The 8th round - SSC-2024 group stage ended with a more dramatic scenario for two clubs E2 and E3. Playing in the first series with 2 very important matches deciding the only remaining ticket to the E2-M3 and E3-M2 semi-finals. The two matches took place at the same time on two fields to avoid calculations about the results of the matches in the final series. And what happened on both sides of the field made the fans and the players experience truly explosive emotions.
On field number 1, E2 players were the ones who scored an early goal and took the lead against M3. At the same time, in the field next to E3, they were being forced by M2 and escaped defeat with a controversial ball situation on the goal line. At this point, E2 is the club with a great advantage going into the semi-finals. With a relaxed spirit and high determination, E2 players continuously launched offensive plays toward M3 with the desire to score more goals to increase the gap. A surprise happened at the end of the first half when on field number 2, the E3 players scored the opening goal against M2, which snatched the ticket to the next round from E2's hands. At the end of the first half, both Electric Clubs were leading the 2 Mechanical Clubs with a very small difference of 1 goal.
E2 surpassed M3 with a score of 2-1
Entering the second half, with a 1-goal lead and self-determination in hand, E3 players proactively slowed down the pace of the match with the desire to protect their results. On field number 1, M3, with the mindset of having nothing to lose, was determined to play a fair match with E2. On the other hand, they also wanted to find their first win in the tournament. After accepting to concede the match in the first half, M3 players raised their offensive line in the second half, and the result of their efforts was a 1-1 equalizer against E2 at the beginning of the half. By this time, the scores on both sides of the field completely gave E3 a big advantage, causing the E3 players' focus on their feet to somewhat decrease, and they allowed M2 to equalize 1- 1 a few minutes later.
The confrontation between E3 and M2 ended in a 1-1 draw
The 1-1 draw on both sides of the field pushed the drama of this series to its climax in the final minutes of play when only one of the four clubs needed to score a goal to take the lead to be able to determine the only ticket to the semi-finals. And E2 were the ones with the highest determination, with the worthy reward being the emotional 2-1 goal in the final minutes of the match, bringing the only remaining ticket to the semi-finals for the yellow shirt players.
In the second series, two procedural matches between S - E1 and M1 - M&S took place in a comfortable atmosphere for all 4 clubs when the goals of all 4 teams in this series were no longer there. That's why all four teams took the field with squads lacking the necessary pillars. The game was open and without many calculations, and a rain of goals was created in these two matches with 15 goals scored in the two matches. S and M1 are the two clubs that won this series against E1 and M&S with separate scores.
Safety excellently overcame the E1 veteran with a score of 4-1
Below are detailed match results after round 8, rankings and schedule for the semi-finals of the 2024 SSC tournament: