Malia Monchengladbach created club history by beating former premiership winners and 2 time championship winners Boca Seniors 2-1 to clinch there first ever piece of silverware.
The Malia reds claimed the championship title in dramatic style after coming from behind and being down to 4 men for a time when Dave Shaw was unluckily sin-binned.
Boca Seniors were always going to be favourites for the title needing only a draw from the final match up of the season but Monchengladbach have got into a habit of pulling out performances and results when the odds seem to be stacked heavily against them, this ultimatley being one of the main qualities that has seen them conquer a division packed with quality teams and players.
Boca started with great confidence but it was the Boca keeper who was brought into action after only a few minutes, Adam Elrick chased a ball played into the channel and struck a left foot shot first time that could only be palmed away.
Boca then looked to really push on and the passing and movement made it very difficult for Malia who regularly had to thank Milan Haring once again for keeping them in the game, he made several good early saves and always looked set the reds away on the attack themselves.
It was Malia Monchengladbach who were looking the most likley though when the deadlock was broken, Malia had seen a couple of strikes come close and forced several corners when a hoofed clearance was mis-judged by the reds defensive stalwart Gary Attree and the pacey Seniors striker was gone, he smashed his finish past big Milan and Malia started to fear the worst.
To have kept Boca at bay after such a strong start and then look as if it would only be a matter of time before Malia themselves would strike it was a big blow to go behind but it was at this point Rob Fleming started to influence the game.
Fleming was on a mission, winning the ball and carrying it forward looking to make in roads for Malia, a few minutes before half time he linked delightfully with Elrick who watched as his return pass was flashed into the back of the net which boosted the reds no end going in at half time.
The 2nd half kicked off with the score at 1-1 and Boca once again doing the pushing, Richard Barron whos face was as red as his shirt last time the teams met was everywhere in defence, tackling anything that came within half a mile of Frogmore pitch 1 and pushing forward on the few occassions he could!
The turning point in the game looked to have come when Shaw was sin-binned for a slide tackle on one of the Boca players who was closing in on the Monchengladbach goal.
Haring, Attree, Barron and the woodwork were just about keeping the relentless Boca at bay while Elrick, Fleming and the ever young Scotty Read looked to do nothing other than defend too.
Having weathered the storm Shaw strolled back onto the pitch, Bazza once again won a 50/50 ball and it broke to Shaw who continued to stroll and stroll and stroll until after closing in on the Boca area un-challenged he scuffed a shot past the keeper into the far corner to leave the Seniors distraught and Malia and its supporter/photographer in ectasy.
Boca continued as they had done throughout the game attacking strongly and knowing they still only needed an equalisier to claim the title.
The reds defending began to get more and more desperate, Boca seemed to have a couple of decent penalty claims turned down thanks to Harings innocent looks, at times almost convincing himself!
The game did start to stretch as Boca pushed more and more, Shaw had a great chance from close range and Read drove a shot wide as Monchengladbach counter attacked.
In the end though the last few seconds of the game fizzled out as the ever dogged Malia Monchengladbach players once again achieved legendary status becoming the championship CHAMPIONS!
