It is often traditional for tournaments to kick off with the defending champions playing in the opening game of the tournament. Whilst the Barcelona Fives was making its debut, the 2008 Barca Fives winners – Rapid Bosco Navas - took on the mantle of kicking us off. They would come up against a team full of confidence in the shape of West 1 Three.

It is not always a foregone conclusion that the champions of the past will start the tournament with a victory – remember Omam-Biyik scoring for Cameroun against Argentina in Italia 90 and Papa Bouba Diop for Senegal against France in World Cup 2002?

Well Mourad Jarraz of West 1 Three opened the scoring in this game as a shock in the Barcelona Fives looked to be on the cards. The 1-0 scoreline remained at half-time and it was all to do for Rapid Bosco Navas in the second half. Prieto got on the scoresheet for them but the goal was not enough to rescue the game as Yaniek Monrose scored for West 1 Three in what proved to be the winning goal. West 1 Three off to a flying start with a 2-1 win.

In the other opening game of Group A, Bloomberg FC took on local team, Dynamo. It was the British team who scored the opening goal of the game in the first half thanks to Paul Smillie. In the second half Virat Chopra doubled the advantage for Bloomberg FC and the 2-0 lead was enough to take all 3 points and put them on top of the Group A table after the first round of games.

Bloomberg FC would look to consolidate their place on top of Group A in their next game against Rapid Bosco Navas. The Spanish team would have to bounce back quickly to put themselves in with a chance of making the Cup competition. Like the great champions that they are they managed to secure the result they needed. In a very close encounter they edged the game by one goal to nil. Oscar Fuster Mallofre was the man they had to thank for the winning goal. Bloomberg FC, still playing well, meant they would go into their final game with everything still to play for.

Rapid Bosco Navas's victory meant there were 3 teams sitting on top of Group A with 3 points. The one team that had yet to open their account were Dynamo of Spain. Things were looking good for them to redress this balance as they worked themselves into a 2-1 lead against West 1 Three at half-time. This group was proving to be as tight as the tax man's wallet. This game was also proving to be a topsy-turvy affair as West 1 Three came to life in the second half and swung the game back in their favour in significant style. Mourad Jarraz completed his hat-trick and a goal from Osman Haider put them 4-2 up. With just a minute to go the destination of the points looked secure and Dynamo's hopes of making the Cup were hanging by a thread. Up stepped Gary Moore and Jordi Serna though who had other ideas. They each scored their second of the game to rescue a 4-4 draw. A hammer-blow to West 1 Three who were virtually in the Cup but now had to secure at least a draw in their final game to progress.

As the Group stood going into the final two games the permutations were endless and all teams could end up in the Cup or the Plate. On Pitch B, it was the all-Spanish clash between Rapid Bosco Navas and Dynamo. A win for Rapid Bosco Navas would secure their safe passage, a draw would condemn Dynamo to the Plate and leave Rapid Bosco Navas sweating on the other result. The final possibility, a Dyanamo win would leave them sweating on the other result but condemn Rapid Bosco Navas to the Plate.

Both teams had momentum going into the game and it was the momentum of Rapid Bosco Navas that carried sway as Juan Martinez Prieto gave them a first half lead. In the second half Juanjo Zabala Borrego scored his first of the competition to put them 2-0 up and that's the way the game ended. The Cup awaited Rapid Bosco Navas whereas Dynamo would have to settle for the Plate.

The final game of West 1 Three versus Bloomberg FC was a winner takes all affair. Should the game end in a draw it would be West 1 Three to make it through to the Cup. This game was one of the most fiercely contested in the competition and certainly in the group stage with neither team giving an inch. Alex Tsirigotis gave Bloomberg FC the early advantage. West 1 Three knew they would only have to draw level to make the Cup. This task proved elusive though as goalkeeper Ewan Higgs stopped everything that came his way to preserve the clean sheet and preserve the victory. Bloomberg FC would join Rapid Bosco Navas in the Cup and West 1 Three would take their place in the Plate.