Results
 

Tekkers Lovakia (Eng)

4

V

1

JNJ Zug (Swi)

JNJ High Wycombe A (Eng)

3

v

1

JNJ Serbia (Ser)

 

We were at the 2014 JNJ Euro Soccer Tournament Cup Semi-Final stage and from 12 teams who started the day we were down to the final 4. The final 4 would be JNJ High Wycombe A and JNJ Serbia who were no strangers to this level plus JNJ Zug and Tekkers Lovakia who were breaking new ground.

The first Semi-Final would be contested by Tekkers Lovakia and JNJ Zug. Tekkers Lovakia were on debut and on a fine run of form. Having been held to a draw in their first game by GBS Reds (Cze) they had won four successive games to reach this stage. JNJ Zug also had four wins to their name with a defeat they'd like to forget in the middle. For JNJ Zug, this was a huge improvement on their performance in the Prague 2012 event. Then they finished 4th in their group and were knocked out in the Plate Quarter-Finals.

So, both teams had four wins to their name but maybe Tekkers Lovakia would start as slight favourites with a return of 13 points compared to their opponents 12 in the group phase. JNJ Zug had outscored the English team with 14 goals compared to 10 but the English defence had the much better defensive record with just 2 goals conceded compared to 12 goals by the Swiss team.

In the first half it was Tekkers Lovakia who hit the front as James Newton gave the English team the lead. Mark Quigley made it 2-0 before half-time and Tekkers Lovakia were in control. JNJ Zug had a huge task on their hands to reach the Cup Final now. They got on the scoresheet in the second half through Jetmir Selmanaj but it was only to be a consolation goal as Tom Woolams and goalkeeper Jamie Bull added to the Tekkers Lovakia goal haul to make it 4-1 and secure a place in the Cup Final for the team from Leeds.

 
 
 

So, who would take their place in the Final from the second Semi-Final? The two teams set to do battle were JNJ High Wycombe A against JNJ Serbia. It was a repeat of the Cup Semi-Final from Budapest 2013 when JNJ High Wycombe A won 4-1.

JNJ High Wycombe A were bidding to make it 3 Cup Finals in 3 tournaments whilst JNJ Serbia were aiming to reach the same stage for the very first time. A year ago it was the Serbian team who took the lead but today it was JNJ High Wycombe A who opened the scoring through Alex Parkinson in the first-half. JNJ Serbia were soon level through Nenad Stojanovic's fourth goal of the competition and it was all level at 1-1. That's how it remained at half-time which was an improvement for JNJ Serbia as they trailed 2-1 at half-time last year.

This game really was a close affair with very little to choose between the two teams and it was perhaps a shame that a mistake lead to the next goal which changed the momentum of the whole game. A strike from Rob Buckland should have been a routine save for the Serbian goalkeeper but the ball found its way through the ‘keeper's arms and legs to gift JNJ High Wycombe A a 2-1 lead. If that goal had a touch of fortune there was nothing fortuitous about the goal that put JNJ High Wycombe A 3-1 up as Rob Buckland scored from a free-kick.

JNJ High Wycombe A were through to yet another Cup Final. It was farewell to JNJ Serbia who had come so close again today. They made the QF's in 2012, SF's in 2013 and now 2014 – maybe a Cup Final next year!

 
 
 
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