Last week saw Jack and Ryan Walsh of Maidenhead United Futsal head to Antalya, Türkiye for the IBSA Partially Sighted World Championships. Jack Walsh was amongst the goalkeepers selected for the England, while Head of Futsal Ryan Walsh was called up to Duncan Gilchrist’s coaching staff.
A strong tournament from the Para Lions came to an agonising end as, with just 11 seconds on the clock, Ukraine pipped them to gold. Two wins against Japan and Türkiye and a draw against the eventual winners set England in good stead coming out of the group, but despite a strong performance in the final it wasn’t to be.
On a personal note, Jack Walsh returned home with the ‘Best Goalkeeper’ award for the tournament – receiving it for the second time in a row at the Championships. A huge congratulations to Jack!
England’s opening fixture saw them play out a 2-2 draw with Ukraine. It was the Para Lions that took the lead as Liam Spinks’ drilled ball to the far post was diverted in by the Ukrainian defender. But Ukraine fought back valiantly, applying plenty of pressure for the remaining eleven minutes of the half. It would only take them just over three to draw level through some tidy interplay around England’s area before finishing into an empty net. They would then take the lead with 5 remaining as a shot from the edge of the area snuck its way in at the near post.
Maidenhead United Futsal goalkeeper, Jack Walsh entered play for the second half with the score at 2-1 to the Yellow-Blue. Ensuring England’s deficit wasn’t extended must’ve been the message given to United’s number 1 at the interval – and it was something that he delivered. Setting the game up for an extraordinary finale as with three seconds to go England drew level. Adam Lione smashed home from 5 yards out as Spinks’ cross ricocheted around the area – a point on the opening day for the Para Lions.
The second fixture, just two days later, saw England put Japan to the sword in a ruthless 7-1 victory. It took thirteen minutes of first half action for the Para Lions to break the deadlock. Douglas Pratt stood free at the far post to tap home a delightful ball across from Liam Spinks. The English felt right at home as like London buses, one soon became two. In a similarly executed move, Andy Cahill found John McDougall at the back stick to slide it into the net.
Again, as is very common in futsal, Jack swapped with Myles Chadwick for the second 20-minute period. Within moments of the restart, Douglas Pratt was in the right place at the right time again to finish as any good poacher would. He would secure his hat-trick just 17 seconds later as he broke with the ball before finishing calmly on his left. Pratt then turned provider, squaring it for Neil Atkinson to make it 5-0. Five was soon six as Pratt drove into the Japan half before drilling into the far corner on his right. Walsh’s goal would however be breached as a brilliant cross-court pass was finished tidily to match. It would be easy to guess who rounded off the scoring as Pratt placed his fifth and England’s seventh into the side netting.
Game three would now be a pivotal one if England were to secure a spot in the final on Saturday 15th, and it was a difficult task of overturning the hosts Türkiye that stood in their way. This time Jack came in from the start, but in by far his busiest game of the tournament so far, he was beaten five minutes in. Another far post finish, an incredibly powerful move in futsal, was once again England’s undoing. But Andy Cahill replied with one of his own a minute a half later sweeping in another Liam Spinks pass. Harry Gibbons gave England the lead for the first time in the match as his kick-in was deflected past the Turkish goalkeeper by one of his defenders. Pratt was sure to get in on the act, and he did to make it 3-1 before half time, getting a faint touch on a tidy corner kick routine. Pratt then made it four as he slid in to tap home Adam Lione pass, following a fast break. Türkiye did pull one back as a powerful strike from the touchline snuck over Walsh’s shoulder, but England would see the second half out and secure their chance at gold.
It would be the opposition from the opening match that they would meet once again, Ukraine. It was they who would burst out of the blocks in the final, taking a two-goal lead inside the opening ten minutes. A fortuitous deflection wrong-footed Chadwick for the first, before a tidy set piece routine undid the Para Lions defence. Adam Lione ignited the fight back with three minutes left of the first period, a terrific driving run provided a finish to match as he found the top corner – the goal of the tournament for England. Trailing by one at the break, Jack once again entered the court for the second 20 as a second half turnaround was required. It didn’t take long, as inside the opening three minutes, Liam Spinks tried to feed a ball into Douglas Pratt, but another deflection proved pivotal in diverting the ball into the opposite corner. A close-fought encounter was always going to be decided by the narrowest of margins and it would be Vadim Shvets crashing finish to nick it at the death.
Ryan Walsh said: “We built a brilliant environment over the 10 days and the performances reflected that. Across the tournament the players delivered consistent high-performance levels; tactically disciplined, connected in possession, and resilient out of possession. The final was decided by the smallest margins and to lose with 11 seconds left is heartbreaking, but the quality and mindset shown by this group throughout reflect the direction the squad and the PARA programme is heading.”
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