What better way for a club to celebrate its 10th birthday than pick up some more silverware to add to its already well-stocked trophy cabinet? That’s exactly what happened over the weekend with the EAWF ‘Olhão over 60s team’ clinching the main prize at this year’s Walking Football Festival at Browns Sports Resort in Vilamoura.
High drama was maintained until the very last kick of the game which saw ‘Olhão’ win a penalty shoot-out to claim victory over Sporting Ramsgits in the cup final. To add even more plaudits to their success, the team remained unbeaten through the whole tournament.
This was the seventh year a walking football event has been hosted at Browns resort with a 5-a-side format of matches over two days in over 50s and over 60s mixed categories.
This year has also seen a new event at Browns which hosted an inaugural women’s over 40s competition.
In both the mixed and ladies’ competitions, all teams play a similar number of games, starting with round robin matches that decide which teams go on to play for the four trophies on offer in the knock-out stages.
A slightly slower paced, minimal contact but no less competitive version of the beautiful game, walking football has taken off across Europe in recent years. Indeed, EAWF was the first club to introduce walking football to Portugal and is extremely proud of its history.
In the over 60s, Olhão managed to score 11 goals without conceding in the round robin stages any against teams from Browns, Odiáxere, Sporting Ramsgits and Circuit 7 which put them top of their group and straight into the draw for the Main Cup.
A tight game against a Circuit 7 team in the quarter finals finished 1-1 and penalties were decided in favour of Olhão by 6-5.
A feisty semi-finals against neighbouring F.C. Farense finished scoreless leading once again to a penalty decider won 2-0 by Olhão.
A cagey final against Sporting Ramsgits finished even at 1-1 and clinical strikes from the penalty spot by Olhão talisman Michael Coleman and captain Mark Cruddace were enough to clinch the match.
As well as accepting the trophy on behalf of the team, it should be noted that Mark Cruddace was also awarded the most valuable player of the tournament.
Jonathan Syed from EAWF said: “Our club motto of fun, fitness and friendship is as true today as when we set the club up a decade ago. Having said that, we love competing against the best teams in the area and we hope this weekend’s success at Browns encourages more people to find their local team and play this amazing sport.”
A mention should also be made to the EAWF over 40s women’s team who came third in their competition and picked up their first silverware. EAWF Olhão over 50s team finished 4th making it to the semi-final of their competition, while EAWF Tavira over 50s picked up the Bowl Trophy.
EAWF offers sessions each week in Tavira and Olhão and regularly hosts teams from abroad visiting the East Algarve.
For more information about EAWF, visit their website at www.eastalgarvewf.com
By MARTIN GERSHON
