JNJ Corporate 5-a-side Football Tournament Budapest 2018 Tour Report Cup Final

Results

JNJ Turkey (Tur)	0*	V	0	JNJ High Wycombe (Eng)
* JNJ Turkey (Tur) won 3-1 on penalties.

After 53 games of football all eyes were on Pitch A for the climax of The 2018 JNJ Euro Soccer Tournament Cup Final. The two teams set to do battle for the honour and glory of victory were JNJ Turkey (Turkey) versus JNJ High Wycombe (England).

Let us have a quick look at the two teams:

JNJ Turkey:

2nd appearance in the Cup Final. Runners-up in 2017.

Played 8, Won 6, Drawn 1, Lost 1. Goals scored, 15. Goals conceded 4.

Best goal difference in the tournament (+9)

2nd best defence in the tournament.

Joint top scoring team in the tournament.

Bidding to become the 5 th different nation to win the event.

JNJ High Wycombe:

4th appearance in the Cup Final.

Winners of the 2014 tournament in Bratislava.

Runners-up the last time the tournament was hosted in Budapest.

Played 8, Won 4, Drawn 3, Lost 1. Goals scored, 13. Goals conceded 3.

2nd best goal difference in the tournament (+9)

Best defence in the tournament.

Most clean sheets in the tournament

3rd top scoring team in the tournament.

Bidding to become the 3 rd team to win 2 x JNJ Euro Soccer Tournament titles.

I don't think there was any doubt that we had the correct two teams in the Cup Final – the statistics supported the fact if you looked at goal difference in particular. These teams were 2 of the 3 top scoring teams in the tournament and boasted the two best defences in the tournament.

As you can see there was very little to choose between the two teams. It was a very even contest and there wasn't too much goal mouth action. The two teams were showing exactly how strong defensively they were.

The scorers were untroubled at half-time and also at full-time. The match would end in a 0-0 stalemate. Edip Efe came the closest when he clipped the outside of the post in the first half. A fourth penalty shoot-out of the day would be required.

JNJ Turkey had never been involved in a penalty shoot-out in this event. JNJ High Wycombe had previous experience of 2;

Prague 2015, Plate Final: JNJ High Wycombe B beat Cilag Team 2.

Budapest 2017, Cup Semi-Final: JNJ High Wycombe beat JNJ Russia.

They would have good memories especially of the Cup Semi-Final only about 30 minutes ago. Could that carry them to victory?

It would be JNJ Turkey to strike first. Kartal Mustafa Yalcinkaya thumped it into the back of the net. There was almost controversy as the referee appeared to disallow it as Frempong was a yard off his line but common sense prevailed and the goal stood. Paul Lynch was the first man up for JNJ High Wycombe. With two successful penalties in the Semi-Final he appeared to be the right man for the job but Kerim Karakaya chose the right way and made the save low down to his right.

Ozgur Baslilar had the chance to open up a two goal cushion for JNJ Turkey and he duly obliged as he put it almost in the same spot as Kartal Mustafa Yalcinkaya. It was 2-0 to Turkey and Nigel Mpofu simply had to score to keep his team in the tournament. He missed in the Semi-Final but made amends here to reduce the deficit to 2-1.

It meant that Serkan Kardesler versus Will Frempong would be the duel to decide the title. Kardesler was our top scorer in Bratislava 12 months ago and had 3 goals today. Frempong had 7 clean sheets today and saved 2 out of 3 penalties in the Semi-Final shoot-out. It was Serkan Kardesler who prevailed as he struck it to the goalkeeper's bottom right and just out of reach of Frempong's right boot. JNJ Turkey celebrated in style as Kardesler disappeared under a heap of his team-mates who congratulated him.

Many, many congratulations to JNJ Turkey – 2018 JNJ Euro Soccer Tournament Champions!

We offer our consolations to JNJ High Wycombe who had another strong day in the tournament and could not have come much closer to glory.

Our congratulations for the personal honours go to Edip Efe of JNJ Turkey with 7.

Thank you to all the teams who competed and we look forward to seeing you in 2019….wherever that may be!

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