Go Forth & Conquer, Leo!

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Lions slip out of race

A shock 1-0 home loss to Erick FC sees Go Leo slip a further 9 points off league leaders Xaitan. Goalkeeper Brian Martinez was again culprit for yet another loss as he fumbled a shot which deflected into the net.

This was the second error by the Mexican keeper that cost Go Leo points as he had similarly let in a goal against Xaitan in similar circumstances earlier this season.

Having put priority on winning the Champion's League, Go Leo fielded a slightly weaker starting eleven for league matches although top league scorer Stephen Devine was among the starters.

The home side failed to create many chances and wasted good ones to put the game in their favor. As dissapointing as this result was, Go Leo are still on course to progress to semifinals of the Champion's League having overturned a 2-1 first leg loss with a 5-0 home win over Los Palegos.

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Dinam-ic New Lions

Go Leo have introduced two new faces to strengthen the squad this season, among them, academy graduate MacField Dinamo. The 18-year old Malaysian will occupy an attacking midfield role but is also comfortable playing on the left of midfield.

Joining Dinamo will be right midfielder Iranian Fawzi Dleimy who joins the squad for a fee of $7.8m. The 25 year old is known for his goal scoring prowess from the wings and will provide more options for the Boss, who already have Walter Gallo and Stergios Kolokas to choose from.

The club also announced the departure of Sebastien Kern, Kostas Tsilis and Joe Pepper, who leaves after 4 seasons with the club.

Go Leo are currently third in the league, nine points off current leaders Xaitan. They will play the first leg of the Champions' League quarterfinals tonight.

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Shocking Lions

Unfancied Phoenix FC stunned Go Leo at Lion's Way today as they pulled off a shock 3-2 win to heap more pressure on the defending league champions.

Go Leo are now nine points adrift of the league leaders and that could be extended to twelve points if Xaitan beat second place Spijker in the top of the table clash later today. If fourth placed Magico FC win their match today, they could leapfrog over Go Leo.

The home side started brightly and Matias Madrid put them ahead only after four minutes after being fed by Walter Gallo.

Under fire Brian Martinez was given a chance by the boss to redeem himself when he was named in the starting line up but he put on another unimpressive performance as the visitors hammered two goals past him before halftime.

Gallo restored parity in the 55th minute to level the match at 2-2, but the normally reliable backfour of Go Leo crumbled easily to allow Phoenix to grab the winner 10 minutes from time.

This avenged their 7-0 loss in the first league rounds, which also added to the shock of the loss today, given that they did not put up much of a fight then.

At the post match conference, the Boss was lost at words at the manner of the loss.

"We set ourselves up to get a win at home, but Phoenix surprised us."

"It's true that we did not put the league as a priority this season, and with all due respect to Phoenix FC, to lose to a team that costs less than half of the Go Leo squad is unacceptable."

On Martinez's recent form, the Boss said, "I will have to look at the goalkeeper situation seriously. I thought I could rest Eladio (de Speegler) and some players ahead of the (Champions League) second leg tomorrow, but it obviously backfired."

After starting the season strongly in defence of their title, Go Leo have now suffered four defeats and look unlikely to finish much higher than third this season.

Their target this year, the Champions League, could also elude them after losing 1-0 in the first leg to Amel FC last night.

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Champions no more

After a very bright first half of the season, Go Leo look like they will end the season trophy-less.

A 2-0 second leg home loss to Amel FC confirmed their exit from the Champions League quarterfinals stage.

The home side could not find any reply to the visitors attacking flow and their travelling supporters made it look more like an away game of Go Leo.

It is a dissapointing premature end to Go Leo season as they find themselves fourth in the league, 7 points behind the league leaders Xaitan.

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Season 8, Level 8

Go Leo had a disappointing season 8, failing to defend their league title and finished without any silverware. However they managed to secure Champions League football for the new season after finishing fourth in their league with 56 points.

Matias Madrid was awarded Player of the Year for the second season running, with Stephen Devine a close second. Cole Case grabbed the Young Player of the Year award in his first full season.

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Season 9, Level 9

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Magnificent Seven

Go Leo have strengthened their squad with no less than seven new faces for the new season.

While the core of the team comprising the likes of Mathis Madrid, Barnabas Kovacs, Walter Gallo and Daniel Lindskog retained, a new look midfield comprising of Jamie Campbell, Lubomir Cap and Gregory Kaminski has been brought in to bolster one of their weaknesses last season.

Experienced left-sided defender Tim van Rooijen, central defender Emanuel Olalekan - both 32, and rising star Aqeel Tuma have been recruited to help plug in the defence that had cost them the defence of their title.

Strikers Hector Bala and Jose Freitas has been offloaded to make way for Ivorian striker Mathias Bamba who is expected to give Stephen Devine some competition for the lone striker position.

The Boss commented that a lot of work will be done to keep it tight at the back this season, "Championships are won by having a good solid defence and we did not have that last season. Because of that we will play a different brand of football that provides a balance between defence and attack."

"Last season, we tried to play one advanced midfielder with (Barnabas) Kovacs providing the cover in a defensive midfielder role, but that obviously did not turn out well."

"Having two midfielders will hopefully provide more protection in the middle of the park."

A majority of the players were part of the title-winning squad of Season 7 and the Boss hopes that some of that hunger will rub off on the new players.

"I expect players like Mathias (Madrid) and Walter (Gallo) to lead the club this year having been with us for three seasons now."

The Boss also announced that Madrid will take over the captain's armband from Barnabas Kovacs and Gallo will be made vice-Captain.

Go Leo currently lead the league table with a 100% record and are still competing on all three fronts.

Current Squad - Season 9, Level 9
*Bold denotes new season signing

GK - Eladio De Speegler, Belgian (Joined S7)
GK - Brian Marinez, Mexican (S8)
DC, Header Specialist - Cole Case, Malaysian (S7 Academy Graduate)
DC/DR, Wall - Marshall Law, Malaysian (S4 Academy Graduate)
DL/DC - Johan Evestal, Swedish (S8)
DL/DC, Wall - Martin Tellefsen, Danish (S8)
DL/DC - Emanuel Olalekan, Nigerian (S9)
DC/DMC, Wall - Aqeel Tuma (S9), Iranian
DMC/DML, Playmaker - Tim van Rooijen, Dutch (S9)
DMC/DMR, Playmaker - Barnabas Kovacs, Hungarian (S7)
MC, FK specialist - Jamie Campbell, Scottish (S9)
MC, FK specialist - Lubomir Cap, Czech (S9)
MC - Gregory Kaminski, Polish (S9)
AML, Corner Specialist - Matias Madrid, Argentinian (S7), Captain
AMC/AML - MacField Dinamo, Malaysian (S8 Academy Graduate)
AMR/MR - Walter Gallo, Italian (S6)
ST, One-on-One - Stephen Devine, Irish (S6)
ST - Daniel Lindskog, Swedish (S6)
ST - Mathias Bamba, Ivorian (S9)

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Lions rise to the occassion.

The newly built 57,000 capacity Lion's Way was honoured with a classy performance today by Go Leo when they dished out a 5-1 beating on Blejan FC in their Group E Champions' League encounter today. The win also avenged their 4-1 defeat in the opening group match.

Go Leo started with their normal formation with three at the back and attacking fullbacks providing options on the flanks. Walter Gallo was rested and striker Daniel Lindskog came in to start on the right flank. There was no Marshall Law in the starting eleven and his place was taken by defender Martin Tellefsen.

However it was the visitors who drew first blood and silenced the capacity crowd early in the 10th minute.

It took 16 minutes for Go Leo to draw level. Jamie Campbell's curling freekick was turned away by the visiting goalkeeper and from the subsequent corner, Campbell rose high to equalize.

Mathis Bamba then put the homesters 2-1 up before veteran Tim van Rooijen headed in a third off a Campbell freekick on 40 minutes.

The Boss withdrew Bamba at the break and introduced misfiring Stephen Devine.

The visitors were reduced to ten men after Chris Gold was shown a second yellow and Lubomir Cap gleefully curled a freekick beyond the keeper's reach. Van Rooijen completed the rout and his second for the evening, burying a shot after receiving a pass from Lindskog.

The crowd erupted at the final whistle and many will be back to fill the majestic stadium later for a league match with Nicolo FC.

Go Leo leapfrogged Blejan in the group and currently lead on goal difference.

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Way off

It was an anti-climatic day for Go Leo after they succumbed to a 2-4 loss to Nicolo FC in front of a strong 57000 capacity Lion's Way.

In fairness, the home side was never in the game and struggled througout ninety minutes.

The Boss admitted that tactical decisions made were wrong "Not to take anything away from Nicola, they came here to stop us and did. They deserved the victory."

"But I have to put my hands up and say I got my team orders wrong. It was not the usual orders that the boys were used to so that may have cause some disarray on the pitch."

After going down twice, Go Leo had pulled the match back to 2-2, but could not muster anything else after that. They conceded a third not long after and a fourth came late in the game.

The defeat cut Go Leo's lead at the top to two points and will face title challengers Bondeii later today.

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That familiar feeling

Go Leo suffered another setback to their title hopes after they fell to a 3-1 defeat away to Bondeii yesterday evening.

Substitute Daniel Lindskog's goal gave them a glimmer of hope for a comeback with the score at 2-0 but they eventually conceded a third just before the final whistle.

An early goal changed the dynamics of the match and it was uphill from there.

It was Go Leo's third successive defeat in all competitions.

The Boss lamented a lack of control in the midfield and blamed the loss on lacklustre finishing, "It has been this way every season, hasn't it? We start strongly and then stutter against teams fighting for the title."

"I am very dissapointed with our strikers. They are all experienced and they should know the way to goal."

When asked about Stephen Devine's poor form, which has seen him benched since the start of the season, the Boss said the striker is suffering from a lack of confidence.

"He is not the same player as last season. Somehow he has lost that bit of confidence."

The loss sees Bondeii climb above Go Leo in the league.

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Don't blink!

Go Leo completed a stunning comeback in the T11 World Cup when they edged out Thrillblazors on away goals after the two sides were tied 4-4 on aggregate.

Having lost the first leg at home 0-1, Go Leo reshuffled their players and youngster Macfield Dinamo was introduced in the staring lineup, playing behind lone striker Daniel Lindskog.

Thrillblazors went ahead in the 27th minute through Dawid Ciarkowski before Martin Blom doubled their lead four minutes after the break. It looked all over by then but Go Leo had other ideas.

The second Thrillblazor goal seemed to have knocked some senses into the visiting Go Leo players and it took them six minutes to turn the tie upside down.

If anyone had gone to take the call of nature in the 53rd minute, he or she would've came back to totally different ball game.

When Paul Campbell was hauled down in the box in the 53rd minute, Matias Madrid stepped up to slot home the subsequent penalty.

Two minutes later, Dinamo found himself one on one with the goalkeeper and coolly slid the ball pass the onrushing goalkeeper. At that point both teams were tied on the night but Go Leo was still 2-3 behind on aggregate.

Lindskog took the baton from Dinamo and played out his role of executioner brilliantly. A goal that almost mirrored Dinamo's and the visiting team found themselves 2-3 ahead and through on away goals.

Defender Aqeel Tuma header from a Madrid corner proved to be a winning fourth goal as Thrillblazor made it contest when Dadon pulled one back to make it 3-4 on the night in the 89th minute. Go Leo defended and Thrillblazor threw all but the kitchen sink at them but astute defending prevailed.

At the final whistle, many around the Thrillblazor ground were still dumbfounded by what had unraveled before their eyes.

Go Leo are still challenging on all fronts and in the league, they have regained top spot after Bondeii suffered shocking back to back defeats against the league's bottom dwellers. The Lions also secured a precious 3-1 away win in the Champions League last 16 against familiar rivals Spijker FC.