Fall Previews - Week Eleven - December 18th

Emaan vs Ihsan

The orange shirts gained an appreciable amount of traction during the second half of the regular season and will relay that momentum this Friday night. Presently unbeaten in 4 and not losing to Ihsan in their prior matches, Emaan can't take the red shirts delicately. Ihsan may have suffered numerous blows but brandish many "textbook" type of players to garner success. Emaan offensive triumph (2nd best) pays dividends against a team who've strained to score. Will Emaan be able to sustain Ihsan's snappy forwards? Can Yousuf Soliman's team find the path to the semis?

Reeling off their jolting 3-2 win over Ikhlas, the red shirts feasted off their opponent's errors and tolerated Ikhlas's final minute push. A timely win for Ihsan might've been what the doctor prescribed, but now a tall order in Emaan awaits them for a one game wonder. Despite a dismal regular season, Coach K's seasoned core is made for the playoffs. The mix of youth and veteran presence on the team should tame Emaan's soldiers. Fill-in netminder Sameer Subedar will have his hands full against the Soliman's and company. Will Ihsan be able make it to the next round?

Burning Questions?

Which team will advance to the next round?

Player To Watch?
Osama Soliman's returned back to the ball hockey circuit was well timed. Osama sits perched on the team stats and has been a primary point producer.

Who's Hot?
Humza Chaudhry played big minutes for his team last week and has been the lad with the lucky hands. Chaudhry has 6 points in his last 3 games.

Haya vs Sabr

There's no room for blunders when it boils down to the playoffs. For Haya, it's about maintaining cooler tempers and playing disciplined ball hockey. The grey shirts had numerous defensive lapses and appeared perplexed during many occasions last week in a 4-1 trouncing from Shukr. Versus Sabr, a team they've recycled marginally, Haya must mercilessly expose the teele shirts measured defence. Salman Khalid and Nadeem Qureshi will be expected to pull up their sleeves while Haya's offence tries to rev up a scoreless Salman Syed. Can Haya walk in the sunset as winners? 

Sabr's plunge in the abyss has been a lengthy one. The lack of players and foolish penalties have been some avenues to this team's stature on the standings. Huzaifa Manjara's squad has a ghastly record that has everyone shrieking and many doubling down on this week's fate. The teele shirts have one last chance to resurrect this team's integrity when they face Haya. Ahmad Hathout will surely lead the charge but will need some secondary support from Tariq Hathout and Saqib Khokhar. D-man Luqman Arshad and the Siddiqui's need to eclipse the opposition with their defensive attendance. Can Sabr pull off the inevitable?

Burning Questions?

Which team will advance to the next round?

Player To Watch?
Luqman Arshad will need to enter "beast-mode". The rugged defenceman has been through thick and thin for his tribe and will thwart any Haya's players.

Who's Hot?
Based on both team's previous game, no one.

Fall Previews - Week Ten - December 11th

Haya vs Shukr

Haya has one last chance to acquire the final "guest pass" to the semi's, but that hope is also contingent on Ikhlas's outcome. Will the stars align for the grey shirts this Friday? Last week Haya got beat like a rented mule in a 5-1 downpour and now conclude their regular season against Shukr. Haya previously lost to Shukr by a 3-0 score and will anticipate some vengeance this week. Team grey's defence was riddled with sloppiness but more surprising has been the poverty in the offensive department (2nd last in league). Can Haya thwart Shukr's offensive cohort?

Shukr took full advantage of a yawning net and laughingly worked on widening their goal differential. The blue shirts beat a handicapped Ihsan team by a healthy 9-2 score and clinched first place. Naeem Akhtar, Aazar Zafar and Abdu Sharkawy plus a handful of other players, to no surprise, attributed to the win. However, it's all about this week? Can Shukr ride their hot streak and finish unbeaten in ten? Haya has been 4-1-0 in their last five and might've had a bad game last week, but don't count them out. Will Shukr be able to tame Haya's hunger for the final "bye" spot?

Burning Questions?

Astonishingly Salman Syed has yet to score. Can he make it happen this week?

Player To Watch:

Shabil Ahmed is a player that will be on Haya's watch. Ahmad brings an incredible amount of hustle and scoring prowess. 

Who's Hot?

Their were a handful of players that lit the empty net, but if I had to chose one then I'd say Aazar Zafar. Zafar had a solid 4 point night and has consistently been an asset to Shukr. 

Ikhlas vs Ihsan

Ikhlas's been riding some rough terrains lately and are yearning to reclaim their winning tempo. The green shirts were defeated narrowly by Sabr and are losers of two straight. Ikhlas's back end been is sufficient, but at times vulnerable, refraining from irrational penalties would be a ginarmous benefit. Waqar Khan needs to get into his game and lead this clan heading into the playoffs. A win/tie secures a "bye" right into the finals. Indeed this will be a valuable 30 minutes for Ikhlas to seal the deal. Will the green shirts be able to halt their little losing slide?

We feel for Ihsan. The red shirts were minus many pivotal players and had no options but to entertain Shukr with no goalie. The result wasn't as what you'd expect, let's just say Shukr was on them like a dog on a bone. On deck is Ikhlas, Ihsan previously lost to Ikhlas in a 2-1 thriller and require all the legs they can to play with a vengeance. Youngsters Humza Chaudhry and Arsalan Mian will give their team 110% effort in challenging Ikhlas's backend. Can Ikhlas reorient their track before the post-season? Can Coach K put this team back on the winning map?

Burning Questions?
Which team will exit their losing auras?

Player To Watch:
Expect Humza Chaudhry to log heavy minutes. The talented young forward is tied in first on his team's stats.

Who's Hot?
Farrukh Khan is getting it done. Despite his team falling short, Khan seized a 2 point night and will need to heighten his game versus Ihsan.

Emaan vs Sabr

GM Yousuf Soliman's squad took advantage of Haya's abbreviated roster and sent the grey shirts for a heck of a roller coaster ride. The credible 5-1 win plants Emaan in a three game unbeaten streak with Sabr awaiting for a rematch. Abdul-Rahman Buttar, Yousuf Soliman and Osama Soliman were packing up points like it's no one's business while bored netminder Sadiq Rehman refused a mere nine shots last week. Sabr may be deprived in many areas but their forwards can hustle and will give Emaan a run for their money. Will Sabr's defence be able to subdue Ahmad Hathout and company?

Despite being beaten by every team at least once, Sabr finally turned a new leaf and managed to stave off Ikhlas in a 3-2 upset win. Have the offensive floodgates opened for Sabr? We're all aware the Ahmad Hathout has been the posterboy for the teele shirts but Saqib Khokhar and Hanif Kasuji need to continue their supporting roles for a better fate against Emaan. Can brothers Farhan and Kamran Siddiqui neutralize the speed of the Soliman's? A win for Sabr makes a huge impact morally but hardly dents the standings. Will a big win over Emaan resonate to a bigger picture for Sabr?

Burning Questions?
Is Sabr the real deal? 

Player To Watch:
Ever since his acquisition, the speedy Tariq Hathout has been a welcoming addition to the tribe. 

Who's Hot?

Abdur-Rahman Buttar continues his offensive plague against rival teams. The young gaffer picked up a 3 point night last week.

Fall Previews - Week Nine - December 4th

Ihsan vs Shukr

Are happy days resurrecting for Ihsan? The red shirts pulled all the rabbits outta the hat last game and finally struck a chord with 1.6 seconds remaining only to acquire a 2-2 tie. The theatrical finish of rallying back from a two goal deficit speaks volumes for Coach K's cadets. Ihsan has some positive momentum to work and needs to shatter their winless streak badly. Can Ihsan win this rematch? The young bloods, Arsalan Mian & Humza Chadhry have been the pulse for this team and must provide that needed hustle. Is Ihsan due for win after tying Shukr?

The Shukr gang left the arena with a losing ambience and buckled with mere seconds wilting away on the clock. Shukr failed to seal the deal on a two goal cushion and hasn't won a game in their last two outings. Despite tying their recent games, the blue shirts failure to close games has been exemplified last game. Aazar Zafar and Mehmed Rizwanovic will need to be dreadfully utilized while Naeem Akhtar needs to go beast mode and lead the charge. Netminder Yusuf Kapoor has managed to keep his team's first place stature glimmering week to week and has to shut down Ihsan. 

Burning Questions?

Can Naeem Akhtar's team get back in the win column?

Player To Watch:

Atif Mian has been an offensive threat and has to find a way to get back onto the scoresheet.

Who's Hot?

Arsalan Mian hit the twine twice and has proven that he's an instrumental player for Ihsan.

Sabr vs Ikhlas

It seems like nothing has reformed with Sabr. The squad suffers from demise each week and needs to start taking things gravely. How long can this rough patch continue? The teele shirts lost their third consecutive game and have allowed 15 goals within that term. Some one has gotta pickup the slack here. Ahmad Hathout and Luqman Arshad continue to be the saving grace while goaltender Zaid Majoo eight games in is still trying to discover himself. There are no parallels between Sabr and Ikhlas. This might be a washout for Sabr, unless Sabr can surprise us. 

Ikhlas faced a crack in the armour and lost to a gung-ho team in Haya. Despite missing some pivotal players last game, the green shirts played their hearts out and lost a marginal game. Guess what though. Ikhlas gets to take Sabr for a joyride this week! This win is over Sabr is on the house! Oops, shouldn't have said that. Regardless, watch Ikhlas permeate through Sabr's porous offence and dance around Sabr's brittle defence. Nadeem Faqiri continues to impress while netminder Kaunain Saiyed has appeared to find his rhythm. Can Farrukh Khan barricade Ahmad Hathout? Will Ikhlas be able to revive to their winning ways? 

Burning Questions?

Can Sabr put up a challenge against Ikhlas?

Player To Watch:

Saqib Khokhar has been around the block in i-Slam and is huge contributor to Sabr's offensive cohort.

Who's Hot?
I'll say it again. Nadeem Faqiri. He may not have the quickest pace but he can finish when he gets the ball.

Haya vs Emaan

"What's hotter than Frankie's Hot Sauce?" Haya is, well at least for now. The grey shirts gave the spectators full entertainment value when they beat Ikhlas by a thunderous 4-2 score. The game teetered with glorious chances by both teams, but in the end Haya's relentless troops extended their win streak to four. Emaan will be a great litmus test for the Umar Muhammad's tribe. Both teams are relishing solid wins but Haya is starting to breath up Ikhlas's backs when you gander at the standings. Are they keen on snatching that "bye" spot? Can Haya make it 5 straight wins?

After slipping and sliding around the standings earlier this season, Emaan appears to have gotten a grip of themselves after their painless win over Sabr. The Soliman's and company led the charge in a 4-2 victory and will now square off with an upbeat Haya team. Emaan's defence has been stellar after the injections of Naiem Malik and Zuhair Fancy. It's apparent that the backend has broadcasted enhanced stability and their transition game has become smoother than peanut butter. Can Emaan cool off Haya? Will Emaan be able to compete with Haya's hustle?

Burning Questions?

Can Sadiq Rehman weather Haya's seasoned forwards?

Player To Watch:
That patented slapshot from Nadeem Qureshi has yet to score. I think this will be his lucky game.

Who's Hot?
Hany Soliman has been solid for Emaan. The pesky forward is a menace to play against and has 9 points in 7 games.