Going
into the final round of games it was do or die
now for these eight teams. For AC Motxo International,
results since their previous fixture meant the
Cup was no longer an option for them. They could
still finish fifth with a win which would secure
them a theoretically easier knock-out phase route
to the Plate Final. Price was also at stake as
they met Cruz Del Sur.
Cruz
Del Sur were currently in fourth position and
the team to target for those just below the Cup
qualification places. Cruz Del Sur had two games
to come in this final round of fixtures so fate
was very much in their own hands. A win here would
guarantee them Cup football and a chance to mount
an assault on the Group B title in their last
game (subject to other results).
As
it turned out, this game finished 0-0 which really
didn't help either team. It put Cruz Del Sur level
on 10 points with AFC Chorltonians and into third
place on goal difference. It made winning Group
B all the more difficult though.
For
AC Motxo International it probably meant staying
in 7th place. However, it has to be said it was
a good result against Cruz Del Sur who remained
the only unbeaten team in Group B.
Lacey
Green FC came into the final game knowing they
had already qualified for the Cup but they still
had some work to do. To secure the Group B title
they needed at least a draw. This would be good
enough if FC Gymnasium failed to win. A Lacey
Green FC win would guarantee the Group B victory.
Not only is the group win an honour but it provides
the winners with an easier route to the Cup Final
in the knock-out phase.
They
faced Elbersiktas who had won their last 2 games
without conceding a goal. Lacey Green knew they
would not have it all their own way. Elbersiktas
still had a very real chance of qualifying for
the Cup – a win would put them level with AFC
Chorltonians but ahead on goal difference. A win
for the Dutch was the difference between Cup and
Plate qualification. A draw would not be enough
for Elbersiktas.
We
mentioned in the last round that Lacey Green FC
were becoming the masters of the 1-0 win as their
title chances increased with every game. They
were at it again here. There was a sixth clean
sheet in 7 games for Ryan Maguire whilst at the
other end it was Steve Evans this time who claimed
the winning goal. Lacey Green were doing a very
good impression of George Graham's Arsenal team.
The 1-0 win saw them claim the Group B title –
very well done to them.
Elbersiktas
should not be too disappointed it was a valiant
effort but they had just left themselves a little
too much to do despite a great late rally.
The
penultimate game of Group B was FC Gymnasium versus
Men Behaving Chadli. The result of this game would
have been pivotal in deciding the Group B title
had it not been for Lacey Green's win in the previous
game. FC Gymnasium were therefore trying to wrap
up second position so they would play the third
placed team in Group A in the Quarter-Finals rather
than the second placed team.
Their
opponents would be Men Behaving Chadli. If you
looked at the table, the Portuguese team might
fancy their chances with Men Behaving Chadli occupying
8th place. However, Group B had showed it had
been competitive throughout so no result was a
foregone conclusion.
Men
Behaving Chadli would go on to prove just how
competitive this group was. The fact that the
team in 8 th position could defeat the previous
champons was testimonoy to this. FC Gymnasium
won the title here in 2015 but were on the wrong
end of a 1-0 defeat in this game. Tom Marriott's
third goal of the tournament helped pull off a
sensational victory for his team.
The
sadness was it would ultimately not lift his team
off the foot of the table. They would go on to
be one of three teams level on 6 points but goal
difference meant they would stay in 8th place.
It was harsh after such a great result.
The
final game of Group B was Wealdstone Raiders versus
Cruz Del Sur. Wealdstone Raiders had just run
out of steam a little bit. Having gone 4 games
unbeaten they had lost their last two fixtures.
Other results meant that Cup qualification was
no longer possible. The best they could hope for
was fifth position and a favourable Plate knock-out
draw.
Cruz
Del Sur were still unbeaten but currently sat
in third place. A win here would lift them into
second and cap a fine morning's work. They had
drawn their last three games in a row which had
stalled their progress a little but they could
still finish with a flourish.
Cruz
Del Sur put on a fine display to conclude Group
B and, in particular, it was Liam Kenney who enjoyed
himself. He bagged a hat-trick – only the second
hat-trick in 28 Group B games today. Not only
did it hand his team all 3 points but it did him
no harm at all in the top goalscorer stakes.
Congratulations
to Cruz Del Sur who for the second time in their
eurofootballfives.com careers had negotiated the
group phase without defeat. They would go into
the Cup as a team to watch for the title. Wealdstone
Raiders would be heading into the Plate competition.