2022 Mallorca Fives 5-a-side Football Tournament Tour Report Cup Final

Results

Ecuador 100% (Ecu)

Linfield FC A (Eng)

After 59 games of football we came down to the most important of them all. Game 60 – The 2022 Mallorca Fives Cup Final. The two teams set to do battle for the honour and glory of victory were Ecuador 100% and Lindfield FC A. . This is how we lined-up:

Ecuador 100% (Ecu)

Best appearance to date: 2019 Champions

Record today: Played 7, Won 7, Drawn 0, Lost 0.

Goal difference today: 28-2

Current unbeaten run: 15 games (dating back to 2018 Cup Final)

Today's top goalscorer: Jose (7)

Clean sheets: 5

Lindfield FC A (Eng)

Best appearance to date: Plate QF, 2019 Algarve Open

Record today: Played 7, Won 4, Drawn 3, Lost 0.

Goal difference today: 30-6

Current unbeaten run: 7 games.

Today's top goalscorer: Stuart Brown (13)

Clean sheets: 2

An interesting subplot of this final was that only 1 team in our history has successfully defended a eurofootballfives.com title. Only Athletico Do Hollande succeeded with the 2010 and 2011 Algarve Open titles. Of all the teams looking to defend a title, the following have made it to the final the following year. Only 6 in approx. 130 tournaments have actually gone on to reach the Cup Final in their title defence. None has won other than the aforementioned Athletico Do Hollande. The others who came close:

Goldsmith Williams (Eng) – 2008 Prague Masters Champions. Lost 2009 final to Lozenetz City (Bul)

Lozenetz City (Bul) – 2009 Prague Masters Champions. Lost 2010 final to Olympic Phil Babb (Eng)

Deportivo (Cze) – 2010 Prague Trophy winners. Lost 2011 final to FC Radbroke (Eng).

Los Swallacticos (Nir) – 2013 Barcelona Fives champions. Lost 2014 final to Monexy (Ukr)

CIS Committee (Blr) – 2014 Budapest Fives champions. Lost 2015 final to Csabagyongye (Hun)

Bar Maruru (Spa) – 2018 Mallorca Tournament champions. Lost 2019 final to Ecuador 100% (Ecu).

With the game underway it was pretty even with neither team on top for significant periods in the opening exchanges. If anything, Ecuador 100% had more territory and possession but it looked like Lindfield FC A were trying to leave no space in behind and play on the counter. It appeared they were trying to keep the intricate Ecuadorian passing around the half-way line rather than close to their goal. They were not parking the bus by any means though and had their fair share of good attacking moments. In the first half there was to be just the one goal to separate the two teams and it was Pipe of Ecuador 100% who scored it.

The second half kicked off with Ecuador 100% still leading 1-0. Lindfield FC A were soon to be level though. A great ball from the back seemed to catch Ecuador 100% by surprise, it took all 4 outfield players out of the game leaving Stuart Brown unmarked to coolly equalize and make it 1-1. Ecuador 100% suddenly looked a bit tense – the urgency in their game increased and with each passing attack that went by they looked increasingly stressed. There was no question they wanted this done in normal time. As the game went on it was becoming more end to end and the next goal would likely win it. Ultimately the difference between the two teams was the Ecuadorian #18 Jose. He looked the dangerman whenever Ecuador 100% attacked and it was he who restored the lead for Ecuador 100% at 2-1. That goal lifted the pressure from the defending champions and they added a third for good measure.

Those two quickfire goals sealed the game. We offer our consolations to Linfield FC A who were very good on the day with some memorable wins along the way. They certainly seemed to have their opponents worried more than we have seen for some time.

Congratulations to Stuart Brown at a personal level. He would be crowned as the top goalscorer for the tournament with an impressive haul of 14 goals.

Thank you to all the teams who competed. We hope to see you all again at a tournament very soon.

The ultimate honour and the glory for the 2022 Mallorca Fives goes to….

….. Ecuador 100%!

Many congratulations on a superb victory on an amazing day of tournament action.