Japan’s Cherry Samurai opened the futsal competition in a thriller against the Grub Hunters at the Runaway Bay Indoor Stadium this morning.
Friday 4 November
By Tristan Evert
Japan’s Cherry Samurai opened the futsal competition in a thriller against the Grub Hunters at the Runaway Bay Indoor Stadium this morning.
The team of five returned to the Gold Coast to appear in their third Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games (JPPMG) and pushed the Ipswich locals all the way before the Grub Hunters sealed an 8-6 victory.
Cherry Samurai’s captain Ben Wada said they’re excited to be back in Australia and taking part in the event.
“Everyone is from in and around Tokyo so it’s good to have the team over here,” Ben said.
“We all play together back home in Japan but usually we have more then five players!”
After a little confusion with the rules, Cherry Samurai made their way onto the court and despite having no substitutions, looked sharp. Their campaign however, took a turn for the worse when they conceded an own goal a few minutes later.
The Samurai quickly bounced back via some classy footwork on the way to finding the back of the net. Their opposition was well-drilled though and scored a few well-earned goals of their own to hold a 4-3 half time lead.
The fatigue was starting to show late into the second half with both teams beginning to make some simple errors. The Samurai wasn’t making it easy for themselves with another own goal.
After a tight and entertaining tussle, the siren sounded and the final score was 8-6 to the Grub Hunters.
Brendan Hughes from the Grub Hunters said that it was a great first hit out.
“The game was played in great spirits and everybody was having a laugh!” Brendan said.
The Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games showcases competition in 43 team and individual sports and is hosting 13,000 participants from Queensland, interstate and overseas.
