2011 Prague 5-a-side Football Tournament Tour Report Cup Semi Finals

Results

Deportivo (Cze)	2*	V	2	Dark Horses (Eng)
FC Radbroke (Eng)	2*	v	1	FC Xaverov (Cze)
* Deportivo win 3-2 on penalties. * FC Radbroke win via Golden Goal.

We were at the 2011 Prague Masters Cup Semi-Final stage and from 18 teams who started the day we were down to the final 4.

Our 2010 Prague Trophy Cup winners were up first up against our 2010 Amsterdam Fives Plate winners. Deportivo were on a strong run of form winning six games out of six so far today and were an on unbeaten run of 11 games stretching back to last year. Dark Horses were getting stronger with every game though and no-one would want to play against them.

Deportivo took a first-half lead through Andi Guadelope but his goal was cancelled out by Chris Bunclark. Deportivo went ahead again when Martin Perez scored his first goal of the day. It was Aled Byron who drew Dark Horses level at 2-2. So, we went into Golden Goal extra time again but for the first time today a Golden Goal never arrived and we went into penalties. Deportivo went out on penalties at this stage last year to Bulgaria's Lozenetz City so would have demons to conquer.

Dark Horses would take the first penalty. It was hit low and straight and the Deportivo goalkeeper made a good save to give his team the advantage. The advantage was compounded when Jesus Castillo made it 1-0. In the next round of penalties Chris Bunclark and then Andres Caballero both converted. Aled Byron made it 2-2 and so all eyes were on Martin Perez to see if he could put Deportivo into the Semi-Final. His well struck penalty found the net and sparked wild celebrations from the Latin-American originating Czech team.

It was time to say farewell to The Dark Horses who were just one game away from a European Cup Final at the first time of asking. Having won the 2010 Amsterdam Fives Plate Final we were beginning to think they would make it a Cup victory in 2011. Maybe that honour awaits in 2012.

If it's any consolation the Dark Horses provided the top goalscorer of the day with Chris Bunclark who scored an impressive 10 goals. Their captain Richard Walker was the 2010 Amsterdam Fives top scorer so this was a unique double.

So, who would take their place in the Final from the second Semi-Final? The two teams set to do battle were FC Radbroke against FC Xaverov. FC Xaverov were at this stage for the first time but FC Radbroke had been here before at the 2010 Valencia Fives when they went out to eventual champions Futbol City. Having made Cup Quarter-Final in Barcelona 2009, Semi-Final in Valencia 2010 it would certainly be fitting if they made the Final in Prague 2011.

The game itself was a hugely entertaining one even if there was a lack of goals in the first period as the teams went into the break at 0-0. In all the Cup knock-out games so far the largest victory of margin was just the one goal with 60% of the games going to extra time. This one looked like it was going to be no different.

At full-time the teams were still level but at 1-1 this team with a Rudolf Schiller goal for the Czechs (his fifth of the competition). Pete Cox scored the goal for FC Radbroke which, coincidentally, was also his fifth of the competition. We were into Golden Goal for the fourth time in six Cup games. It showed just what a close tournament we had.

FC Xaverov had struck gold with a Quarter-Final Golden Goal in their last match but they were to find out what it was to be like on the losing side of the coin this time as Pete Cox scored his sixth and most valuable goal of the 2011 Prague Masters. The FC Radbroke side broke into fantastic celebrations but it was disappointment for the Czech team.

FC Xaverov had improved from a 2010 Cup Quarter-Final to a 2011 Cup Semi-Final. Could they emulate their conquerors today by reaching the final in 2012? We will have to wait and see.

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