Game 6 of Group A saw Cheesecake FC take on Water Boy. It was a meeting between our most capped Portuguese team and our most capped team in the tournament. It was also a repeat of the 2011 Algarve Open Cup Semi-Final which Cheesecake FC won 5-1.

Water Boy would dearly love some revenge and they needed the points as they sat at the foot of the Group A table. Cheesecake FC had been solid with two 0-0 draws but needed a victory to propel them up the table. It was early in the day but there was much riding on this game. It was perhaps no surprise that we reached half-time with neither team unable to break the deadlock.

That situation was to change in the second half as finally Cheesecake FC broke their tournament duck. When the goal game it was Cheesecake FC who scored it and it was the 2014 Mallorca Tournament top goalscorer Kevin Raphael who scored it to spark celebrations and no doubt relief.

At the other end Cheesecake FC remained solid in defence and goalkeeper David Smith kept his third successive clean sheet of the day to ensure Cheesecake FC would get full value for that goal. They saw the game out, 1-0.

We had a top of the table clash (after two games each) to look forward to as The Funky Shepherds met Mini FC – both teams were unbeaten, both teams were yet to concede and both teams were hunting down a victory that would see them take the outright lead in Group A.

Technically, of course, Cheesecake FC were a point ahead given their win in the game above but they had played a game more. So, this game in hand would give us a clearer picture at the top of the table – a draw would make things really interesting and give us a three way tie at the top and give hope to The Avengers in the chasing pack.

Mini FC and The Funky Shepherds had reached half-time in all their previous games at 0-0 and this fixture was no different. It had been a very even first half and also at the start of the second half but as the game progressed Mini FC began to get on top. The game looked like it was going to finish in a draw until towards the end of the second half when Pedro Santos scored a crucial goal for Mini FC.

There was no way back for The Funky Shepherds as Toi Cabecinho became the second goalkeeper in Group A to keep 3 clean sheets at the start of the 2016 Algarve Open. Mini FC opened up a two point lead at the top of Group A but The Funky Shepherds were still well placed to qualify for the Cup with one more game to go.

Next up on Pitch A was The Avengers versus Cheesecake FC. The Avengers title defence had started well with opening game victory but defeat in their last game meant there was no more room for slip-ups. They would meet an unbeaten team in the form of Cheesecake FC and needed a victory to keep their hopes of a second title alive.

Cheesecake FC could secure their place in the Cup with a victory. A draw might be enough but it would see them sweating on other results not only in Group A but also Group B potentially should they finish third. It was the English team who started the brighter and had a couple of decent chances. Phil Shaw must have thought he'd scored but somehow a defender got across to block as the ball clipped off the defender's heels for a corner. Kevin Raphael then forced the goalkeeper into a good save shortly after.

The Avengers then had a good spell themselves creating a couple of good openings but they wasted them as they fired over in the first instance and screwed a shot wide in the second instance. It was 0-0 at half-time.

The game would not finish 0-0 though as Cheesecake FC made the breakthrough in the second half and it was Kevin Raphael again with the goal for his team. Once again his team would get full value for the goal as Cheesecake FC's defense was like a fortress. Goalkeeper David Smith would also claim the honour of going through the entire Group A campaign without conceding – a great achievement.

For The Avengers, their title defence was now hanging by a thread.

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8 games down, 2 to go in Group A and the next fixture was between Water Boy and Mini FC.

The 2016 Algarve Open was proving to be high on quality and testimony to this was how Water Boy were struggling at the foot of the table in contrast to previous appearances. Their first appearance, at the 2011 Algarve Open saw them finish 2nd in their group behind (now) 3 times eurofootballfives.com winners Athletico Do Hollande. A 1-0 Cup Quarter-Final followed before losing in the Semi-Finals 5-1 to Cheesecake FC.

In 2012, they proved just as strong winning their group which featured 2011 Krakow Trophy winners, Apsley House. In the Cup Quarter-Finals they endured a tough 0-0 versus Parry St Germain emerging victorious 3-2 on penalties. They then went out in the Cup Semi-Finals again, 4-0 to the eventual champions ManDem United. In 2013, they had a less successful group phase coming 4th out of 6 teams but in the knock-out stages found their form and went on to win the Plate competition beating Dutch team United Colours of Benetton 2-1 in the Final.

The 2014 Algarve Open was their most successful tournament to date where they won Group A with 4 wins out of 5. A Cup Semi-Final win, 1-0, over Scoregasm saw them reach their first Cup Final. Unfortunately for them they couldn't go all the way and lost the Final 2-1 to Stand Cristina. Last year was an equally successful tournament with 13 points from 15 to win Group A. The knock-out phase began well with a 4-0 win over Drunken DisAudley before a 3 rd Cup Semi-Final defeat in 5 years. This time it was 2-0 to RC Lens.

So far today they had 3 defeats and knew their future lay in the Plate this afternoon. Mini FC were looking at the other end of the table and if they could win this game they would win Group A. At half-time the two teams were level at 1-1 thanks to goals from Braulio Silvia (Mini FC) and Manio Sebastian (Water Boy).

Mini FC claimed the win and the Group A title after the break when Nuno Delgado made it 2-1 before Pedro Santos sealed a 3-1 victory. Many congratulations to Mini FC.

The final game of Group A promised to be a cracker. Up for grabs was third place in the table and with it potentially qualification for this afternoon's elite Cup group. The Cup group would comprise the top two teams in each group plus the best third placed team so whoever finished third here would be looking at the results in Group B to see if they had done enough.

The Funky Shepherds had the best chance as a win would take them to 7 points. A win for The Avengers would see them finish on 6 points. A draw would see The Funky Shepherds finish in third place on 5 points but that would probably not be enough to make the Cup.

With the game underway it was The Avengers who struck first through Paulo Amaro. His goal in the opening period would see the Portuguese through to a 1-0 half-time lead. In the second half Paulo Amaro made it 2-0 and his team never looked back. Joao Fernandes added a double to crown a “Marvel”-lous performance. After a slow start today they had produced a champions performance to finish Group A but would it be enough?

As things turned out, the 6 point haul would not see The Avengers qualify for the Cup and their title defence was over at the half-way stage in the tournament. Both The Funky Shepherds and The Avengers would compete in the Plate competition this afternoon.