After a tough start to the Outdoor Finals by unexpectedly losing 2-1 (John Harrison) on the Saturday to Casa Pia AC, followed by losing the toughest game of the tournament to Lousada 3-1 (John Harrison) after leading 1-0 at half-time, the team was out to prove its worth against GD Viso on Sunday morning. Although the game made no difference to the play-off places, a change of formation to 3-3-2 saw Ioio Santos open the scoring with a perfect second post goal. However, Viso soon struck back with their captain using long aerial balls, a tactic our team had not encountered before at this level. Drawn 1-1 at the interval and only 25 minutes to play, another formation change to 2-4-2, putting John and Ioio in front of an almost impenetrable midfield wall with Vicente and Kim in the middle, paid off. John took the opportunity for a clean hit inside the area, followed soon after by Vicente making one his legendary runs into the area from midfield, to make it 3-1. Viso pulled one back but a short corner saw John put another one in the net, followed by Antonio tipping one in to make it 5-2. The 3rd place play-off was a bit of a foregone conclusion with the kids now getting into their stride and the new formation. John took an early opportunity for a hit on goal to open the scoring. Although Viso pulled one back, it was one-way traffic after that. Vicente scored two, Aires and Fred one a piece and Ioio closed the show with a perfectly executed second post tip-in over the goalie’s head from a short corner (as practised!) to win 6-1. Many thanks to Vitor and João Miguel for pitching in with warm-ups, coaching and tactics in Joe´s absence.
James