Summary of the action from Week 17 of the LIGA 11-A-Side Leagues - The Cup Semi-Finals

Week 17 of NTU's LIGA 11-A-Side competitions saw the four semi-finals of the from the NTU Cup & Plate played out on a windy day at Victoria Embankment that compromised the quality of the football but not the excitement.

In the NTU Cup LIGA C Champions History Society, who knocked out Table Tennis Society in the Quarter-Finals, faced FC Futsal who had progressed automatically last week following the withdrawal of Quantity Surville. History Society had the wind at their back (literally and figuratively) in the first half and raced into a 3-0 lead. The second period was a much closer affair, but, despite getting a late consolation goal, FC Futsal were unable to close the gap substantially at any point, leaving History Society to secure a place in the final (and the possibility of a League & Cup double) with a 3-1 win.

The second Semi-Final in the NTU Cup saw LIGA B winners Kings Of Leon Osman take on the high scoring ACS FC. Both teams scored in the first period, but with the wind effecting the game the scores stayed locked at 1-1 at the end of ninety minutes, taking the game into Extra-Time. Neither team was able to create a clear cut chance in the first fifteen minute period, however in the second half as ACS cross caused havoc in the KOLO penalty area, which, despite blocks from the defense and a save from the Goalkeeper, saw ACS able to force the ball over the line at the third time of asking. Kings Of Leon Osman now pushed forward looking for the equaliser, but in doing so left themselves open to counter-attacks from the dangerous and pacy ACS frontline and conceded two further goals to leave the final score 4-1 to ACS.

In the NTU Plate LIGA A BSOC All Stars and LIGA C Bayer Neverloosen had both reached their Semi-Final without playing a match after Dynamo Chicken Kiev and Bayer Lexerkusen withdrew at the Quarter-finals stage. After an even first half which saw the score being 1-0 in BSOC's favour, the All Stars pulled away in the second period to leave the score final score 5-0.

The final game of the day saw Brack City take on old rivals BSOC Bulldgoz for the third time this season. Both teams had picked up one win each from their previous meetings and the game proved to be as closely contested as the previous results suggested. Brack took the lead in the first half, but spurned two golden chances to extend their advantage early in the second half. BSOC were then controversially denied a goal from an indirect-freekick and still trailed by a goal heading into injury time. In the 92nd minute a Bulldogz attack saw the ball bouncing around in the Brack 6 yard area and being adjudged to have just crossed the line following a touch from a BSOC player. Extra-time proved to be a nervy affair with few chances for either side, leading to the dreaded penalty shootout. BSOC elected to go first and scored, whilst Brack's first attempt was fired over the crossbar. The next five penalties were all scored, before the BSOC Goalkeeper saved Brack's fourth penalty, sending the Bulldogz through 4-2 at the end of the shootout and setting up a BSOC derby in the Plate Final.

With these four games NTU bade farewell to Victoria Embankment for the season as the two Cup Finals will be played on the University's Clifton Campus pitches on May 1st. Next week sees the playing of the inaugural NTU All-Star Game between the I.M. All Stars selected from LIGA's A, B & C and a NTU BUCS Representative Squad. The match kicks off at 2pm on Magdala FC pitch behind ROKO Gym on Wilford Lane. With the Number 1 and 4 buses running directly past the ground it would be great to see as many spectators come to watch this game which hopes to showcase the very best in footballing talent from within NTU.

Viva La LIGA