Courtesy: Pacific Daily News


Quality wins futsal crown

By Brett Maluwelmeng

Seung Min Lee scored with just 50 seconds left and Quality Distributors held on to defeat Crushers FC 3-2 for the 2009 Guam Football Association Men's Futsal League championship.

It was Lee's second goal of the match and the performance earned him the Most Valuable Player award.

"They (the Crushers) are young and fast, but I think we won because (of our experience) in these situations," Lee said.

Indeed, it has been a good year for the club after winning the Budweiser Guam Men's Soccer League, the GFA Cup and a beach soccer tournament.

But this fourth title did not come easy. The Crushers, the top-seeded team in the playoffs, matched Quality shot for shot.

It took a while for the opening goal, but Lee provided it with 4:37 left in the first half. Teammate Andre Gadia earned the assist as Lee took a couple touches before sending the ball past Crushers keeper Joshua Bordallo.

Scott Spindel leveled the match just two minutes later when he poked a left-footed shot past Quality keeper Rodney Camacho.

Matt Welton nearly gave Quality the advantage right after the break, but Bordallo pushed the shot out for a corner. Bordallo came up with a double block on Welton a minute later to keep the score level before Camacho did the same with an effort from the Crushers' Joseph Ichull.

Quality's Paul Long then had two efforts blocked by the defense, but Andre Gadia was there to smash the rebound into the bottom corner with 15:51 on the clock.

But the Crushers refused to give in, and just after the 10-minute mark they pulled even yet again. Spindel found Bem Mairu at the far post and Mairu's one-touch finish past Camacho ensured the title would not be won easily.

Crushers nearly went into the lead with 2 minutes left as another Mairu shot crept past Camacho, but Gadia got back in time to clear the ball off the line. The save turned out to be crucial as Lee popped up to control the ball at the top of the arc, dribble right and sneak the match-winner in at the near post for the victory.


Inter FC 3, Cobras 2: In the consolation match, Inter fought back from a 2-0 halftime deficit for the win. Goals from Eric Recella, Shun Rikitake and Cyle Tass in the opening 4 minutes of the second half sparked the comeback. Jan Flores scored both goals for the Cobras.


Top scorers: 1) Tie - Scott Spindel, Crushers FC and Matt Welton, Quality Distributors; 2) Bem Mairu, Crushers FC; 3) Tie - Roy Abril, Cobras and Shawn Spindel, Crushers FC

Fairplay Award: Bank of Guam Crushers


MVP: Seung Min Lee, Quality Distributors







Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com