Round
5 began with the top four teams and the Cup qualification
places already decided. The only thing to settle
was which order they would finish. The Group B
win was up for grabs and also the higher the finish
in the group the more beneficial the quarter-final
draw.
So,
what was at stake for these two teams?
PVDC
Eindhoven started the round in second and could
win Group B with a victory providing Ecuador 100
failed to win their final game. A draw would achieve
this as long as Ecuador 100 lost their final game.
Defeat could potentially see them slip to fourth
subject to other results.
Fiorentina
Turner 1 could also win Group B with a victory
and defeat for Ecuador 100. A win and any other
Ecuador 100 result would see second. A draw or
defeat would see either a third or fourth placed
finish.
The
game itself was a niggly and feisty encounter.
It threatened to boil over at the death but the
referee drew the game to a close with neither
team able to penetrate their opposition's defence.
It was a second 0-0 draw of the day.
Two
games to go – first up was 3 Lions FC versus Yac
Club Reserves. 3 Lions FC had been competitive
in three of their four games but only had 1 point
to show for their efforts. They would hope to
finish fifth in the table to get the easier side
of the Plate Semi-Final draw.
For
Yac Club Reserves, the draw between Fiorentina
Turner 1 and PVDC Eindhoven meant that a win for
them would secure third position. This was important
as it would avoid them playing the Group A winners
in the Cup Quarter-Finals. Anything less than
a win and Yac Club Reseves would finish fourth.
The
game remained level for long periods. As we were
reaching the climax of Group B the goals were
drying up and we were looked like we might have
a second consecutive goal-less draw. 3 Lions FC
had other ideas though as Chris Baginsky found
a winning goal to end their Group B campaign on
a high!
Into
Game 15 of Group B and there was still Purnell
Youth 2 versus Ecuador 100 to decide how the table
would look in the annals of history. At the end
of Round 4, Ecuador 100 lead Group B by just one
point. As they kicked off this game, they were
currently in second on goal difference. They therefore
just needed a draw to win the group. A defeat
would see PVDC Eindhoven take top spot.
Due
to 3 Lions FC's win in the previous match, Purnell
Youth 2 had slipped to the foot of the table.
They needed to win this to move back to fifth
position. It would be a tough ask against Ecuador
100 who had won their last 3 games.
The
game went with the form book. Ecuador 100 took
the lead through Jon and went from strength to
strength. Paul, Jon and Bryan extended that lead
to 4-0. Purnell Youth 2 would have the final say
in the group as Brad Hooper scored his second
of the tournament.
Congratulations
to Ecuador 100 on winning Group B.