Fall Previews - Week Seven - November 13th

Ihsan vs Ikhlas

At first blush when I filtered through Ihsan's roster I was convinced that these guys had the juices to pack a huge punch. Well, things haven't materialized properly. Goalie missing, players missing, foolish penalties and the inconsistency to just delivery has many perplexed. Truthfully, Ihsan's record is contradictory to who they really are. Last week, the red shirts were forced to dance to Haya's tunes as playing with a yawning was equivalent to walking the plank. Ihsan will tango with Ikhlas who've clearly been at the higher end of the food chain. Will Ihsan become the prey for another week? It'll be Shuaib Hussein versus Waqar Khan, which of the brawny players will get their team the win? 

Electric. That's how I depict these guys and their devotion! There's more currents flowing in this team then Hydro One! Either Ikhlas's brass was beaten with brilliance or simply fluked it off when drafting this squad. The green shirts dug deep and thwarted Emaan last week in a 3-1 thumping. Ikhlas's newest hardware, the weathered Junaid Mohammad didn't disappoint as he got his team on the board, after that the onslaught started. If surprises like Nadeem Faqiri can keep sweating their guts out then Ikhlas is going to be a team that everyone will be afraid to play. Can the green shirts keep things rolling in the win column?

Burning Questions?

Will Ihsan be able to march their way to victory?

Player To Watch:

It's only fitting to match beast with beast. Known for his booming shot and determination, Shuaib Hussein will attempt to get his team amped up for this tilt.

Who's Hot?
Who else? Waqar Khan obviously. Khan picked up a three point night last Friday and scored a beauty of a breakaway goal after outpacing an Emaan defenceman.

Haya vs Sabr

Winning an open net game perhaps isn't the best avenue to building character. Unfortunately when that's the best the opposition has to offer, then what do you do? Simple, you take the win and run. Despite Haya beating a struggling Ihsan, there's still items on their bucket list that require attention. Eliminating the solo efforts and minimizing the unnecessary penalties, then watch your fate inshallah. Haya sits comfy in the standings but has yet to convince the critics on their stature in the league. Umar Muhammad and Imran Lakhanpal have been the maestros of the offensive cohort while Salman Syed and Nadeem Qureshi have yet to hit the twine. What will be Haya's fate this week against Sabr? The grey shirts squeezed by Sabr last time but with Sabr coming into this this match hungrier than a 17 hour fast, anything is possible.

Everyone forgets about Sabr in this league, and realistically they've been ignored like that red headed stepchild. Teams are beating this squad time after time and basically passing them around like currency. Last week, Shukr handed Sabr their fifth loss and let's just say the score was beyond humiliating. Either Huzaifa Manjara's team needs to pull up their socks and get their hands dirty or it'll be a washout when it comes to the post season. Ahmad Hathout has been the only saving grace for Sabr, but how much can he do? Is anyone there? The Siddiqui's brother's (Farhan & Kamran) have been at the forefront on defence and need to step up their d-game and lead this squad to a monumental win. Will Sabr make a splash or continue drowning?

Burning Questions?

Has Haya met their match versus Sabr?

Player To Watch:

Imran Lakhanpal has been soaring with 6 points in his last 3 games.

Who's Hot?
If there's one person who truly has Sabr with his team is Ahmad Hathout. The crafty forward sits warmly on top of the league with a mammoth 13 points. 

Emaan vs Shukr

They say what hurts you is always good for you. If that's the case then these baffling losses must be building blocks for something really positive to come, at least we hope. Emaan has been plagued with short benches and is mostly arrested in their own zone. The orange shirts suffered another blow and succumbed to Ikhlas's stubborn henchmen, hence losing 3-1. The Soliman's are going to have to push the right buttons this week and hopefully get back into mix with a big win, cause after them the depth just ceases from what we see. The injection of Naiem Malik proved to have tamed some defensive lapses but unfortunately the remainder of the cast seem to be loose bricks. Can Emaan turn the tides on Shukr and get the ball rolling? 

Naeem Akhtar and Fahad Malik continue to enjoy their team's fortunes. Though it was unorthodox for them to be hunting earlier in the game versus Sabr last week, the blue shirts buried their foes in a 8-2 destruction. Shukr is on a roll and has been hotter than a five alarm blaze. Can Emaan cool them down this week? Dangling sensations; Aazar Zafar and Mehmed Rizwanovic have been big time shareholders in churning out goals. Conversely, nimble forwards like Shabil Ahmed and Atif Mian will make defenders go bonkers just from their grit and determination. Rookie Danish Qureshi has played some strong defence and has garnered quite some attention. Will the blue shirts be able to prolong their unbeaten swing or have they met their match this week?

Burning Questions?
Will Emaan be able to rebound after only pocketing 1 point in their last 5 games? Zuhair Fancy has been claimed on waivers for the orange shirts; can Fancy turn this team around?

Player To Watch:
Abdur-Rahman Butter leads his team with 7 points but the Soliman's must turn it up a few notches.

Who's Hot?

Atif Mian had an unforgettable 4 game night versus Sabr.