Sherbrooke finally scores some goals, but can’t escape last-place finish at FIFRA championships By Steven Sandor Posted on February 5, 2012 Comments Off on Sherbrooke finally scores some goals, but can’t escape last-place finish at FIFRA championships 0 656 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter The University of Sherbrooke Vert & Or finally found some offence, but it wasn’t enough to keep the team from finishing fourth out of the four-team field at FIFRA world indoor soccer club championship. After being outscored by a cumulative score of 24-1 over its three round-robin losses, Sherbrooke faced Ecuador’s La Bombonerita in the third-place game. The Ecuadoreans took the match by a 7-6 score. From the start of the tournament, the Canadian representatives were targeting third place in the inaugural club championship of indoor soccer. Defender Mathieu Prud’homme e-mailed The 11 before the Saturday’s 5-1 round-robin loss to the host Monterrey Flasg, stating “the real target is to win against Ecuador for 3rd place.” FIFRA is the world’s governing body of rapid or indoor soccer (the version of the game with the boards, not to be confused with futsal). Sherbrooke players joined with selected members of Quebec elite league play in order to form a team that would represent Canada at the inaugural club championships. The first choice to represent Canada was our country’s FIFRA-recognized national champion, Calgary United FC. But the reigning Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League champs turned down the invite. The CMISL’s future is uncertain and has yet to even schedule a game for the 2012 season. The CMISL runner-up Edmonton Drillers were then placed as the next possible Canadian representative, but the club also said no. The costs for an amateur club to go down to Mexico, where it would have to face difficult opposition, was daunting. But, just as it looked like Canada would not send a team down, the Sherbrooke team made itself available. As expected, the San Diego Sockers won the inaugural FIFRA tourney, beating the hosts in the final, 5-3. It was the PASL champion Sockers 31st win in a row in a streak that dates back to 2010. And, the team did it without its top weapon, reigning PASL regular season and playoff MVP Kraig Chiles. He strained his MCL earlier in the tournament. San Diego thrashed Sherbrooke 15-0 in the round robin, to give you an idea of the gap between the teams.
