The International Leagues are still going strong and we have witnessed more changes. Some teams were able to take away three points where none would have suspected them to. Here are a few interesting events:

Division 1

Legacy v Revival

This week saw the end of Revival’s clean-sheet winning streak. Legacy, the other of the league’s well known big guns doing a job. It was very much a defensive job, the Legacy back line defending on the edge of their box then playing it out the wing for the counter attack. In contrast, Revival closed on or around the halfway line, and only as deep as the start of their defensive third - the swarming press and lane blockages too much for a Legacy team who failed to penetrate through the middle even once. 

It was however that wing counter that earned Legacy their goal and equaliser against their auld enemy - Egyptian winger Dollan getting on the end of a Spider cross - the initial counter width and key pass having been provided by an overlapping Cerebassin.

In truth there was little in the way of chances in a somewhat scrappy game, but DoelPunten will be content that their deep counter strategy was enough to take a point from the defending champions.

Simplex v Lex Artis

In another notable game of the first division we had the new boys, Simplex - a team that started the season with high hopes - played Lex Artis, the ‘poor souls’ of last season. In a defensive effort, Lex held for a goalless draw, rendering impotent the forwards of Simplex. It was in fact former Entourage central defender Jordan who ended up their man of the match, doing well to stop the Lex attack ending up in more than two shots on goal. 

Lex will be happy with their point, slowly improving on last season as they are.For Simplex on the other hand, there was something of a post-match melt-down; two of their players (including their MOM CB) leaving the team in the aftermath. Revival have since snapped up the disgusted Jordan. It remains to be seen who will drop down the pecking order in the defence of Revival.

Still early days, but Simplex looking far less the title challengers; Lex Artis out of the relegation zone for now and showing some of the guts they will need to survive.
 

The Slump Continues

Ukraine, last season’s entertainers would try to ‘score one more than you’ relying on their forwards to make up for their sketchy defending. This season however it’s taken until their 7th match for Ukraine to score their first goal; losing 1-2 to a lively Fusion team who find themselves in the top six. Ukraine hope their goal will serve as small ray of light which will focus to ignite their come back in a season far tougher than last. Of their next fixtures, they will hope to get a W in a battle at the bottom of the table; fellow relegation zoners, Venom their opponents.

The Split Widens

As was anticipated, the gap between the top and bottom half continues to widen. 11 points separate 6th and 7th and the fight for 3rd place is very much on. At this stage the race to the Championship looks to be a two-horse race between old money, Revival and new entry to the INT League, Horizon. Horizon seem to be making light work of the International Pro League challenge, but next week will give us a clearer picture of which of the two teams are most likely to lift the trophy as they clash in what will be an interesting watch for the rest of the league and neutral observers alike. 

Division 2 

Gravity v Schiltron

In the game of the week in division 2, friends clashed under the banners of two new entries to the PL divisions. Gravity and Schiltron came up against each other in an important game for both teams. It was a tight affair with Gravity having enough to take the win; the goal coming in an unfortunate moment - an error of judgement by Schiltron defender, Squeebo. A freekick passed all the way back to stand-in GK, Kalvin who was unable to clear it past Gravity’s on-rushing ST, Maxim. A similar goal to the one conceded by Gravity the week prior. Gravity will take the points and continue to look toward the title. Schiltron will take their medicine and regroup.