2017 Amsterdam Fives 5-a-side Football Tournament Tour Report Plate Final

Results

SC Sylt (Ger)	3*	V	3	FC Potsdam (Eng)
* SC Sylt (Ger) won 2-0 on penalties.

The first final of the day would see SC Sylt versus FC Potsdam. With seven games of football already under their belt the two teams would need to summon one last burst of energy to ensure they would be picking up winners and not runners-up medals in the presentation.

For SC Sylt this was a great debut performance but they faced a big task to take the trophy in this game – let's look at the two teams records:

SC Sylt

Won 4, drawn 1, lost 2. Goals for (25), goals against (18)

Joint third top goalscorers' in the tournament (with their opponents)

FC Potsdam

Won 3, drawn 1, lost 3. Goals for (25), goals against (15).

Joint third top goalscorers' in the tournament (with their opponents)

Third best goal difference in today's tournament (of 18 teams).

Sixth best goal difference ever for the Amsterdam Fives at this venue (of 33 teams).

If you look at the two teams record's today in terms of win-loss-draw ratios there was not much between them but the stats favoured SC Sylt. If you were looking at goal difference then the stats favoured FC Potsdam. This would be a close game to call.

FC Potsdam were bidding to avenge their defeat in the Plate Final at last year's Prague Tournament and they were doing pretty well at the half-way stage here as they lead 3-2. Ian Rosie, Dan O'Neill and Joe Lazell were all on target. Goals from SC Sylt's Christian Heinl and Sebastian Krauss kept it tight. That doesn't tell the whole story though as FC Potsdam had lead 3-0 with SC Sylt looking dead and buried.

In the second half, SC Sylt drew level with Marvin Gunther scoring his 8th goal, and arguably most important goal, of the tournament. It drew the two teams level at 3-3 which is how it finished. It was a remarkable comeback from SC Sylt. Penalties would be required to decide the Plate Final just as they had been last year. The shoot-out in the Plate Final last year went to 10-9.

SC Sylt had already warmed up with penalties after winning their Semi-Final in a shoot-out, 3-2. A quick check of the record books showed that FC Potsdam had yet to participate in a shoot-out in eurofootballfives.com competition so they were breaking new ground. They had given themselves a German name for the tournament so this could only help them! We had an England v Germany shoot-out….what could possibly go wrong for the English team!

As with their Semi-Final, SC Sylt would take the first penalty and they had kept the same penalty takers and the same order. Marvin Gunther gave them a successful start last time but not in the Cup Final. Was the door open for FC Potsdam? Adam Watson failed to take advantage and we stayed at 0-0. Up next was Christian Heinl who duly made it 2 from 2 for him on the day. All eyes were on Dan O'Neill as he stepped forward but another miss. SC Sylt were now well and truly in the driving seat. Sebastian Krauss stepped forward and could win the title with one kick. He converted his penalty. SC Sylt were Plate champions!

We'd like to thank FC Potsdam for attending and offer our commiserations for the Final. They were the bridesmaids for the second year in a row. Third time lucky next year? It was one game too far in the end and they were so close at 3-0 up before they proved just how English they were in the shoot-out.

Many congratulations to our winners – SC Sylt. They'd played superbly throughout the day and proved that when it comes to penalties the Germans really are unrivalled.

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