After the Chennai leg, the India Football Tour was hosted in the Garden City of India on the 24th of September. And given the warm embrace it received, the IFT turned out to be a success, with teams battling it out to be crowned the champions of Bangalore.
A total of 20 teams participated in the 5-a-side matches with each team afforded the option of 3 rolling substitutions. The matches kicking off from 10am. Putting in hours of hardwork and preparation, each team came with a purpose.
There were also quite a few spectators who arrived at the Astro Arena in Marathahalli, with loud cheers and words of praise to their respective teams.
Referees from Karnataka State Football Association, with their expertise and experience, made sure that the event went smoothly. The games were quick and flexible as the 5-a-side game has no offside and kick-ins instead of throw-ins.
Also Read: India Football Tour - India's largest amateur 5-a-side football tournament
Konkan Soccer club A and Konkan Soccer club B were the two teams which travelled all the way from Goa to Bangalore for the tournament. The boys from the Goa, though, were unfortunate and returned home empty handed.
The tournament saw some shocking results and teams pipping out each other through narrow margins. Joga Bonito, the team which has participated in the F5WC for the past two years, did not make it to the finals of Bangalore regionals this time.
After the nail-biting group stages, Modern Boys, Joga Bonito, Al Fateh and Friends United made it to the final four.
The semi-final between Al Fateh and Friends United was a treat to watch, with both teams showing exquisite technique and tactics as Al Fateh prevailed 2-1.
Meanwhile, the game between Modern Boys and Joga Bonito, turned out to be victorious for the former as Joga Bonito were outplayed with the final score 3-1. Modern Boys and Joga Bonito played out another exciting game, with each team trying its best to outplay, outwit and outscore the other.
The grand final between Modern Boys and Al Fateh went on till 11:00 in the night. Both teams gave their all in the last match, making it a match worthy of a tournament final.
The game ended with a scoreline of 1-1, but a late winner from Al Fateh in extra time saw the boys in white walking away with the trophy. It was a wonderful occasion for all teams to celebrate football with delicious treats from Faasos and Redbull to keep them going.
India Football Tour next heads off to Goa on 19 November for the final leg where the regional city winners will fight it out to earn the tag of Indian champions at the tour finals.
The ultimate winner gets a cash prize of three lakhs and will qualify for the Indian qualifiers of the F5WC, the world’s largest 5-a-side tournament, which will take place at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing, China. The game will also be streamed live on TV all across the world.
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