Mumbai 5s lift the inaugral Premier Futsal trophy

Mumbai 5s collected the jackpot in the penalty-shootout lottery to emerge the champion of the inaugural Premier Futsal, at the Pedem Sports Complex here on Sunday.

Mumabi 5s player and Man of the tournament Caro Angellot (blue and white jersey) in action during Premier Futsal final.

Ryan Giggs led Mumbai 5s collected the jackpot in the penalty-shootout lottery to emerge the champion of the inaugural Premier Futsal, at the Pedem Sports Complex here on Sunday.

Mumbai 5s and Kochi 5s were tied 1-1 at the end of regular time, and after a spate of misses in the penalty shootout, it boiled down to a battle of the goalkeepers. Mumbai’s Luis Amado found the net, but his opposite number, Casolone, sent his attempt wide.

It was an unfortunate end for Kochi 5s, which led for the majority of the encounter. Moraes put the team ahead when he was left unmarked near the far-post in the first-quarter. The next two periods passed without Mumbai 5s making inroads, as Kochi 5s was content to sit back and defend.

With just a few to go for the final whistle, Mumbai’s Caro Angellot got past two markers and found the back of the net. The crowd cheered the late equaliser, which set up a gripping end to the tournament.

The two marquee players, Ryan Giggs and Michel Salgado, were a study in contrast. While a sluggish Giggs only played for short periods, Salgado was all energy and fire. The former Real Madrid player threw his body in the line of fire with some hard tackles and physical play. His competitive spirit remained undiminished, evident when he frequently admonished the referees for what he perceived as poor decisions.

The result (final):

Mumbai 5s 1 (Caro Angellot) bt Kochi 5s 1 (Moraes) (via 3-2 on penalties).

Individual awards:

Indian player of the tournament: Johnathon Piers (Bengaluru 5s)

Highest goal-scorer: Caro Angellot (Mumbai 5s)

Player of the tournament: Chaguinha (Kochi 5s)