Going into the midweek break, the Second Leg results and the Quarter-Final fixtures are here!
Second leg: The Phenoms 49½ – 32 Smash & Grab
Final Score: The Phenoms #5 100 – 82½ Smash & Grab #12
From a tied first leg to a convincing win, The Phenoms stride forward into Round Three. A brace from Igor Thiago, and a good result for Villians Cash & Tielemans helped them along the way. Casemiro & Saka did what they could for Smash, but unfortunately not much more came out of their lineup. Despite 14 Key Passes, 2 Assists and 4 Shots-on-Target, Smash received no goals and no defensive clean sheets.
Second leg: Shams Army 51 – 50½ Gloopy Yarbles
Final Score: Shams Army #6 124 – 115½ Gloopy Yarbles #11
As if losing to the only better score last weekend wasn’t bad enough, it happened to Gloopy again this weekend away at The Army Base. Thus, Sham had the best aggregate score of the round, and would have KO’d any opponent. The Yarbles have every right to feel hard done by, and may be kicking their line-up choices (8½ differential on the bench last weekend), but should be commended on reaching triple-figures and for the transfers they made between the two legs – they brought in Damsgaard, Torres and Tielemans for a return of 21FPts. Incredibly good, a valiant effort from the Champions, but not good enough to better the Army.
Second leg: Mighty Fine 49½ – 43½ Atletico Topo Chico
Final Score: Mighty Fine #7 97 – 75 Atletico Topo Chico #10
Atletico Topo Chico exceeded many pundits expectations by reaching the Second Round, the first time they’ve done so, but that’s as far as they can traverse in this campaign. They will return to the Premier League tomorrow to reflect on top flight survival and the possibility of a building up to a Cup run next year. Mighty Fine did plenty last weekend, requiring just 24 to move forward. Chalobah (1 goal) and Bruno Fernandes (2 assists) made 23 of those by themselves. And that sets them up for a tasty all-Premier League tie against De Bruyne Trousers.
Second leg: Peltier 30 – 43 All Star Gunners
Final Score: Peltier #8 75 – 89 All Star Gunners #9
Admittedly, last week’s article put pressure on Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo to recoup some of the missed opportunities last week. Amad assisted two shots-on-target (KP’s) and Bruno was a bit more successful as his two assists were converted into successful shots. However, apart from Fernandes (11.5 FPts) and Donnarumma (7), there was very little to show for Peltier. All Star Gunners had a lot more fortune – a second goal in two games for KDH, a first 10 for Isak and assists for Xhaka & Nunes. Had they not left Chalobah on the bench, they could have been pushing triple figures. Nevertheless, they are back and into the Quarter-Finals.
The Quarter-Final fixtures
Okay, the final eight. Knockouts from here to the Final.
Two legs in the Quarters, starting after the midweek reset.
Housewives Favourite #1 vs. All Star Gunners #9
The #1-seeded side (and Premier League challengers) will take on promotion-hopefuls ASG for the first time in a couple of years. HFFC won all four of their previous meetings; two by over 20 points, and two by just 3 or less (all in the Championship in Season 9). Wives’ Fave have been to three CL QF’s already, winning that one last winter by knocking out Hung Like A Bony. But they haven’t yet got to the Final… unlike ASG who did and won in 2018. Both teams have Granit Xhaka and Neco Williams to manage as they see fit.
De Bruyne Trousers #2 vs. Mighty Fine #7
These two also have a little bit of history between them. Both are competing for the Premier League in 2025/26, and also met in a knockout game back in 2023 – S9, BFFA Cup R2 – DBT 34-44 MF. So far in the Premier League they have played twice, and Mighty Fine won both of those too –
GW3: DBT 53½-55½ MF;
GW12: DBT 46½-47½ MF.
Tonight (post-GW13) DBT are two places behind Mighty Fine, but just three points below and with a better points total (698 v 632.5).
De Bruyne Trousers have been to two Champions League tournaments previously and made the Semi-Finals in both. Unlike most teams, failure to reach the Final Four will be below par for them. However, to get there this year they will have to get past a two-time winner.
Barons FC #3 vs. Shams Army #6
First meeting. Baron’s second time in the QF’s, didn’t make the Semis in 2022. Shams Army’s first CL.
Barons had a unimpressive outing last weekend, none of their players managed five points, and they finished with 26, but they did generate 72 the week before. Shams of course go into Round Three as the best-scoring side in the tourney, but can they handle the pressure? GW14 will be a reset, GW15 will be a hot encounter.
Hung Like A Bony #4 vs. The Phenoms #5
First meeting. The fates have put together the two that straddled the bye-line. The Phenoms got here by the longer route, but they did it by averaging a good 50 points each of the last two weeks. Hung had two weeks break from the CL (three if you include these midweek games), but put up similar scores (52 & 44½). Be ready for an action-packed game at the Emirates featuring Thiago & Gyökeres (Phenoms), with/against Ouattara, Calafiori & Martinelli (Hung).
It should be noted that this will be Hung’s third-consecutive QF appearance. KO’d in the QF’s last year, but made the Semi’s the year before. The Phenoms were BFFA Cup Quarter-Finalists last season (lost 43-42 to Goleta), but they haven’t previously got past the CL First Round, so they’re breaking new ground with every victory.
From Round 3 the highest-ranked teams will face the lowest-ranked teams (rankings decided by the Group Stage positions). R3 is also two legs – GW15 & GW16.
Round 4 is the Semi-Finals.
Again, the highest-ranked team will play the lowest-ranked remaining side.
SF also two legs, beginning after the new year – GWs 22 & 23
And then the Final takes place in Gameweek 25. One leg – No replay if drawn.
Enjoy.
You must be logged in to post a comment.