 After Bronze in 2013 in Amsterdam and Silver in 2014 in Brussels, the Mannekenfish reached Gold in London on Halloween for the 2015 edition of the European Champagne Tournament. The competition was fierce all day long. The final battle against London Orca A reached a climax with an intense penalty session (3-1) due to a draw 2-2 after the time limit.
Before London Orca A, the Brussels Mannekenfish had to play six games in order to reach the final. It started well at 10 this Saturday morning with a victory 7-0 against Manchester B. The second match did not start well for Brussels with Paris AquaHomo leading 2-0. However the Mannekenfish recovered their concentration and ended up winning 7-3. The third game against London Orca Chariots was also successful ( 6-1). In the meantime, Paris Aquatique A and Amsterdam ended their match with a draw putting additional pressure. The Mannekenfish knew then that they had at least two very competitive games ahead. Although Paris Aquatique A offered a strong resistance, the Mannekenfish fought harder ending up with another win 4-0. The next game against Lesbica the She-Orca concluded with a fifth victory (7-0). For their last game, the Brussels Mannekenfish would meet their Nemesis. The 2014 champions that defeated them in Brussels: Amsterdam. They wanted revenge. Holding their ground, pressing in defense, preventing any opening for their opponents, taking advantage of the opportunities, the Mannekenfish succeeded beyond their expectations winning the game 6-0. Six games, six victories. But there was still one to come to reach gold. The final game against London Orca A started well for Brussels, the Mannekenfish leading 2-0. But London would not let the victory slip away, especially as they were playing at home. The Orcas fought back, reaching 2-2. Despite an intense struggle, no team managed to score and the winner would be known after a penalty session. It started wrong for Brussels with a first miss, while London scored. The silence in the Crystal Palace was total each time a player would shoot. Tension was rising. Then the Brussels goalie stopped one, two and three attempts from London while the Mannekenfish scored! After months of intense training, one day of hard competition, and seven victorious games, the Brussels Mannekenfish could finally rejoice. This year it was gold! |
