As the 2017 Mallorca Fives Quarter-Finals were about to get underway we were down to the elite 8 teams in the tournament with Ecuador, England, France, Ireland, Poland and Switzerland all represented.

We started on Pitch B with Lindfield FC A versus Malo Guerreros. Both of these teams were competing in our Cup competition for the first time. At their previous eurofootballfives.com appearance at the 2019 Algarve Open, Lindfield FC A qualified for the Plate competition. They went out at the Quarter-Final stage 2-1 to Southgate County. Malo Guerreros FC had missed out on the knockout phase at the 2019 Amsterdam Sixes.

Today represented great progress for both teams. They day had started particularly well for Malo Guerreros FC with 3 wins on the bounce. However, 2 defeats in a row at the end might have put a dent in their confidence. Lindfield FC A had remained undefeated throughout the group phase.

Lindfield FC A were quite simply sensational in this game. They raced to a 3-0 lead at half-time with goals from Jamie Wilkes + Ruairi Farrell (2). In their penultimate group game they hit Bayern Badonde for 8 goals (8-1) and they were to go one better against Malo Guerreros here with 6 goals in the second period. Stuart Brown scored 4 as he opened up as leader for the golden boot plus there was a brace for Lloyd Myles.

Lindfield FC A were through to the Semi-Finals and they had thrown down the gauntlet to their would be challengers.

For Malo Guerreros, it was a cruel exit but they can be proud of their earlier form.

Quarter-Final three was Ecuador 100% versus RSC Andylecht. The latter were playing in our tournaments for the third time and despite strong group performances they were yet to notch their first win in the knockout phase. They would have their work cut out doing this today against formidable opposition.

Ecuador 100% had reached the Cup Final in the last 2 editions of the tournament. Runner-up in 2018 and winners in 2019. They were also runners-up here in 2014. Today they boasted 5 wins out of 5 today scoring 18 goals and conceding just 1. They finished off their group campaign with an 8-0 win so there were no signs of weakness.

With the match in progress, RSC Andylecht gave a very good account of themselves and were certainly not overawed by the occasion. They competed well with Ecuador 100% and in the first half it was the cutting edge of their opponents that proved the difference. Felipe was the man who provided the finish on two occasions as they Ecuadorian team were in control at half-time.

Felipe bagged his hat-trick after the change of ends to make it 3-0 before RSC Andylecht scored the goal that their play deserved. Jana Ranganathan poking home a fine finish on the stretch to make it 3-1. Luis added a couple more to put some gloss on the score-line as the game finished 5-1.

The final score probably did not do the RSC Andylecht performance justice but there was no argument at which team progressed. Would anyone stop the Ecuador 100% charge?

The final Quarter-Final was AFC Blue Boys 2 (Pol) versus Alabama Hotpockets (Ire). It was the Runners-Up from Group A and Group C respectively so the two teams should have been well matched and they proved to be so.

This was one of many thrilling encounters in the knock-out phase of the 2022 Mallorca Fives but goals were conspicuous by their absence. Despite both teams best efforts neither team could breakdown their opponent and so the credit has to go to the two teams defensive capabilities and to the respective goalkeepers, Mariusz Kupisiak and Paddy Londole. Final score, 0-0. Penalty shoot-out time.

AFC Blue Boys 2 would have the honour of shooting first with Michal Cedrowski the man with the pressure upon his shoulders. He made no mistake and it was the Polish team who lead 1-0. Patrick O' Brien stepped up first for Alabama Hotpockets. A scorer of so many goals for his team in Europe but he saw his penalty saved by Mariusz Kupisiak. It was advantage Poland.

That advantage did not last long as Paddy Londole would become the Irish hero. He saved Jakub Kociemski's penalty to give Darragh Enright a chance to level it. Enright duly obliged and it was level at 1-1. Daniel Kuty was next up for AFC Blue Boys 2 and his penalty was saved again by Paddy Londole. There were some protests that the ‘keeper was off his line which were waved away by the referee. Photo evidence later proved those claims were correct. John Shine had the chance to win it and despite Mariusz Kupisiak getting his body to the ball the penalty had enough power to end up in the back of the net and see Alabama Hopockets through to the next round.

Our commiserations to AFC Blue Boys 2 – a tough way to go out. We look forward to seeing them next month in Lisbon.