ENGLAND TRIUMPHANT AT CHARLTON PARK
They see off competition from Thailand, Ethiopia, Brazil, Ghana, Portugal, Nigeria and Bolivia to lift the cup!The BT Lovefootball Festival took place this weekend at Charlton Park and it was a local team representing England who triumphed to keep the trophy in the borough.
The 11-a-side tournament began on Saturday morning with 32 nations represented. Barbados started the tournament on the end of a 3-0 drubbing by Pakistan while Iran got off to a flier beating Mauritius 4-1. Portugal showed class and creativity in beating China by another 3-0 score line in group B and Colombia put five passed South Africa. Morocco edged a nervy opener in group C winning 1-0 while Kuwait beat Ghana 2-1 in a close fought affair. England showed signs of things to come in the group D opener by beating Thailand 7-2 and Brazil reminded everyone of their class in a 2-0 win over Ethiopia in the same group. A massive game in group E saw France succumb to Algeria by four goals to one and five times champions Sierra Leone lose to Ecuador by a single goal. Spain beat Japan 2-1 in group F and an Afghanistan side put together following trials of 200 players beat Greenwich’s own Somali team 5-1. In group G Bulgaria beat an under strength India 5-0 and Bolivia saw off reigning champions Nigeria 2-1. In group H Italy lost 3-2 to Bangladesh in a five goal thriller while last year’s finalists Djibouti beat Iraq 2-1.As the groups progressed it became apparent that it was going to be a close call as to who would be making it through to the final sixteen on the Sunday. A seven goal thriller gave England victory over Brazil 4-3 and a 2-2 draw for Morocco and Ghana after the Moroccan’s had led 2-0 seemed to give them cause for concern before victory over Kuwait sealed their second round spot. Colombia didn’t let the pressure get to them as they beat China 9-0 in a winner takes all showdown in the final game of group B to join Portugal from that group in the second round. Mauritius and Iran did enough to book their spot in the second round at the expense of previous champions Pakistan in their group. Morocco and Ghana were the celebrating teams in group C while in group D England were joined by Brazil in the second round. Sierra Leone and Ecuador were group E’s victors and Spain and Afghanistan progressed from group F. Bulgaria were the high profile casualty in group G, the first time they have not made it to the second round of the competition in ten years, losing out to Bolivia and Nigeria. It group H Bangladesh and Djibouti qualified for Sunday knock out stages.
Sixteen teams returned on the Sunday to contest the final stages of the competition and three sets of penalty shootouts in the second round showed just how much no one wanted to lose. Iran and Colombia drew 1-1 (Iran progressing on penalties), Mauritius threw away a two goal lead to finally draw 3-3 with Portugal (the Portuguese being victorious on penalties) and Sierra Leone and Afghanistan were tied at 2 a piece before the lottery of penalties saw Sierra Leone make it through to the quarter finals. Outright winners in normal time were Morocco who beat Brazil 2-0, England who disposed of Ghana 2-1, Spain by a single goal against Ecuador, Bolivia by way of a 5-0 drubbing of Djibouti and Nigeria who beat Bangladesh 2-0.The quarter finals got underway and Iran’s best performance in the competition in recent year’s came to an end via a cruel penalty shoot out after their game with Morocco ended one a piece. After an impressive tournament that had them as many onlookers favourites Portugal lost 3-1 to England. Honours were even between Sierra Leone and Bolivia and it was the South American that booked a semi final place after winning an epic penalty shootout 10-9. Nigeria ended Spain’s best run in the competition with a 2-1 win.
Before the semi final’s there was the small matter of the plate competition to resolve with previously knocked out teams hoping to win the prize. After some promising play from the local Somali team, Afghanistan’s experience shone through and they went on to win 3-1 to lift the trophy.Back to the competition proper and the semi final’s would be best summed up as edgy battles with both Bolivia and England taking a 1-0 lead against Morocco and Nigeria respectively and effectively shutting up shop and defending well. Each held out to make sure the final would be contested between England and Bolivia. Whatever happened there would be a new name on the trophy.
Bolivia, who have previously been semi finalists and quarter finalists were now in the final for the first time and despite playing with the characteristic South American flair England proved to be too strong and after taking a two nil lead sat back and hit the Bolivians on the counter attack, a successful strategy that resulted in a third goal and a win that proved they deserved their name to be etched into the competition’s history books.
Elsewhere at the festival Charlton Ladies were victorious in the Aphrodite Cup and Charlton’s team won the disability tournament too to make it a great weekend for the team from the Valley. In the youth tournament Redbridge United defeated Maiden Youth and Teviot Rangers to win the tournament.
