Results
 

AFC Blue Boys (Pol)

2

V

2*

Aston Birra (Ecu)

Lucanos Locos (Pol)

6

v

1

VTF Reserves (Spa)

* Aston Birra (Ecu) won 1-0 on penalties.

 
 

We were at the 2024 Mallorca Veterans Fives Cup Semi-Final stage and from the teams who signed we were down to the final 4 – already an achievement for those who were still in the hunt for glory. We still had 3 nations competing with Spain, Poland (x2) and Ecuador all up for the Cup. The first Cup Semi-Final would see AFC Blue Boys (Pol) v Aston Birra (Ecu)

Today was AFC Blue Boys seventh appearance in our events and they were gunning for that first title. They were getting closer!

2021 Barcelona Fives: Plate Runners Up

2022 Mallorca Fives: Cup Quarter-Final and Plate Quarter-Final

2022 Lisbon Tournament: Plate Quarter-Final

2022 Barcelona Fives: Cup Semi-Finals

2023 Mallorca Veterans Fives: Cup Semi-Finals

2023 Barcelona Veterans Fives: Cup Runners-Up

The Polish team got off to a flyer in this one with Artur Sukiennik scoring for the fourth game in a row. It put them in pole position as the teams headed into the break. Krystian Waledziak was joint scorer with Sukiennik for AFC Blue Boys with 4 goals each but Waledziak was to forge ahead and put AFC Blue Boys in a hugely strong position at 2-0. It looked like AFC Blue Boys were heading into the Cup Final. Aston Birra had other ideas. Andres Dorada pulled a goal back for 2-1 before Lori Gonzales equalized in the dying embers of the game. At 2-2 we needed a penalty shootout to decide this one.

Penalty shoot-outs hadn't always been kind to AFC Blue Boys in our events but at the 2023 Barcelona Fives they had fond memories of beating FC Miracle to reach the Cup Final. Could they do so again?

It didn't start well with Aston Birra's Luis Salamanca saving from Waledziak and then Bayron Caicedo converting to put the Ecuadorians 1-0 up. Tomasz Sieradzan then poked over the bar and AFC Blue Boys were staring at defeat. Mariusz Kupisiak then provided heroics for the Polish making a stunning save from Jhon Valencia. Artur Sukiennik then had to score to keep AFC Blue Boys hopes alive but he slotted his spot kick wide of the right hand post and it was all over. It was a tough exit for AFC Blue Boys but many congratulations on a great day's play.

 
 
 

So, who would take their place in the Final from the second Semi-Final? The two teams set to do battle were Lucanos Locos and VTF Reserves.

Lucanos Locos were making their second appearance in our tournaments and they were entering unchartered waters. At the 2023 Barcelona Veterans they reached the Plate Final and were runners-up. Today, they had progressed to a higher level by reaching the Cup and were bidding for a second European final in as many appearances.

VTF Reserves were on debut and had already seen their VTF Elite team reach the Plate Final. A win here for the Reserves and they were potentially on for a Cup & Plate double. Over our history since 2006, we'd had 12 teams win a Cup and a Plate but no team had ever achieved a double at the same tournament.

It was Lucanos Locos who got off to the perfect start with goals from Jakub Kociemski and Pawel Zablocki. At half-time on Pitch A and Pitch B we had Polish teams both leading 2-0. Aston Birra were to fight back on Pitch A but Lucanos Locos extended their lead on Pitch A with Pawel Zablocki making it 3-0.

Keith Weaver did pull a goal back for VTF Reserves to make it 3-1 but the next goal would prove decisive. When Pawel Orzechowski made it 4-1 the result was effectively in the bag. Pawel Zablocki went on to get his hat-trick to make it 5-1 but it was not to end there. Mateusz Sieracki put the icing on the cake of a 6-1 win.

What can we say to console VTF Reserves? They had performed so well in the group phase but they had run into a quality team at the top of their form. Lucanos Locos had a Cup Final to prepare for.

 
 
 
 
 
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