One Future Football: Best player, goals and stories from rounds nine and ten

One Future Football is the world’s first global football league. 12 clubs with 252 footballers from 88 countries. Virtual football, real competition. Pick your team and cheer them on - all matches are free-to-view and the action happens thick and fast across ten minutes,

They say in football your fortunes can turn around in a heartbeat…well nowhere is that truer than in the Shibuya Central Stadium as Tokyo Youth Club recorded not just their first, but their second wins of the season. At the ninth time of trying 1FF’s bottom team got their maiden win, thanks to a shuffle in personnel, formation and tactics. Striker, Wanchai Bunmi started only his second game of the season and it made the world of difference as he scored his maiden goal before setting-up strike partner, Raphael Hauffe for a valuable three points against FC Angelenos at the Boyle Heights Stadium in LA. Those two would combine again a few days later as Bunmi set Hauffe on his way to the first of a stunning hat trick for Kevin Shindo’s side at home to Club Sportivo Palermo. Despite the Japanese outfit remaining at the bottom of the table, the last couple of matches have shown that they still have a chance to finish the season strong and move up the league.

What was just as shocking as Tokyo’s back-to-back ‘Ws’ was the first ever loss inflicted to Manhattan FC. It was India’s very own Bengaluru Phoenix who did the damage in a fascinating match in Bengaluru. It was a scintillating 45 minutes as both teams exchanged goals. Sushil Rao opened things up for the Rising Phoenix, followed Dale Ramos responding with his 11th goal of the season; Ravi Dasar and So Sung-Chul found the net either side of José Alcántar’s effort before the half time whistle allowed everyone to breathe. But after the break, The Empire’s unbeaten streak was ended via further goals from Ajay Pal and that man again, Sushil Rao, with his seventh of the season. It was definitely the performance of the week and helped move up the table by two places into eighth.

Despite Manhattan FC bouncing back with a 3-2 win against Naija United, they are now only three points ahead of Paris St-Denis after they were the only other side to win both matches this week. Jung Sang-Min followed-up last week’s four-goal-haul with a hat trick versus Naiji (again) in a 5-1 drubbing. It was left winger Danylo Melnychuk who scored the only goal of the game as Le 93 came away victorious from a tight battle with Riyadh Stars.

Players of the Week

If your team ends Manhattan FC’s unbeaten run, you deserve the highest rating of the week - cue Bengaluru Phoenix’s players who make two appearances this week. Firstly it’s Sushil Rao who got 96 points in round nine after his heroics mentioned earlier. Noah Drakenburg got the same number of points in round 10 thanks to his fifth & sixth goals of the season against Bengaluru’s following opponents, Brazil Amazonia. And Aaron Wright-Thompson earned himself a cool 92 points in round nine after a brace for South London United against Inter Nusantara.

Goal of the Week

Tokyo Youth Club’s Raphael Hauffe has just been winning at life recently, so it’s no surprise he had the confidence to score this flick-up volley combo against Club Sportivo Palermo.

Stories of the Week

Journalist Fabio Rossi leaked images of the training ground bust-up at Riyadh Stars between Ahmed Ashour and Adel Salem.

Stats of the Week

• South London United’s Adrien Grondin is the top creator in the final third. The Frenchman has 32 passes into the penalty area. Inter Nusantara’s Juozas Butkus has 30 and Bengaluru Phoenix’s Noah Drakenburg has 27.
• Bondi FC's defence is still the best in the league. The Sydney side has conceded just ten goals in the opening 10 games. The league average is 18.
• Club Sportivo Palermo's Bernardo De Los Santos is relentless. The left winger has the most attempted tackles, tackles won and high presses in the league. He sets the bar for defensive work for Palermo.

1FF League Table