FENIX TROPHY FINALE, STADIO ROMEO NERI, RIMINI

FENIX TROPHY FINAL 8 WEEKEND:

GRAND FINAL - PRAGUE RAPTORS 0-2 FC UNITED of MANCHESTER

BRONZE MEDAL MATCH -AS LODIGIANI CALCIO 1-1 BRERA FC*

5th/6th PLAY-OFF - HFC FALKE 2-2 AKS ZŁY*

7th/8th PLAY-OFF - CD CUENCA MESTALLISTES 2-3 AFC DWS

* won on penalties 

ATTENDANCE: c500 

After heading to Milan for a group stage game in April, this weekend I was back in Italy as the inaugural Fenix Trophy reached it's grand finale.

The 'Final 8' took place at the Stadio Romeo Neri, the home of Rimini FC, and the format saw the two groups of teams play the other that finished in the respective position, concluding with group winners Prague Raptors and FC United of Manchester playing each other for the honour of lifting the trophy. Tickets were a very reasonable €10 for all four games and included a souvenir ticket and programme.

Host club Rimini FC are currently a Serie D side and have played at stadium since it's inauguration in 1930. The ground is named after Italian gymnast Romeo Neri, the first citizen of Rimini to participate in the Olympic Games in both 1928 (Amsterdam) and 1932 (Los Angeles). The ground has a capacity of around 9,500 but today only one side was in use and, thank goodness, it was the covered side as shelter from the sun was much needed.

Rimini were hosting the tournament by way of a tourist opportunity, using the opportunity to bring in fans from around Europe to this famous seaside resort. They certainly put on a good show.

I made my way to the Adriatic Coast on the Friday and, after my flight was delayed for around two hours, I arrived into Bologna very late in the evening. I didn't see the first game of the tournament on the Friday night, the all Italian affair between AS Lodigiani and Brera. That game ended in a 1-1 draw, with the team from Milan winning on penalties.

After my delayed arrival, meaning I didn't check in my hotel until 3am, I overslept on the Saturday morning so by the time I had gone for my walk along the beach and to grab a spot of lunch, I never arrived at the ground until the second half of the 7th place play-off off match. 

The team from Valencia, CD Cuenca Mestallistes, were winning 2-1 upon my arrival but at full time it was AFC DWS of Amsterdam who had turned it around and won the game 3-2.

The 5th place play-off pitted Hamburg side HFC Falke against AKS Zły from Warsaw. The sides played out a 2-2 draw before, in a shocking turn up for the books, the Germans lost on penalties. That's right a German team lost on penalties!

The main event between FC United and Prague Raptors kicked off slightly late, as yet another flight from Manchester was delayed, but luckily all the fans were inside the stadium to witness the Red Rebels become the only British team to lift European silverware this season.

First half goals courtesy of Ali Waddecar and Joe Duckworth ensured the Fenix Trophy would be heading to Broadhurst Park. The game was played at a pedestrian pace but that was understandable in the 28⁰c heat in Rimini and once United went 2-0 up there was no danger of them surrendering that advantage.

The atmosphere of whole day, and indeed tournament overall, was very convivial, as supporters mixed together in the stand, certainly living up to the Fenix Trophy's motto of "making friends not millionaires". I'm sure the beer from a local brewery that was on sale at the ground helped tremendously!

I would estimate there were between 500 and 600 fans in attendance, of which about 80% were United and around 15% were Falke. Hopefully the interest generated by the tournament will result in it's return next season. I'm sure the FC United, and their fans, would love the opportunity to defend their title.

Michael Potts lifts the Fenix Trophy after his final appearance for FC United. 

🇮🇹🏆🇮🇹

Hamburg "Sonntag Doppel"

The conclusion of this particular European football trip concluded in Hamburg, with a double header from the lower tiers of German football...

1045 Oberliga Hamburg
Teutonia Ottensen 4
Wandsbeker TSV Concordia 2
Att: 175 (plus 20 or so tightwads, who wouldn't pay the €6, watching from road)

What better way to blow the cobwebs off than a spot of Sunday morning Oberliga action. FC Teutonia Ottensen regularly play their home games at 1045 in the morning so this was ideal. The ground, Sportplatz Kreuzkirche, is about a 15 minute walk from Hamburg-Altona station and, as suggested in the name, is in the shadow of the Ottensen Kreuzkirche (Church of the Cross). 

FC Teutonia were the Landesliga Hamburg-Hammonia champions in 2017, earning promotion to the Oberliga (level 5 of German football) Hamburg. They are enjoying a good season and they are comfortably in third place in the table (at the start of play today).

However in this league there is only one promotion spot to the Regionalliga Nord and that looks sewn up by TuS Dassendorf, who are 12 points clear at the top, with games in hand.  Teutonia do play the champions-elect in a couple of weeks time in the Hamburg Cup semi-final, so maybe there is still a chance of silverware this season.

Abdel Abou-Khalid gave Concordia the lead after two minutes but Aytac Erman (19, 32) and Georgios Cholevas (23) gave Teutonia a comfortable half time lead.

Two Wandsbeker TSV Concordia players received red cards, Martin Werner after 66 minutes for his second yellow card and  Kevin Zschimmer after 75 minutes for foul and abusive language. In between the red cards Concordia did pull a goal back when Abou-Khalid (73) scored from the penalty spot. However after 80 minutes Erman completed his hat-trick to make the game safe.

The second game of the day was 5 miles across town in the district of Lokstedt. The timings were tight so I had to be on my toes at the final whistle. I had to catch a bus to Schlump station and then jump off at Hagenbecks Tierpark and then walk 10 minutes to the ground. However whilst I was on the bus I received a text message to say kick off had been delayed due to an injury sustained at a earlier match on the pitch. The knock on effect meaning the remaining games were at least 30 minutes behind. The second half of Lokstedt's second team versus Inter Eidelstedt was just kicking off as I entered the ground, so at least there was time for a chill and a beer (or two) in the clubhouse as the temperature began to rise...

1430 Bezirksliga Nord Hamburg
Eintracht Lokstedt 2
HFC Falke 2
Att: 272

Sportpark Lokstedt, on Dörntwiete, is another artificial surface (if you can remember, it is very similar to Luton Town's pitch of the 1980's).

There is a small piece of wooden cover and also a decent view from the clubhouse decking behind the goal. Eintracht Lokstedt are celebrating their centenary this year and there is a display in the clubhouse to commemorate this achievement, including a plaque from the Deutscher Fußball Bund and a signed photo from Germany and Hamburg legend Uwe Seeler (pictured above right).

Eintracht Lokstedt were the league leaders with HFC Falke in 5th position (at the start of play) in the Bezirksliga Nord Hamburg, which is a district league and basically the equivalent of an English County League. In Hamburg the Bezirksliga sits at Level 7 in the German structure.

Today was a chance for me to catch up with friends who follow HFC Falke and chew the fat, sink a few beers and watch a decent game of football. 

Lokstedt raced into an early two goal lead. Mario Beslic opened the scoring after 5 minutes, after a defensive mix up up left him with an open goal. After 10 minutes Tamino Kunter raced through to slot home and double the home sides advantage.

Tobias Leuthold (25) halved the deficit after Falke were awarded a dubious penalty when Lokstedt 'keeper Jan Giesecke pushed  in the area resulted in the referee pointing to the spot. Kevan Hermann (55) equalised for The Hawks in the second half and the game could have gone either way. In the 81st minute Lokstedt had a chance to grab the victory but Nils Kuchenmeister saved Luis Gleich's penalty kick. The resulting draw was a fair result and brought to a conclusion another fantastic week of European Groundhopping. 

All that was left was to head back into town and sink a few more ales at the fabulous Galopper des Jahres! Until next time, a very fond farewell!