As the 2024 Mallorca Fives Quarter-Finals were about to get underway we were down to the elite 8 teams in the tournament with Australia, Ecuador, England, Ireland, and Spain all represented.

We started on Pitch A with Ecuador 100% due to play Average Joes. The Australian side had impressed on debut but now had the ultimate task ahead of them as they met the 2019, 2022 and 2023 champions. No-one had eliminated Ecuador 100% in this tournament since Bar Maruru won the Cup Final in 2018. The closest any team had got to them in the last 6 years was Lindfield FC who lost 3-1 in the 2022 Cup Final Hellgarve's Kraken in the 2019 Cup Semi-Final.

It was vital Average Joes got off to a good start and they did exactly that with Darcey Den Ouden putting them 1-0 up. Ecuador 100% hit back through Matheu Paz to make it 1-1 but Average Joes were made of strong stuff as they regained the lead. It was Darcey Den Ouden again and Average Joes held the 2-1 lead until half-time.

The pressure was really on Ecuador 100% now as they sought an equalizer for the second time. They managed it and it was Matheu Paz again as he made it Darcey Den Ouden 2-2 Matheu Paz although I'm sure both will credit a team effort. The sands of time ran down and we finished all level. A penalty shoot-out would decide this one.

The Australians were on debut so we had no past history on them in shootouts. Realistically, we had no meaningful data on Ecuador 100% either as we had to go back to 2014 for their last shoot-out (a 2-1 win over Melee FC in the Cup QF by the way).

It was an inauspicious start from the penalty spot for both sides as they both failed to score in the first round of pens. Then Average Joes edged ahead 1-0 but they were unable to capitalize as Ecuador 100% levelled at 1-1 to take us to sudden death. Ecuador 100% then scored after Average Joes missed. The current champions were through – just. No-one had pushed them as much as Average Joes had. Great credit to the Australian side and, if they can put in performances like this, they could well be champions themselves one day.

Quarter-Final three was Team Rock versus Corner Bar. Team Rock were the standout team in the group phase and the only team to boast a 100% record as 5 wins saw them top the table in Group C. They had the joint best defence with only 2 conceded and had scored 16.

Corner Bar reached the Cup Semi-Finals 12 months ago when they met Polish opposition in the form of Polonia Limerick. In a closely fought contest they bowed out 1-0 and exited the tournament in what was their first defeat of the day. They had actually outscored their opponents in the group phase (20 goals) and had 4 wins from 5 games. This was 1 st from Group C versus 2 nd from Group B and the toughest Quarter-Final on paper.

We expected a close contest and that's exactly what we got as honours were even in normal time. David Soler Ibernon gave Team Rock the lead but Noah Weeda equalized for Corner Bar. We shouldn't be surprised the game finished 1-1 and for the third semi-final in a row we needed a penalty shootout.

In a similar fashion to the second semi-final, it was an early miss that proved costly. Just like Wentworth Arms Athletic, Corner Bar missed their first penalty and were made to pay. Team Rock were 100% from the spot and booked their place in the next round.

The final Quarter-Final was Deportivo Dooradoyle (Ire) versus Eltham International (Eng). 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. Given that all the other quarter-finals had gone to penalties we were wondering if we should save time and energy and go straight to spot kicks but that would have denied us a thrilling game.

As Eltham International came out on the wrong end of the result maybe they would have liked us to go direct to the shootout. Deportivo Dooradoyle are very experienced in our events and are more often than not in the Plate competition of our events but they seem to like Mallorca as they have Cup pedigree. Two years ago, under the name Alabama Hotpockets, they produced a great group phase finishing second of six teams with only the defending champions Ecuador 100% above them. 3 wins and 1 draw with just the 1 defeat (guess who against?) saw them qualify for the Cup with 10 goals scored and 5 conceded. In the Cup QF they drew 0-0 with Poland's AFC Blue Boys before progressing via penalties. They met their nemesis, Ecuador 100%, in the SF and bowed out 5-0.

Here in 2024, they were on their way to the Semi-Finals again as they produced a solid 2-0 win. Both goals came from the boot of Kevin Shine taking his tally for the day to 5. It was a third clean sheet in 4 games for Neil Timothy and his defence as they would now go on to meet Team Rock.

Our commiserations to Eltham International – it was a good debut and to reach the Cup Quarter-Finals and finishing 2nd in a 6-team group is no mean feat. It was a pleasure to host they guys and hope to see them on tour again soon.

Open Age

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