Our annual Battle of the Champions tournament took place on Saturday, with eight teams battling it out for the $2000 top prize.
GROUP STAGE
Brisol FC dominated Group A, winning their three group games and finishing with a handy +15 goal difference. Ipswich Futsal were consistent performers and finished second in the group, with hometown heroes Brisbane Central FC third, and youngsters Phoenix Futsal in fourth.
In Group B, it was a close contest for top spot between Lions FC and Brisbane AFG. Lions FC sealed first place after beating their Afghani rivals 3-2 in the final match of the group, setting up a quarter final clash against Phoenix Futsal. Brazilians Brazucas finished in third spot, with Lads on Toure in fourth.
KNOCKOUT ROUNDS
Brisol FC took on Lads of Toure in the first of the quarter-finals, with Brisol prevailing 5-2 in a tetchy encounter. Lions FC romped home against Phoenix Futsal in the second quarter-final, outclassing the young side 13-1.
In the third quarter-final, Brisbane AFG were made to sweat against Brisbane Central FC before a late winner from Afar Mansoori saw them progress with a 5-4 win. A brilliant hat-trick to Jose Chavez wasn’t enough for Brisbane Central FC, who came close to pulling off a big upset.
And in the last of the quarter-finals, Ipswich Futsal progressed after a penalty shootout win against Brazucas. The Brazilians were disappointed to bow out prematurely after playing some of the best Futsal of the tournament.
The first of the semis saw Brisol FC take on Brisbane AFG, in what promised to be a high quality encounter. The two teams were not to disappoint and produced outstanding defensive performances, limiting chances for each side. Despite his side trailing 1-0 at the break, a second-half hat trick for Giles Take propelled Brisol FC into the grand final.
Lions FC took on Ipswich Futsal in the second semi-final, with the boys in orange again proving their quality with a comprehensive 10-1 win, setting up a mouthwatering grand final against Brisol FC.
GRAND FINAL
The grand final did not disappoint, as the two teams traded goals in a see-sawing encounter. The match finished 5-5 after full time, and had to be decided from the penalty spot. In a tense shootout, it would come down to the goalkeepers from each side deciding the game, with the Brisol FC ‘keeper saving from his Lions FC counterpart to win the game for his side.
We’d like to say a big thank you to all teams for participating in this year’s tournament. We saw some high-quality Futsal on display and all games were played in the right spirit. Congratulations to Brisol FC for taking home the big prize, and see you all in 2020!
