Results
 

Wessex FC (Eng)

1

V

4

Galacticos (Eng)

Tinniedad & Tobacco (Eng)

2

v

3

Saipan FC (Ire)

 

We were at the 2018 Lisbon Tournament Cup Semi-Final stage and from the 24 teams who signed we were down to the final 4 – already an achievement for those who were still in the hunt for glory. The first Cup Semi-Final would see Wessex FC versus Galacticos FC.

Wessex FC were a team on a great run. They had secured 4 wins in a row, just kept their first clean sheet and were in the goals – 16 in their last four matches including a comprehensive 4-0 win in the last round. Despite the slow start they looked to be a team peaking at the right time.

After their sensational Quarter-Final win (3-0 over PSV Hangover) we had instilled Galacticos as the “bookie's favourites” for the title although all 4 teams left were certainly capable of glory. Galacticos were on a run of 18 games unbeaten (in normal time) in our tournaments and if they could extend that to 19 they would be in their second Cup Final.

It was Galacticos who hit the front in this tie and it was a familiar goal-scorer. Hamza Patel grabbed his 8 th goal of the competition. He would in fact grab a second of the game and a 9 th of the day to put his team in a comfortable 2-0 position at the break. Zuber Bulbulia had kept 4 clean sheets in 6 games up until this point so Wessex FC would have their work cut out getting back into this one.

Wessex FC did indeed get back into it and it was Bilal Salouache who cut the deficit to 2-1 with his 8th of the tournament. The next goal would clearly be pivotal – it was Galacticos who got it and it was a hat-trick for Hamza Patel as he moved into double figures for the day. Zee Patel then put the result beyond doubt as the Game finished Wessex FC 1-4 Galacticos.

It was a tough exit for Wessex FC who could not have been closer to making their third successive Cup Final. We hope they'll join us on tour again in the future to have another crack at winning that coveted eurofootballfives.com trophy.

 
 
 

So, who would take their place in the Final from the second Semi-Final? The two teams set to do battle were Tinniedad & Tobacco against Saipan FC.

These were two teams who had reached this stage with regularity and were both bidding to win their second eurofootballfives.com title. Tinniedad & Tobacco had claimed the 2016 Krakow Trophy, Saipan FC had won the 2015 Mallorca Tournament.

This was Tinniedad & Tobacco's fifth tournament and fifth Cup appearance. It was the fourth time they had reached the Semi-Finals – on the first two occasions they went out on penalties after conceding late equalisers. On the third they reached the Cup Final and the rest was history as they say.

Saipan FC had a simply stunning record in Semi-Finals in eurofootballfives.com competition. Coming into this game they had played 5 (Plate x 3, Cup x 2) and won all 5. It was an incredible record – could they keep it going?

Tinniedad & Tobacco opened the scoring and it was Jon McKinley with the crucial goal. He was top scorer in the 2016 Krakow Trophy with 14 goals. He had taken a back seat a little to Michael Wilkes today in the scoring stakes but had now scored in the QF and SF to take his tally to 3 for today.

Saipan FC were back level in the second half with their #10, Hector Navarro Real, scoring his 10th goal of the campaign. Max Halley completed the turnaround as Saipan FC went ahead 2-1. There was still time left in the game though and Tinniedad & Tobacco were able to respond when Michael Wilkes scored his 8th of the tournament to level it up again at 2-2.

The scoring was not done there. The fifth goal of the game would be decisive – who would be the hero? Step forward Agus Benedito Galmes. He had now scored in both knock-out games and this goal would be priceless – it had earned his team a place in the 2018 Lisbon Tournament Cup Final.

For Tinniedad & Tobacco it was a third Cup Semi-Final defeat and another “nearly” tournament as they looked to add to their Krakow Trophy success. Early indications are that the 2019 Algarve Open could be their destination of choice – unfinished business in Portugal for the Tins.

 
 
 
 
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