After 35 games of football in the Veterans competition we only had one more to play - The 2016 Lisbon Veterans Tournament Cup Final.

What a Cup Final we had in prospect! We had two teams who had both excelled throughout the day and I don't think anyone could argue that they didn't deserve to be in the Final. We had the two top-scoring teams in the tournament, two of the best four defences in terms of goals conceded (the other two teams were in the Plate), and the second and third best defences in terms of clean sheets. The two teams also boasted the best goal differences of the tournaments.

The two teams;

Sago: Played 6, won 5, drawn 1. They had scored 15 goals along the way and conceded just one. Only Stilton Rovers had taken points off them (a team who Tanagra beat 5-1).

Tanagra: Played 6, won 4, drawn 1, lost 1. They had scored 15 goals and conceded two.

As you can see there was really not much in it.

The game was underway and the two teams looked as evenly matched on the pitch as they did on paper. The first chance of the game fell to Sago but the Tanagra goalkeeper rushed out to make a good save from close range. Tanagra then had their best chance when Rondolfo Tarques blazed over when well placed. Sago then claimed the important breakthrough when Ricardo scored towards the end of the half. Rui Lopes then equalized in stunning fashion as he converted a free-kick for 1-1. Sago almost returned the favour but a free-kick on the stroke of half-time was curled narrowly wide with the outside of the boot from Ricardo.

We kicked off the second half at 1-1 and it was to be Sago who regained the lead. Ricardo had found his shooting boots at the business end of the tournament and scored his third goal of the Semi-Finals & Final. It was a goal that would prove decisive as Tanagra were unable to find an equalizer and Sago were the champions.

Sago became the fourth different winner and the third Portuguese team to claim glory at a eurofootballfives.com Veterans Tournament following the success of Sao Marcos in Lisbon 2013, Palmesanos (Spa) in Mallorca 2014 and Mini FC at the Algarve 2015. The Veterans Tournament will be hosted in Mallorca again for 2017 and we hope you can all join us next year.