Tier Two Playoffs - Round One

Haya vs Ridha

It wasn't a miracle to witness Haya deluge in full force and completely go Hollywood all over Ikhlas last week. Coach K's troops stomped the Green Machine by a score of 7-3 and wrenched back what was rightfully theirs, the first place title. Now it's showtime and with the backdrop of elimination in the air, only 30 minutes will dictate whether this group is the real deal or fool's gold. Any betting man would take Haya in heartbeat versus Ridha, after all the grey shirts have a platter of offensive assortments. However, this is the playoffs and tier two history has dictated from previous seasons that "whom shall win first place will never win the championships". Is Haya ready to rewrite history? Will Haya be able to beat Yasir Hussain and Ridha? 

You gotta give an ovation to Ridha for playing a hearty 30 minutes and skulking by Shukr. Not only did they reserve their seats to the post-season but Ridha cranked Shukr's coffin without Faheem Kotwal and Imran Lakhanpal. Not bad for a night's work! So, let's talk business. The only plausible way the Orangemen can win this elimination game is from the back end. Ridha could elect the dull game plan of going auto-pilot and pouncing on their chances, essentially playing the waiting game. However, Haya is to shrewd for that and will be a handful for them regardless. Netminder Yasir Hussain will be playing the biggest game of his life. Can GM Zaid Mahmood employ a plan that'll elevate this squad to next dimension? How will Ridha shut down Waseem Bangash and Ali Murtaza?

Player To Watch:
It's more like players to watch. Talib Contractor, Shaan Abbasi and Bilal Alvi chewed up most of the playing minutes last game and certainly stepped in some big shoes. Keep those shoes on boys!

Who's Hot?
Mehmed Rizwanovic has crafted quite the repute for himself game after game. The rookie (to i-Slam) has 14 points this season and has been instrumental for Haya.

Zuhd vs Ikhlas

Judging from their resume, the only pragmatic finalist might infact be Zuhd. It's an audacious statement but it's perceivable, unless Ikhlas doesn't reform from their inundating defeat last week. The Purple Platoon recently bid farewell to Yaqeen and left them in a dazing 3-1 loss. Shabil Ahmed and Naeem Akhtar have been the dark horses that have planted this team on cloud nine. Zuhd's defence has been synonymous with their offense and don't look now but goaltender Rizwan Ali is playing tougher than leather on a shoe. GM Fahad Malik has also been a key facet on this team and will look to drive this 18 wheeler right to the finals. However, Zuhd has faced one of their loses to the Green Machine so it'll be interesting to envision both squads doing justice over one another. How many goals will it take to put Ikhlas to sleep? This game is well balanced and will be an exhilarating one!  

Ikhlas must swallow this loss and appreciate it happened now, rather than latter. Despite a

few hindrances, the Green Machine have been churning along and have shared quite a ride over their 10 game regular season. GM Amir Multani, Wakaas Khan and Atif Mian have been the pillars to the offence, while Farrukh Khan and his camp of defensemen prove to be the tighter than bark on a tree. The green shirts better buckle up in the back end and prepare for Zuhd cause those speed demons won't give you a second of their time. Nevertheless, we all know the unlimited capacity netminder Khalid Mufti possesses. He's a game stealer and will add more flavour in this veteran goaltending dual. Will Ikhlas and their Khan's go Bollywood all over Zuhd? Can Farrukh Khan shut down Naeem Akhtar? 

Player To Watch:
He's fast, he's bullheaded and he always finishes his assignments with tenacity. Hi name is Sajid Khan.

Who's Hot?
This is all about the Naeem Akhtar show. The stats speak for themselves.

Tier Two Previews - Week Thirteen - December 12th

Ikhlas vs Haya

The Green Machine was up to their butt kicking antics as they pulverized Shukr to a 4-1 score. The victory crawls Ikhlas within sniffing distance of clinching first place, but that's all contingent on how the Zuhd-Yaqeen results transpire come game day. Ikhlas has gradually sculpted into a contending team headed into the playoffs, hence this battle versus Haya will be a perfect litmus test to evaluate Ikhlas's season long progress. Despite a few hiccups, Khalid Mufti continues to show confidence in net and that's allowed the Green Machine's defensive core to craft "artistic" transitional plays. Will Ikhlas be able to avenge their previous loss to Haya?

Coach K's team has religiously churned out points night after night and continue to rule the tier two roost. It was a close call with Zuhd, but the persistence of Aazar Zafar ultimately paid off as the stud forward actuated his team from a déjàvu loss by the hands of the purple shirts. In their last three games Haya has earned ties and that's raised an eyebrow amongst the critics. Lack of finishing is one reason, but Haya's habit of trailing till the final minutes is a issue that needs attention. Gone are the days where the grey shirts would make a mockery out of each team they played, cause now they've slowly been exposed. Can Haya rectify things before the playoffs start?

Player To Watch:

Ikhlas's unsung hero is Atif Mian. The frisky forward has been a solid patron to the Green Machine's offensive cohort. 

Who's Hot?

Aazar Zafar pulled all the rabbits out of the hat and saved his team's fate by bubbling up a two goal performance. 

Ridha vs Shukr

It was a loss for Ridha to forget and Yaqeen and Shukr to cherish. The Orangemen could've seal the deal but consequently succumbed to a painstaking 2-1 loss. Let's sidetrack the Yaqeen result and focus on this week. Who the heck would've thought that fate has radiated so much value in the final regular season game for both camps. Both teams have their advantages and while I won't side with any of these squads I'll sum it up. Goaltending wins games, and if you have a keeper that can steal games than you're chances of winning are gleamming. Ridha has a point to prove and will exploit Talib Contractor and Farooq Sani to the last drop. GM Zaid Mahmood will have to calm the nerves of his squad and focus on the bigger picture. Yasir Hussain can play under pressure and I can attest to that, but does he have the defence that can bail him out? Will Ridha be able to out muscle Shukr? The Orangemen have had difficulty getting goals so it's time for Imran Lakhanpal and Amad Khan to step it if they wanna see the other side of the rainbow. 

When Yaqeen beat Ridha, GM Ahmad Ibrahim was grinning like the Cheshire cat from Alice in wonderland and man he couldn't stop. I can imagine the emotional roller coaster that Shukr was enduring behind the glass, but now it's game time. Shukr is looking to earn their second win of the season and they'll need everyone's synergy. Climbing that mountain won't be easy when your goal scoring is yearning for some variety but most importantly consistency. Sure there's a lot of hustlers on the Blue Battalion that don't know the meaning of stop but how many of them are intuitive enough to get the job done? The same question applies to Ridha. Netminder Sadiq Rehman's goaltending has been a head scratcher. Sometimes he's awesome and busier than the 401 on a Friday night but sometime you wonder if you should just jump in net. Regardless, if Shukr wants to tango with the big boys then only a win will suffice. I can't explain how monumental the first goal will be in this game. Can Shukr out hustle Ridha? Good luck to both teams!

Player To Watch:

This will be a goaltending campaign for both teams. Let's see what kind of a show can Yasir Hussain and Sadiq Rehman craft out?

Who's Hot

Neither team has ignited anything last game. At the end of this game, one team will be hot. 

Yaqeen vs Zuhd

The Winter Warriors had no business beating Ridha last week, but what could I say, we just couldn't resist. Wearing the spoiler mask, Yaqeen came in full force and had a helping hand as stalwart Abdul Aziz Rasoul and the diligent Furhan Azmat returned to the lineup. While Yaqeen handed the arduous loss to Ridha, cheers from the Shukr team can be heard in the backdrop. Since this game versus Zuhd is merely formalities in concluding the season, expect the Winter Warriors to utilize this winning momentum and refraining Zuhd from evening thinking of clinching first place. Can Kamran Siddiqui and Imdad Ali stump Zuhd's hellbent runners?

Zuhd is a mean team. Not only do they give their opponents hissy fits, their tenacity is the primary reason to their achievements. The purple shirts almost clipped Haya's wings for a second time but swivelled off the winning road and settled for a 3-3 draw. While Naeem Akhtar has soared up the leaderboard, GM Fahad Malik has revived his scoring touch and added some flavour to the assortment of point getters amidst this squad. Zuhd has been paramount upfront and their defense has been tighter than old Mother Hubbard's cupboard. Goaltender Rizwan Ali probably isn't used to this luxury defence and hasn't been occupied as previous seasons. Can Yaqeen keep Rizwan Ali on his heels? Or will Zuhd walk all over Yaqeen again? 

Player To Watch:

Goaltender Saboor Mian played his heart out last game and it's anticipated he'll hit the repeat button versus Zuhd. 

Who's Hot?

Naeem Akhtar looks to build on his points and might take the scoring race crown, unless Yaqeen has better plans. 

Tier Two Previews - Week Twelve - December 5th

Ikhlas vs Shukr

Ikhlas cashes out another week of success at the the expense of Yaqeen's lapses. The Green Machine displayed no mercy scoring three short handed goals and clipping Yaqeen's playoff chances. GM Amir Multani and Atif Mian have been nothing but big bucks for Ikhlas, while Wajahat Khan and Farrukh Khan close the lanes to goaltender Khalid Mufti. Can the green shirts hit the repeat button on Shukr? The Blue Battalions have their backs to walks and are desperate to earn any feasible points. 

The hamster is slowly falling off the wheel for Shukr. Team blue has gradually coasted down the standings and now crave to get back to the scenic side of the fence. Besides Sadiq Rehman, this team needs to put the afterburners on. It's transparent that Rehman was the only person who wanted to make a game out what ensued in Shukr's last stint. Offence is another issue with the blue shirts, cause right now that buck stops at Nadeem Qureshi and Mohamad Hamoud. Can Shukr surprise Ikhlas and snap their 3 game unbeaten streak?

Player To Watch:

The fate of Shukr will be heavily shouldered on Mohamad Hamoud. Can the lanky giant get his team back into the playoff picture?

Who's Hot?

Atif Mian churned out a hearty 3 points last week. 

Ridha vs Yaqeen

Forget about orange juice, it was more like grape juice being served last Friday night as Ridha upset Zuhd in a shifty 4-2 decision. The Orangemen had a pleasant surprise when Zuhd took the opening face off minus Rizwan Ali and were all over that yawning net like a fat kid on a twinkie. This final playoff push for Ridha couldn't have been more critical as another nemesis by the name of Yaqeen awaits. For Yaqeen, it's just about working up a sweat while keeping it respectable. However, Ridha has a different mindset and will give the Winter Warriors a good run for their money. 

Yaqeen is officially out of playoff contention. Despite sipping a few leads against Ikhlas, Yaqeen royally choked and got lashed in a 6-2 decision. What appeared to be the best roster on paper has management wondering; what went wrong? Yaqeen will now look to play spoilers against Ridha and anticipate avenging their previous 4-2 loss against the orange shirts. Revenge would be sweet, but to beat Ridha during their urgency would be even sweeter. Can Saboor Mian steal the show versus orange?

Player To Watch:

GM Abbas Amarshi has been tough on the blue line and will give Ridha forwards a nasty greeting. 

Who's Hot?

Bilal Alvi was one of the prime factors in Ridha's upset win. The young lad picked up a goal and an assist. 

Zuhd vs Haya

Zuhd got shell shocked after losing to Ridha and will shake the loss off like a bad nightmare. The high octane team faces the Misty Marauders and anticipate snatching first place from under Haya's noses. The previous match between the two had a total of 13 goals and was see-saw affair of offensive power houses. This Friday will also feature two gentlemen battling for the scoring title; Naeem Akhtar and Waseem Bangash. GM Fahad Malik was on a roll last week and pumped out two goals for his squad. Does Zuhd have the booksmarts to overthrow Haya? Can Rizwan Ali shutdown Coach K's posse?

Haya is coming off a tough 1-1 draw from a few weeks back and is perhaps having nightmares of Shukr's keeper, Sadiq Rehman. Yes, the diminutive goaltender left Haya dazed as he retracted a whooping 20 shots. This week, the grey shirts have a mission and that's asserting first place. A win over Zuhd not only plays vengeance but embodies much value to the confidence of Haya, now that the playoff aura seeps in. Can Mehmed Rizwanovic and Ali Murtaza lead the charge against the Purple Platoons? 

Player To Watch:

Aazar Zafar has been a crucial pillar to Haya's identity. Fluent in defence and offends, expect Aazar to get the job done this week. 

Who's Hot?

As mentioned, GM Fahad Malik seems like he reclaimed his offensive prowess with those 2 goals from last week.