Results
 

Athletico Do Hollande (Hol)

4

V

3

Team Extreme (Eng)

Return of the Dancing Horses III (Eng)

1

V

4

Melee FC (Eng)

 

The first Semi-Final would see Athletico Do Hollande take on Team Extreme in arguably what was the game of the tournament.

Athletico Do Hollande were now in their fifth eurofootballfives.com Cup Semi-Final with a record that so far read won 3 and lost 1. Team Extreme were breaking new ground and bidding to reach their first Cup Final. Athletico Do Hollande were many spectator's favourites for the tournament and so Team Extreme would have their work cut out.

Team Extreme were nothing short of brilliant in the early stages of this game. The match was played at an incredibly high tempo and there were chances at both ends with Team Extreme coming the closest as they hit the post. They would not have to wait long to take the lead though as Dave Cole scored his fifth of the tournament (matching his 2012 Valencia Fives haul). Team Extreme were then in dreamland as Chika Kalu held off his defender and powered home to make it 2-0. There was a huge buzz around the tournament that something special was happening.

When you're in trouble and in need of a goal who do you turn to? Your goalkeeper of course! Athletico Do Hollande were bringing the goalkeeper out as a sweeper to make the extra man and to try and get back into this game – it worked. Guillermo Richards struck a thunderbolt from distance to reduce the deficit to 2-1. The same tactic that saw Athletico Do Hollande get back into the game proved their undoing moments later as they lost possession with the goalkeeper up and Kalu pounced to restore Team Extreme's two goal advantage. 3-1 to Team Extreme at half-time.

The break gave everyone time to take stock of what had happened – it was thrilling and fascinating stuff played at some pace. In the second half Brian Sno made it 3-2 and it was game on again. From then on it was attack versus defence with Athletico Do Hollande pressing for the equalizer and Team Extreme trying to hit their opponents on the counter. It looked like Team Extreme would hold on until a late strike from Jerrel Fraenk made it 3-3. An even later strike from Jerrel Fraenk made it 4-3 as he was buried under a wave of celebrating team-mates. From the kick-off Team Extreme had one last chance but the long shot was always curling just wide of the far post and with that the game was all but over. Athletico Do Hollande and pulled off a sensational comeback to win it. Team Extreme had played superbly and can count themselves very unlucky not to be in a Cup Final themselves.

 
 
 

The second Cup Semi-Final was between Return of the Dancing Horses III and Melee FC. Both teams had playing in eurofootballfives.com Cup Semi-Finals before with differing fortunes – Melee FC had taken victory at the 2013 Barcelona Fives at this stage 2-0 over Sporting Gingham. Return of the Dancing Horses III had lost 1-0 to eventual champions Skidmarks, 1-0 at the 2012 KrakowTrophy.

Return of the Dancing Horses III had won all six of their games today and that Cup Semi-Final defeat was their only defeat in 12 eurofootballfives.com games. They were going to be a difficult team to beat and already had a 2-1 win over Melee FC in today's group phase to give them added confidence.

This game took a different path though and Melee FC produced a spell of football to remember and Return of the Dancing Horses III experienced a spell of football they would want to forget. Melee FC had a golden spell which produced three quickfire goals and essentially spelt the end for Return of the Dancing Horses III today.

In the end the game finished 4-1 to Melee FC with a double for each of Kevin Lewis and Chris Pilsbury who moved on to 11 goals and 8 goals for the tournament respectively.

A lone Craig Harrison goal for Return of the Dancing Horses III (his 11 th of the day) offered scant consolation for his team who were out. The day was over for the Dancing Horses at the Semi-Final stage for a second tournament in a row. We are sure they can go one step further on a different day and maybe next time?

Melee FC had a Cup Final to prepare for.

 
 
 
 
 
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