The 2024 Porto Sixes Cup Quarter-Finals brought together the elite eight teams of the tournament, each vying for the prestigious title. This stage featured the top 8 performers from the group phase, where only the strongest teams earned their place in the Cup draw. With the stakes higher than ever, these quarter-finals promised matchups between some of the tournament's most skilled and competitive sides. Each team, armed with footballing firepower and tactical discipline, was just three wins away from lifting the coveted trophy, setting the stage for a thrilling battle between the best of the best.

Up first was the Group A winners 5ive Guys versus the best third placed team from the group phase. In a quirk of fate, the latter was RAF of Portugal who also appeared in Group A. When the teams met earlier in the day it was a close contest that 5ive Guys won 2-1. Here in the knockout phase 5ive Guys found themselves 2-1 up again but this time it was only half-time.

In their previous eurofootballfives.com appearance at the 2024 Amsterdam Sevens, Milner Street qualified for the Plate where they would meet FC Tpaktop in the Semi-Finals. They secured a 3-0 win to set up a final against Turn Down For Watford. It was a match too far as Turn Down For Watford won 5-2. Today, they had gone one step further by reaching the elite Cup competition. They had done so in style with 3 wins out of 4 to win Group B. They had scored 8 goals and conceded just 3 as they were ranked #3 at the end of the group phase. The reward for the group win was a match against the second best third placed team from the group phase. Similar to the previous quarter-final, this was G.D. Leoes da Guarda who emerged from the same group as Milner Street.

G.D. Leoes da Guarda (Por) was the only team preventing Milner Street having a 100% record as the two teams drew 2-2 earlier in the day. Although the Portuguese team finished third in the group they were one of only 5 unbeaten teams in the tournament having won 1 and drawn 3 of their group games. The Portuguese were certainly a tough team to beat and so it proved again here. The teams were locked together 0-0 at half-time and then 1-1 at full-time. Alex Short for Milner Street cancelling out Luis Duarte's opener for G.D. Leoes.

Next up was an intriguing contest between Football Rangers Hungary and Turn Down For Watford. Football Rangers Hungary were on debut but had impressed in their opening four games. They were ranked #1 of all the teams in the group phase and were the only team to possess a 100% record with 4 wins out of 4. They were also the top scoring team in the group phase with 14 goals and had the best goal difference of all 15 teams.

Turn Down For Watford would be tough opponents though. In their last appearance with us at the 2023 Krakow Trophy they went all the way to the Cup Final and only a penalty shoot-out prevented them from lifting the title. They'd had a mixed set of results this morning with 7 points from 12 (relative to their own high standards) but had the toughest task of all the Quarter-Finalists in the line-up.

It was vital for Turn Down For Watford to get off to a fast start and that's exactly what they did with Rich Lyons bagging his fifth goal of the tournament. Football Rangers Hungary were back on level terms before the change of ends though thanks to Dominik Bodnar. 1-1 at HT.

What came next was arguably Turn Down For Watford's best half of football in our tournaments – on paper at least given the quality and form of their opposition. Jase Opuku-Afriyie was top scorer at the 2022 Amsterdam Sevens with 7 goals. He took his tally today to 6 with two second half goals that swung this match in his team's favour. Football Rangers Hungary had no answer and were out. It was a tough exit for the Hungarians for having played so well up until this point. Turn Down For Watford had turned in a masterclass and were through to the Semi-Finals.

The final Cup Quarter-Final was, in theory, the most closely matched as it featured the second placed team in Group A versus the second placed team in Group B. It was Polonia Limerick versus Colonel Getafe. Both of these teams had reached a Cup Final last season with Polonia Limerick finishing second to Ecuador 100% at the 2023 Mallorca Fives and Colonel Getafe becoming the 2023 Krakow Trophy champions.

Today, Polonia Limerick were unbeaten with 2 wins and 2 draws from their group games. Colonel Getafe had 2 wins and 2 defeats from their group fixtures. The match itself ended in a tense 0-0 draw after regular time, with neither side able to break the deadlock. Both teams battled valiantly throughout, but solid defending and a lack of clear-cut chances meant that the contest had to be decided by a penalty shoot-out. The pressure was palpable as the shoot-out began, with a place in the semi-finals on the line, forcing both sides to rely on their composure from the spot.

Colonel Getafe's Ted Hanifan stepped up to take the first penalty, but his effort was brilliantly saved by Polonia Limerick goalkeeper Dominik Olczak, giving the Polish side an early advantage. Polonia's Bartek Bernacik confidently converted his penalty, putting them 1-0 ahead. Henry Hanifan brought Colonel Getafe back into it with a composed finish, but Polonia Limerick responded immediately as Edward Czaplarski slotted his penalty past the keeper, maintaining their lead. Oliver Grossman kept Colonel Getafe's hopes alive by scoring his spot-kick, but Kuba Domanski stepped up with the chance to seal the win. He made no mistake, calmly firing home the decisive penalty to give Polonia Limerick a 3-2 victory in the shoot-out, securing their place in the Cup semi-finals. Hats off to Colonel Getafe for playing so well and getting so far without any subs on a warm day on a large pitch. A fantastic effort and a cruel way to depart.

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