Group B was beginning to look very interesting as we had three teams all level on three points with only goal difference separating 2nd to 4th position in the table. Two of these teams would meet face to face in Game #6 of Group B. It was Shrewsbury Townsend (Eng) versus East United (Ukr)

A win for either team would put them in the driving seat to qualify for the Cup with just one game to go but defeat would make it very difficult. A draw was not the end of the world but the teams would be left with work to do and relying on other results. At half-time the draw was the most likely result with the teams locked together at 0-0.

The second half saw goals – 4 of them in fact and the lion's share of them went the way of the 3 Lions as Shrewsbury Townsend secured a 3-1 victory. There was a second hat-trick of Group B as James Mackie metaphorically emerged from the game with the match ball. His goals had powered his team to a second successive victory and they enjoyed a share of the lead at the summit of Group B.

Conversely, it was a second successive defeat for East United whose chances of progressing from Group B into the Cup competition were fading.

PPB were making their second appearance at the Lisbon Tournament having made their debut here in September 2015. On that occasion they won their first two games before a defeat then two draws saw them finish third in their 6-team group on 8 points. They qualified for the Plate competition where they were eliminated, 3-0, by Ealing Expendables.

PPB had won their first two games here and to avoid déjà vu they would need to defeat Fundacao Benfica. PPB were favourites to do so having won their first two games whilst Fundacao Benfica had lost their first two games – although only narrowly by a one goal margin in both cases.

It was Fundacao Benfica who struck first as Gleiber Mendes and Alexandre Sargacu both scored their second goals in as many games. Fundacao Benfica lead 2-1 at the break to Burritos FC last time out but lost. Could they hold on this time?

They had every chance when Alexandre Sargacu made it 3-0 and it was a done deal when Antonio made it 4-0. It was a sensational win for Fundacio Benfica who joined a clutch of teams on 3 points and it also meant that just 3 points separated all 5 teams in Group B.

So, we had two teams on 6 points and three teams on 3 points in what was a fascinating Group B. Up next was Burritos FC versus Shrewsbury Townsend. A win for the former would make it three teams on 6 points and two teams on 3 points leaving everything up for grabs in the climax of this group. If Shrewsbury Townsend could claim victory then 9 points would secure their place in the Cup competition.

We reached half-time, as we had done so in the previous two Shrewsbury Townsend games, at 0-0. Should the game end in a draw then it would certainly favour Shrewsbury Townsend as that would also put them through on 7 points (as Burritos FC and PPB would meet in their final games).

The game would not end in stalemate though as Burritos FC forged ahead after the break thanks to Matthew Lee's fourth goal of the tournament. Andrew Perris then opened his personal goal-scoring account to make it 2-0 and with that Burritos FC claimed all 3 points and were part of a three-way tie at the top with one game to play.

Shrewsbury Townsend had now played all their fixtures so, at this stage, they would be left relying on other results to determine their fate. To qualify for the Cup they needed a 2 goal Burritos FC win (or better) or a 4 goal PPB win (or better) to go through with the winners on goal difference. A smaller win or a draw and Shrewsbury Townsend would be playing in the Plate. They could now only sit and watch.

Before PPB versus Burritos FC we had Fundacao Benfica versus East United to look forward to. The possibilities we mentioned for Shrewsbury Townsend (see game above) could all change if there was a victory for either team here. A win would put East United or Fundacao Benfica on 6 points – meaning 4 teams would be on 6 points going into the final game. The only thing certain was that the losers would be eliminated from the entire tournament. Group B was on a knife-edge.

The first half was a close and even contest. It was so close there was nothing to divide the teams at the break (0-0). A draw would not really help either team. It would mean both teams would finish on 4 points and in 4th and 5th position. Fundacao Benfica would finish 4th (and qualify for the Plate) in this scenario with a +2 goal difference and East United would finish 5th and go out.

It was therefore imperative for East United to try and find a goal to win this encounter but they found themselves a goal down when Gleiber Mendes scored his third in as many games. As they pushed forward for goals Fundacao Benfica capitalised as Joaquim Sargacu made it 2-0 and sealed the points for the Portuguese team.

We had to say farewell to East United but thank them for attending and representing Ukraine in the tournament.

We went into the final game of Group B with four of the five teams locked together on 6 points. Burritos FC versus PPB would see two teams in action deciding the fate of four teams – two would qualify for the Cup, two would qualify for the Plate but who?

What were the permutations? Well, a draw would see both Burritos FC and PPB through on 7 points. A win would see the victors through to the Cup with goal difference deciding the teams in second through to fourth. The losers were going to miss out as they would finish on a lower goal difference than Fundacao Benfica who would qualify in second place thanks to their +4 goal difference.

Whilst a draw would be good enough for both these teams there was no question of the two teams settling for a point. Both were going for the win but we could not find a goal in the first half.

In the second half it was PPB who struck first through Guilherme Pereira's second of the day. Burritos FC had proven to be a second half team in their last two games coming from 2-1 down to win 3-2 v Fundacao Benfica and turning 0-0 into a 2-0 win v Shrewsbury Townsend. They were at it again when Matthew Lee's 5th goal in 3 games put the teams level again at 1-1.

As time was running out it looked like the 1-1 draw which would suit both teams would be the final score but there was a sting in the tail. With virtually the last kick of the game Andrew Monaghan won it for Burritos FC – the goal won the game and the Group B title for his team. It also had a devastating consequence for PPB as that goal meant they would miss out on the Cup and go through to the Plate. Fundacao Benfica suddenly saw themselves rise from third to second and go through with Burritos FC.