The Plate competition's semi-finals featured two teams that finished in 3rd and 4th positions in their respective groups. Los Malakas Hermanos, who had claimed the 3rd spot in Group A, faced off against Juno FC, who secured the 4th position in Group B.

Los Malakas Hermanos had built some solid momentum, coming into the knock-out phase unbeaten in three with two draws and a win in that sequence. Juno FC, on the other hand, had made a positive start with four points from their first two games, but back-to-back defeats late in the group stage had checked their progress. Both teams were eager to put their group campaigns behind them and earn a place in the Plate Final.

The first half was closely fought and produced few clear chances, with both sides matching each other in intensity and determination. Juno FC faced a particular challenge, as they only had a bare six players available – no substitutes to call upon. Despite this, they worked tirelessly, defending bravely and showing great energy to keep Los Malakas Hermanos at bay. The teams went into the break at 0-0, with everything still to play for.

After the restart, Los Malakas began to press harder. Juno FC continued to dig deep and frustrate their opponents, but eventually the breakthrough came. Guillermo Buonomo, who had already made a name for himself in this tournament, struck late in the half to give his side the lead. It was his fifth goal of the competition, a strike that not only won the game but also moved him joint top of the goalscoring charts.

The final whistle confirmed a 1-0 victory for Los Malakas Hermanos, extending their unbeaten run to four matches and sending them through to the Plate Final. Juno FC bowed out of the competition with immense credit, having pushed their opponents all the way despite playing the entire tournament without a single substitute. Their physical effort was outstanding, and they leave with pride in their performance, while Los Malakas Hermanos march on with dreams of silverware.

So who would meet Los Malakas Hermanos in the Plate Final? The two teams set to do battle were Riises Pieces and Bear Ballerz. Both teams had previous history in the Plate competition with Riises Pieces having reached 3 finals before (2019 Mallorca Fives, 2022 Lisbon Tournament and 2023 Barcelona Fives). Bear Ballerz had reached this stage on two previous occasions with 1 defeat (2022 Amsterdam Sixes) and 1 success (2024 Porto Tournament) en route to the Plate title.

The two teams had contrasting form coming into this. Riises Pieces had endured a frustrating start to their campaign, losing their opening two games by narrow 1-0 margins. However, they had rallied superbly with back-to-back wins that secured their passage to the Semi-Finals. Bear Ballerz had gone in the opposite direction – beginning strongly with four points from their opening two games, only to lose their last two and slip out of Cup contention. With one side rising and the other faltering, the balance of momentum was clear.

Bear Ballerz looked determined to put their recent setbacks behind them and came flying out of the blocks. Mariusz Vergez opened the scoring in the first half, and in a quirky twist, was immediately substituted – some reward! Not long after, Jack Keen added a second to give the French team firm control of the tie. At the interval, they were two goals to the good and looking comfortable.

Riises Pieces tried to rally after the restart, but Bear Ballerz showed no signs of letting up. Connor Meckin made it 3-0 to effectively kill the contest, before their talisman Thomas Ricaux applied the finishing touch with a fourth. It was a goal of wider significance too, as it took Ricaux to five for the tournament – placing him among the cluster of players tied at the top of the goalscoring charts.

The final whistle confirmed a resounding 4-0 victory for Bear Ballerz, a performance that marked a strong return to form at just the right time. They advanced to the Plate Final with momentum restored and belief renewed, leaving Riises Pieces to bow out after a spirited campaign. For Bear Ballerz, the chance of back-to-back silverware was now just one game away.