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Straits Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
'Sharky'-led SDS win first Baller League UK title
LONDON - Six-a-side team SDS FC, managed by online infuencer "Sharky". won the UK's inaugural Baller League on Thursday, beating MVPs United 4-2 in the final at London's O2 arena in a burgeoning new tournament that shakes up soccer's traditional format. SDS dominated the first half, roaring into a 4-1 lead in the game, which includes special rules such as "Plus One" that briefly cuts the teams to one-versus-one plus goalkeepers. TV host Maya Jama's MVPs cut the deficit by one goal in the second period, but were unable to mount a serious comeback in front of thousands of fans inside the arena and many more watching online, including 100,000 on YouTube. "It means everything ... I always believed," said "Sharky", whose real name is Sharmarke Mohamud, in a pitchside interview. "Being a champion just feels amazing," added SDS player David Marques Castanho, who got on the scoresheet. SDS reached the final by defeating Deportrio while MVPs overcame Yanited FC in 30-minute games played earlier on Thursday in the UK's "Baller League Final Four". The tournament was founded in Germany in 2023, where games were first played in an airport hangar, expanded to the UK this year and is also set to launch in the United States. A Spanish-founded similar format, called the Kings League, is also growing rapidly, even though traditionalists scoff at the games as a gimmicky distortion of pure football. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Sport
- Reuters
'Sharky'-led SDS win first Baller League UK title
LONDON, June 12 (Reuters) - Six-a-side team SDS FC, managed by online infuencer "Sharky". won the UK's inaugural Baller League on Thursday, beating MVPs United 4-2 in the final at London's O2 arena in a burgeoning new tournament that shakes up soccer's traditional format. SDS dominated the first half, roaring into a 4-1 lead in the game, which includes special rules such as "Plus One" that briefly cuts the teams to one-versus-one plus goalkeepers. TV host Maya Jama's MVPs cut the deficit by one goal in the second period, but were unable to mount a serious comeback in front of thousands of fans inside the arena and many more watching online, including 100,000 on YouTube. "It means everything ... I always believed," said "Sharky", whose real name is Sharmarke Mohamud, in a pitchside interview. "Being a champion just feels amazing," added SDS player David Marques Castanho, who got on the scoresheet. SDS reached the final by defeating Deportrio while MVPs overcame Yanited FC in 30-minute games played earlier on Thursday in the UK's "Baller League Final Four". The tournament was founded in Germany in 2023, where games were first played in an airport hangar, expanded to the UK this year and is also set to launch in the United States. A Spanish-founded similar format, called the Kings League, is also growing rapidly, even though traditionalists scoff at the games as a gimmicky distortion of pure football.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Baller League UK predictions: Odds and betting preview plus £30 in free bets
THE Final Four contest for the inaugural Baller League UK crown this Thursday. We've taken a look ahead to the indoor action to see if we can pick out the best tips and odds for the big finale. Baller League UK - Final four After 11 grueling gamedays of Baller League UK action, it all comes down to this for the final four. One of Deportrio, MVPs United, Yanited or SDS FC will be crowned the winners of the inaugural competition which has gripped social media. Some big names in the world of sport, entertainment, music and influencing have been involved and now we'll find out the winner. As table toppers after 11 gamedays, Deportrio are rightly the bookies favourites to claim victory on Thursday night - yet strangely go into their semi final with SDS FC as the underdogs, so work that one out. The team managed by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards have just gone off the boil in recent weeks with just one win in their last five, including a thumping 8-3 defeat from SDS FC last time out. They did however just manage to cling onto top spot on goal difference after winning seven of their 11 games and scoring 42 goals in the process, though need to get back to their early tournament form if they want to win this. Semi final opponents, SDS FC have won their last four games on the spin and haven't tasted defeat since gameday five to finish just three points off the top. In the other semi final, MVPs United - second to Deportrio on goal difference - take on AngryGinge's team Yanited having also both won 7 of their 11 games. The sides met only a couple of weeks ago on the gameday 9 fixture list, with the well-fancied Alisha Lehmann and Maya Jama's side MVPs United coming out 4-3 victors. But Yanited finished the league phase with comfortably the highest goal difference in the competition with +17 after the 11 games - with SDS FC (+12) the only side close. So to sum up, the bookmaker odds are close for both semi finals and the outright markets and it's no wonder why - this is anyone's competition! Baller League UK - Latest odds Semi final odds Deportrio vs SDS FC Deportrio 27/20 Draw 4/1 SDS FC 21/20 MVPs United vs Yanited MVPs United 6/5 Draw 4/1 Yanited 6/5 Outright odds Deportrio 15/8 Yanited 15/8 SDS FC 7/2 MVPs United 4/1 Baller League UK predictions Final Four winner SDS FC lost out to MVPs United on gameday three and started the competition with one win from five games. So it's been an almost upward curve from that moment on and they're an attractive price to win this after last week's heroics. That thumping win over Deportrio to get them here was a big moment and that momentum could well carry them through two more games. *18+. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
