EIGHT teams, each consisting of seven players, gathered with full enthusiasm at the Gembira Futsal Arena in Green Lane today to participate in a futsal tournament organised by a local futsal team, Unkillz FC.
Held in conjunction with the upcoming Malaysia Day on Sept 16, players from diverse backgrounds, competed intensely from the first whistle in the group stages right through to the final match.
The teams were divided into two groups: Group A and Group B.
Group A consisted of Camavinga FC, Kaki Bangku FC, Jalur Gemilang FC and United Bros, while Group B included Dudes FC, Gelugor FC, Wolf and Yonko FC.
Group B saw a tight contest, with three teams finishing on equal points (6 points), but Yonko FC and GFC narrowly secured the first and second spots respectively, edging out Dudes FC on goal difference.
In Group A, United Bros dominated the field as they cruised past all three teams to secure first place with nine points.
Kaki Bangku, with two wins out of three, took second place to earn a place in the semi-finals.
The semi-finalists – Yonko FC, GFC, Kaki Bangku and United Bros – continued to impress with their performances.
Once again, United Bros showcased their superiority, securing a spot in the final with a 5-2 win over GFC in a highly intense and entertaining game.
On the other side, Kaki Bangku edged past Yonko FC with a 2-1 win, setting up a final showdown with United Bros.
In the final, Kaki Bangku aimed to avenge their group stage defeat against United Bros, having lost 2-1.
It was deja vu as United Bros went on to become the champion after beating Kaki Bangku with the same scoreline, 2-1.
The winning team, United Bros, walked away with a trophy, medals and a prize money of RM700, while the runners-up, Kaki Bangku, took home RM500 and medals.
In another pulsating match to decide the third and fourth place winners, GFC came out third, winning RM300 and medals, and Yonko FC took home RM100 and a plaque each for the players.
Teams finishing fifth to eighth also received plaques.
The prize-giving ceremony was officiated by Stay Fit Is Sunnah founder Ahmed Faisal Mohd Lazim.
After almost two months of planning, the event was made a reality through the support of various generous donors and partners, namely WhyteHouse Education Group, Madam See Swee Sie, Stay Fit Is Sunnah, Penang Hill, ESCAPE Theme Park, Bombay Kitchen, Entopia, Emico, Cinta Gold, Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Penang, Bahang Bay Hotel, Iman Ikhlas (M) Sdn Bhd, Macho Macha Entertainment (MME) and other anonymous donors.
The event was made even more special with sponsorship from Joanne Tan, a fitness coach and the founder of Penang Fit Challenge, who provided a sports electrolyte drink endorsed by world-renowned football player, Cristiano Ronaldo. She was accompanied by her husband, Jimmy Uwei.
Story and pix by Kevin Vimal