2022 Lisbon Tournament 5-a-side Football Tournament Tour Report Group C Games 6 to 10

Results

RAF2 (Por)	0	v	3	CDAL (Por)
FC Shark (Eng)	0	v	1	Riises Pieces (Eng)
Southgate Rascals (Eng)	3	v	7	RAF2 (Por)
CDAL (Por)	4	V	0	Riises Pieces (Eng)
FC Shark (Eng)	2	V	1	Southgate Rascals (Eng)

With all teams having played twice it was RAF2 and CDAL who lead the way for the home nation on 6 points each. They would come face-to-face in Game 6 of Group C. There was nothing really to choose between the teams on paper. Both teams boasted 100% records, both had similar goal differences, both were free scoring and they had only conceded 1 goal between them. It felt like the winner of this game would go onto win the group.

It was our debutants who continued their strong start to the competition as even their compatriots could not stop their goal machine. With 9 goals in 2 games they hit double figures for the day with Ruben Cacais scoring for the third game in a row. Jaime Marques doubled the lead for CDAL before the game was made safe thanks to Diogo Canina – also scoring for the third game in a row.

CDAL sat proud at the top of Group C with a 3 point lead. RAF2 were still in second but they still had a little bit of work to do in order to qualify for the Cup.

With the Portuguese teams vacating Campo C it was English teams who replaced them for the next fixture. FC Shark v Riises Pieces.

FC Shark currently sat at the foot of the table but they had played the top two so far. This was always tough mentally so could they put that behind them and lift themselves for their next two games. They were up against Riises Pieces who were currently in third place and a win here would practically cement their place in the Plate with a shot at going for the Cup in their final fixture.

This was an evenly matched contest and as we passed the hallway stage of the game the two teams were locked together at 0-0. As the game went on the first goal would become increasingly crucial and so it proved. When it came, it came via Antony Lenihan. His goal would ultimately prove to be the match winner.

Riises Pieces were now 2 wins from 2 games and upwardly mobile. It was a bitter pill for FC Shark to swallow.

Match 8 in Group C saw Southgate Rascals (Eng) versus RAF2 (Por).

This ended up being the highest scoring game of the tournament thus far and was a bit of a thriller. For RAF2 it represented their last game in the group and they had to win to advance their chances for Cup qualification. They were currently level with Riises Pieces on 6 points so needed to better their result or match it but maintain the superior goal difference.

From a Southgate Rascals perspective a positive result here would put them in pole position for claiming the second Plate qualification place. It was RAF2 who opened the scoring courtesy of Goncalo Fernandes. Steve Young hit back for Southgate Rascals to make it 1-1. Cristiano Silva then scored not once but twice for RAF2 to open up a 3-1 lead. Goncalo Fernandes made it 4-1 but Southgate Rascals kept going. Marcus Gordon reduced the deficit to 4-2 but RAF2 stretched away again. Tiago Sousa and Lauro Portas scored to make it 6-2 before Cameron Wallis scored for the second game running, 6-3. Still the goals kept coming, Paulo Naria made it 7-3 and finally the scorers could have a rest.

An entertaining game and all 3 points for RAF2.

The above result meant that RAF2 moved level with CDAL at the top of the table. A win would see CDAL win Group C with a 100% record, a draw would see them win it by a solitary point, they could even afford to lose (by less than 3 goals) and win the group on goal difference.

The task was much more difficult for Riises Pieces. They not only needed to win but win by 9 to catch RAF2 on points and usurp them on goal difference. A win was not out of the question but winning by 9 against a team with a 100% record and had only conceded 1 all day, that did seem out of the question….unless a betting syndicate had nobbled CDAL.

It was the Portuguese team who made the initial breakthrough as Paulo Silva scored his second of the day. From there, the game was tight until the second goal went in. Alexandre scored it and then another. Paulo Silva also scored another as late goals boosted the scoreline. Final score, 4-0.

Last but not least we come to FC Shark versus Southgate Rascals. We already knew that CDAL had won Group C with RAF2 second and Riises Pieces third. This was a straight shootout for fourth position in the table and with it the prize of a place in the Plate. The loser would go through to the Trophy competition in the afternoon knockout phase.

The first team out of the blocks in this game was FC Shark who took the lead through Calum Jones. Southgate Rascals had shown a lot of resilience against RAF2 last time out and they did again here as Cameron Wallis equalised for 1-1. This was his third in as many games.

Should the game end in a draw it would be Southgate Rascals who would finish fourth via goal difference -9 versus -10. The impetus was therefore on FC Shark to go for the winner. A winner they sought, a winner they got. Luke Burnett was the man with the golden boot to fire home the winner in this contest.

A 2-1 win to FC Shark. A hat-trick of Plate titles was still up for grabs!

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