This Saturday the pitch, after a brief respite, was back to the mud that we all know and love. There’s nothing like a little mud making its way under your nails and into your socks. 3United faced off their old brother club, Shanghai United, early in the morning down in Songjiang. In a top of the table clash, United were looking to put some distance between them and 3rd place while 3United were trying to solidify their place at the top of the league.

3United started off on fire with United trying to time their counter attacks to create some danger. It was the 3United possession game and dominance that paid off and within the first 15 minutes, 3United were able to net their first goal. In what may be 3U’s most beautiful goal and lead up to a play in their history, one touch passing from the defense and midfield found the ball in front of Joe Williams running down the right wing, he beat a defender and rocketed a low cross across the box. Nick Law was making a simultaneous run down the middle of the box and received the ball at the penalty spot and blasted a one touch shot into goal – leaving the keeper with not even a slight chance of making the save. Ten minutes later, after some attacking pressure from United, 3United won a corner in the United box and Alejandro Verni stepped up from his center back role to take the corner coming across the box from Hamse Ali and smacked it into goal to double 3U’s lead. United motivated to get at least one goal before the half, pushed down into the 3U half in the last five minutes but no danger was created, with the half ending 2-0 to 3United.

Prepared for United’s renowned second half tenacity, 3United were prepared for the worst. The first three minutes were fought roughly in the 3U half but an intercepted ball in the midfield found its way to Kris Goj who made a spectacular pass to a wide open Oraz Arslanow in front of goal. He let loose a grounder toward goal which took a wicked, spinning bounce over the outstretched keeper’s hands to increase 3U’s lead to three. This decisive goal essentially put the game to bed. The rest of the game was dictated by 3United, despite United’s best efforts. The United striker had a monster of a shot from 20+ yards out but 3U keeper, Steve Rowland, handled it cleanly to stop the threat. 3United were not finished yet, though, as Arslanow made a sweeping pass into box finding Nick Law who tucked it cleanly into the net for the fourth and his second goal of the day. The final 10 minutes were without incident and the game ended 4-0 to 3United.

Man of the match: Luismi Ramos

3U league stats:
– 11 games undefeated
– Goal difference of 19
– Currently 8 points ahead of 2nd place
– 7 league games left to play