Buenos Aires and Kaapstad face off.
It is entirely possible Kaapstad walks out of the day in second place, leapfrogging both clubs with a win and a Paris loss. On the other hand, a Buenos Aires win (or worse, a win by both Buenos Aires and Paris) would create a five-point gap for Kaapstad to overcome over the final three days of the season.
So what now?
Two major obstacles, both literally and figuratively, currently stand between Kaapstad and a promotion to Division 1. The first, of course, are the two teams ahead of them, AS Paris and CA Buenos Aires. Both of those clubs also won on Match Day 6. Thus, despite pulling off the upset of the season, Kaapstad did not gain any ground in the promotion race.
If anything, Kaapstad lost ground in the battle, on the basis of goal differential. Buenos Aires defeated Montreal United 4-2 on the strength of an Antonio Governo hat trick, while four Leonidas Papadopoulos goals led the way for Paris in a 6-1 victory over Seoul.
That goal differential gap was already a daunting gulf for Kaapstad to breach. The 1-0 victory only allowed Kaapstad to improve to -2 on the season. Meanwhile, Buenos Aires is now +4 on the season, while Paris is up to a daunting +10.
That, in particular, makes Match Day 7 particularly crucial for any hopes Kaapstad harbors for promotion. While Paris faces an Inter London squad eager to right the wrongs of last time out, Buenos Aires and Kaapstad face off.
It is entirely possible Kaapstad walks out of the day in second place, leapfrogging both clubs with a win and a Paris loss. On the other hand, a Buenos Aires win (or worse, a win by both Buenos Aires and Paris) would create a five-point gap for Kaapstad to overcome over the final three days of the season.
