12
games down, 3 to go. Group A was still very
tight and there was still a lot to be decided
at the top – Group winners and Cup qualification
places. There was still a lot to be decided
in the middle and at the foot of the table with
Plate/Trophy qualification. Nothing was decided
yet and there was still all to play for.
KLM
versus Club Esportiu Llefia would kick-off Round
5. KLM had started off superbly with a 4-0 win
and then a draw as they were top of the table
at the end of Round 2. Two defeats had seen
them slip down the table to fifth but they could
still qualify for the Cup. They had to win this,
hope FC Miracle would beat FC Dad and hope the
last game finished in a draw.
Club
Esportiu Llefia were looking for their third
group win in five years but the first priority
would be Cup qualification and they could do
that with a win. A draw might be enough but
would leave them vulnerable to being overhauled
by the winner's of the final fixture in Group
A. A defeat would mean the same.
We
reached half-time at 0-0 and all options were
still on the table. The teams had one half of
football to stake their claim. It was Daniel
Montes who opened the scoring for Club Esportiu
Llefia before goals for Sergio Garcia and Sergio
Rodriguez Viejo sealed a 3-0 win and Cup qualification
for the Spanish.
The
final game for FC Miracle was against FC Dad.
The Hungarian team had enjoyed a fine morning
so far with 2 wins and 2 draws but there was still
work to be done. A win would see them not only
qualify for the Cup but win Group A. A draw would
see them progress to the Cup in second place.
A defeat would see them on 8 points with the winner
of Ospina Coladas v Paralytic Athletic potentially
able to catch them and it then going down to goal
difference.
For
FC Dad, the highest they could finish was on 6
points which could mean third place and the Plate.
A draw or defeat would see them go into the Trophy.
They had their work cut out against an FC Miracle
team who were unbeaten. History was also not on
their side as these two teams met at the 2012
Valencia Fives with FC Miracle winning 5-1 on
that occasion.
Different
year, different Spanish city but a similar result
befell FC Dad as they slipped to a 4-0 defeat
with an own goal included for good measure. It
was a great way for FC Miracle to sign off the
group phase and congratulations on the Group A
win.
With
so much to decide at the start of Group A Round
5 the above two results had settled most matters.
FC Miracle and Club Esportiu Llefia would qualify
for the Cup. FC Dad and KLM would qualify for
the Trophy. In the middle, Paralytic Athletic
and Ospina Coladas were left grounded. Both teams
would progress to the Plate whatever the result
of this final game.
However,
this did not mean this game was a dead rubber.
There was still pride and honour to play for.
Both teams would want to take some momentum into
the knock-out phase and whoever finished higher
in the table would have a theoretically easier
Quarter-Final tie. The teams were level on 5 points
so it was a winner takes all game for third position.
Should we finish in a draw then it would be Ospina
Coladas who would finish in third on goal difference.
Ospina
Coladas would not need to rely on goal difference
though as a 1-0 win courtesy of a first half strike
from Christopher John would give them all 3 points.
