2025-12-21, 06:03 AM - Word count:
(This post was last modified: 2025-12-27, 04:39 PM by OTK. Edited 1 time in total.)
Hello everybody! It has been a while since the last matchday recap. We have had some technical difficulties at the office and our reporters were slacking off a little bit. Today we're showcasing the round of 16 cup match between minor side Inter London against majors team Shanghai Dragons. A David versus Goliath type game where the vast majority of people would predict the obvious favorite to win. This match takes place in the Accra Arena, neither team have played on this pitch in recent seasons. 58.537 fans took time out of their day to visit the stadium today. At exactly 10:00 we kick off on this sunny Sunday morning in May.
Not much happens in the first 20 minutes, a couple small chances for both teams. The most notable moment is a yellow card from Benny Blanco. This all changes in the 22nd minute. A quick counter attack from Shanghai on the left side, T Johnson crosses to Hohenhahn, he heads back to Voda and he scores with a well placed shot in the bottom corner.
Not long after it's London with a huge opportunity to equalise. O'Neill from the left finds Cain in the center but he strikes the post! In the 30th minute it's Shanghai on the attack, Habjanič passes through the center to Voda, he turns and doubles the Shanghai lead. Voda completes the hattrick after 41 minutes, B. Johnson gives him the ball in the box, dribbles towards the goal line, shoots and almost destroys the top of the goal with a powerful shot.
The pain isn't over yet for London, the next minute it's T Johnson with the 4th goal from the Chinese side. Another assist for Habjanič. Things go from bad to worse for Inter, in the dying seconds before half time, Bob sends a corner to the center and Hohenhahn makes use of his physical presence and towers over everyone to head in the 5-0.
The Dragons proved incredibly clinical in their finishing, scoring 5 goals out of a 1.31 expected goals.
![[Image: half-time.jpg]](https://i.ibb.co/j9pvYZZV/half-time.jpg)
Shanghai decided to take it easy at the start of the second half, the first 15 minutes reap no real chances. Simple loss of possession starts a Shanghai counter attack in the 62th minute. Voda intercepts and moves the play forward, the attack develops on the left side with T Johnson, he passes to Lind in the center, dribbles to the edge of the box and shoots. The ball hits the inside of the post and rolls in, that's 6-0 with half an hour to play.
Straight from kick-off it's London trying to get one back, O'Neill puts Volkan alone in front of Takechi, he's unlucky with his finishing as he hits the crossbar, Takechi picks up. Minute 67 sees a new corner for Shanghai. It's an exact copy of the 5-0 where Bob finds Hohenhahn who towers over the London defense and makes it 7.
A long London attack eventually ends with a bad pass from Gagne, Shanghai intercepts and starts a counter attack. Bob on the right tries to find Hohenhahn but Alves denies his shot, the ball continues to the center where Voda fires a destructive shot at goal for his 4th of the match and the 8th for Shanghai. Great counter offensive and a lovely finish.
The 83rd minute sees a good flowing attack from Inter London, on the left side it's O'Neill who finds Cain in the center and Cain puts London on the scoreboard with a controlled tap in past Takechi!
London can't enjoy the joy of a goal for very long as two minutes later Shanghai makes it 9! Delvecchio with a cross to Habjanič who finds the back of the net with a powerful shot from the 5 meter line.
To make things even worse for Inter London, Petter Lind scores from another corner. He headed in Shanghai's 10(!) goal and a fourth assist from Billy Bob.
This was an incredibly painful morning for Inter London. If we look at the expected goals from either team, Inter London should have edged Shanghai with 2.78xG compared to 2.6. It's however Shanghai that managed to produce ten goals and Inter London only 1. In the end that is the most important metric and therefore Shanghai Dragons will continue their run in the SSL Cup. London can put their full focus on trying to get themselves into division 1 of the minors league for next season.
Marcel Voda puts in an amazing performance, rewarded with a perfect 10.0 score. 4 goals in one match is not something you see every day. Ryan O'Neill is the only player on the English side with a green score.
![[Image: Minor-MD-Graphic-Cup-R16.png]](https://i.ibb.co/Kkx3Y4N/Minor-MD-Graphic-Cup-R16.png)
Not much happens in the first 20 minutes, a couple small chances for both teams. The most notable moment is a yellow card from Benny Blanco. This all changes in the 22nd minute. A quick counter attack from Shanghai on the left side, T Johnson crosses to Hohenhahn, he heads back to Voda and he scores with a well placed shot in the bottom corner.
Not long after it's London with a huge opportunity to equalise. O'Neill from the left finds Cain in the center but he strikes the post! In the 30th minute it's Shanghai on the attack, Habjanič passes through the center to Voda, he turns and doubles the Shanghai lead. Voda completes the hattrick after 41 minutes, B. Johnson gives him the ball in the box, dribbles towards the goal line, shoots and almost destroys the top of the goal with a powerful shot.
The pain isn't over yet for London, the next minute it's T Johnson with the 4th goal from the Chinese side. Another assist for Habjanič. Things go from bad to worse for Inter, in the dying seconds before half time, Bob sends a corner to the center and Hohenhahn makes use of his physical presence and towers over everyone to head in the 5-0.
The Dragons proved incredibly clinical in their finishing, scoring 5 goals out of a 1.31 expected goals.
Shanghai decided to take it easy at the start of the second half, the first 15 minutes reap no real chances. Simple loss of possession starts a Shanghai counter attack in the 62th minute. Voda intercepts and moves the play forward, the attack develops on the left side with T Johnson, he passes to Lind in the center, dribbles to the edge of the box and shoots. The ball hits the inside of the post and rolls in, that's 6-0 with half an hour to play.
Straight from kick-off it's London trying to get one back, O'Neill puts Volkan alone in front of Takechi, he's unlucky with his finishing as he hits the crossbar, Takechi picks up. Minute 67 sees a new corner for Shanghai. It's an exact copy of the 5-0 where Bob finds Hohenhahn who towers over the London defense and makes it 7.
A long London attack eventually ends with a bad pass from Gagne, Shanghai intercepts and starts a counter attack. Bob on the right tries to find Hohenhahn but Alves denies his shot, the ball continues to the center where Voda fires a destructive shot at goal for his 4th of the match and the 8th for Shanghai. Great counter offensive and a lovely finish.
The 83rd minute sees a good flowing attack from Inter London, on the left side it's O'Neill who finds Cain in the center and Cain puts London on the scoreboard with a controlled tap in past Takechi!
London can't enjoy the joy of a goal for very long as two minutes later Shanghai makes it 9! Delvecchio with a cross to Habjanič who finds the back of the net with a powerful shot from the 5 meter line.
To make things even worse for Inter London, Petter Lind scores from another corner. He headed in Shanghai's 10(!) goal and a fourth assist from Billy Bob.
This was an incredibly painful morning for Inter London. If we look at the expected goals from either team, Inter London should have edged Shanghai with 2.78xG compared to 2.6. It's however Shanghai that managed to produce ten goals and Inter London only 1. In the end that is the most important metric and therefore Shanghai Dragons will continue their run in the SSL Cup. London can put their full focus on trying to get themselves into division 1 of the minors league for next season.
Marcel Voda puts in an amazing performance, rewarded with a perfect 10.0 score. 4 goals in one match is not something you see every day. Ryan O'Neill is the only player on the English side with a green score.
![[Image: OTK-Bannerv2.png]](https://i.ibb.co/JRyWfW9n/OTK-Bannerv2.png)
![[Image: gmSTbwI.png]](https://i.imgur.com/gmSTbwI.png)
