Group A was shaping up very nicely and we had two clear favourites for the Cup spaces. Lanky Londoners and Only Kruls & Horses both boasted 100% records and enjoyed a 5-point lead over the teams below them. Lanky Londoners were next in action on Pitch A knowing another victory would guarantee them a place in the Cup with a game to spare.

It would not be an easy game against Alea Iacta Est. The Polish team had qualified for the Cup on every one of their previous eurofootballfives.com appearances with a Cup Quarter-Final, Semi-Final and Final appearance to their name. They were one of the pre-tournament favourites but only had 1 point from 2 games so far. If Alea Iacta Est were to make it 4 successive Cup qualifications they had to win this game.

It started well for Alea Iacta Est as Grzegor Zareba put his side 1-0 up. It was a lead they were to hold until half-time. Lanky Londoners boasted the tournament's leading scorer in Theo Stubbs with 8 goals from the first 2 games. He was to make it 9 from 3 as he levelled this game up at 1-1. In the context of the group a draw would be ok from the Lanky Londoners perspective. However, it was Alea Iacta Est who grabbed the winner they desperately needed. Cometh the hour, cometh the man and that man was Artur Aksamit. A vital goal that kept his team's Cup hopes alive. Final score, 2-1.

Luffs were the final team to play their third fixture. They were currently looking for their first win of the tournament. If they could pull off a victory they would move up to fourth and have a shot at Cup qualification if they could also win their final game (and hope Only Kruls & Horses defeated Lanky Londoners).

Luffs were up against Alea Iacta Est who so far had a win, a draw and a defeat to their name. However, the Polish side came into this game on the back of a morale boosting 2-1 win over the league leaders at the time, Lanky Londoners.

Alea Iacta Est continued that form into this game with Piotr Malenczak putting his team 1-0 up. Alea Iacta Est then moved through the gears and put on the kind of display that saw them reach the Warsaw final last year. Pedro Silveira, Piotr Malenczak, Artur Aksamit and Piotr Malenczak again made it 5-0 at half-time.

Alea Iacta Est knew that goal difference could well be crucial in Group A especially if Lanky Londoners and Only Kruls & Horses drew the next game. Alea Iacta Est had moved to +5 whilst Lanky Londoners were currently +7. More goals were needed and Alea Iacta Est didn't disappoint. Piotr Malenczak added 2 more, Artur Aksamit scored his 2 nd of the game plus their were goals from Krzysztof Kurzeja, Grzegor Zareba and Michal Sklodowski.

The game finished 11-0, the biggest win of the day. Alea Iacta Est had now done all they could – would it be enough?

8 games completed, 2 to go. We would soon have our Group A winners confirmed and it would come down to the resul of games 9. The two teams set to do battle were Lanky Londoners and Only Kruls & Horses. Only Kruls & Horses were our current league leaders on 9 points but their opponents in this final game could join them at the top with a win. Should Lanky Londoners win, Group A would be decided on goal difference. Both teams were currently on +7 goal difference so any form of a win would tip the scales in favour of Lanky Londoners.

The equation for Only Kruls & Horses was simple – avoid defeat and they would win Group A. Their Cup qualification was assured. Lanky Londoners were currently in third position so defeat would see them into the Plate competition. A draw would see them finish level on points with 2nd placed Alea Iacta Est but the Polish team's goal difference of +11 would see them go through to the Cup at the expense of Lanky Londoners. The Londoners simply had to win to keep their hopes of the title alive.

Lanky Londoners got off to the perfect start as Theo Stubbs kept up his record of scoring in every game. They were soon to double their advantage through Stubbs again before Aaron Paxton crowned a sensational first half. They had all but booked their place in the Cup barring an incredible second half comeback from Only Kruls & Horses. Alea Iacta Est watching on were seeing their Cup hopes going up in smoke.

A Matt Berka reduced the deficit to 3-1 to give Only Kruls & Alea Iacta Est hope but Theo Stubbs hat-trick goal to make it 4-1 snuffed out any hopes of a successful comeback. Lanky Londoners had produced when it mattered and they leapfrogged their opponents to take top spot and the Group A title – well done to them.

We went into Game 10 of Group B with the top 3 spots in the table decided. FC Foreigntina were due to host Luffs to settle the final positions. The Polish team currently had a 1 point advantage in the table and so only needed to avoid defeat to progress to the Plate competition. Should they lose then Luffs would take the final Plate qualification place and FC Foreigntina would sleep into the Wooden Spoon play-off.

It would be a tough ask for Luffs as FC Foreigntina were a team with Cup form in our previous events. At the 2018 Gdansk Tournament and 2020 Warsaw Tournament they reached the Cup on both occasions which shows just how good the quality of the top 3 in Group A was.

Todd Cook was to get the ball rolling as he drew first blood for FC Foreigntina. Neil Riley doubled the lead to make it 2-0 at half time. FC Foreigntina were looking good for fourth place. Luffs would now need to score 3 (or more) without reply to usurp their opponents in the group table. The second half saw FC Foreigntina extend their lead to 3-0 (Mikhail Mohammed Ali) before Todd Cook went on to complete a hat-trick.

Luffs would have the final word though as Ted Spencer would open his personal account and score his team's third of the day. Alas for them, it was to be a mere consolation. They had one more game to end the tournament on a high though.

FC Foreigntina had clinched their place in the Plate, 5-1.