Sigma Champions League 2023 Final: Thrilling, dramatic and exciting with the throne belonging to M1 Team

"One tree cannot make a mountain, three trees gathered together can make a high mountain." The proverb borrows the familiar image of trees and mountains to talk about solidarity: One tree cannot create strength, but three trees - plural - will create a solid, solid mountain. In other words, an individual can be weak, but when everyone joins forces and unites, they will create great strength. That statement is true for what the new champion of Sigma Champions League (SCL) 2023 has shown on the field. With the spirit of unity, unanimity and uniform play from all sides, the owner of the 2023 Sigma Champions League gold trophy has officially named the M1 team. Football fans in general or Sigma football lovers in particular witnessed the fiery performance of M1 strikers in the confrontation with the veterans of the Electric team. M1 does not depend on a few stars who are too prominent or different, but the M1 boys have become their own stars, stars of consensus and solidarity that any striker can finish, in positions that no one would expect.

With the top players of the season, the fiery final match called out the two most worthy names of the E1 and M1 tournaments on the afternoon of December 17, 2023 at Lang Bang B Stadium, Linh Dam, Hanoi.

Opening the final round series are two matches to determine positions 7 & 8 between M&S - M2 and positions 5 & 6 between E3 - E2. Entering the 7th prize match, both M&S and M2 were determined to win after going through 2 matches in the series round with no winners or losers. The match was balanced from the first moments until the end of the first half, the two clubs still could not find each other's net once. In the second half, MS were the ones to take the lead with a successful penalty kick. But the M2 players also found the equalizer later with a penalty kick. In the remaining minutes of play, both clubs were unable to find each other's net once more and had to drag each other into an unfortunate penalty shootout. In this series, M2 players were the ones who performed better and won with a score of 3-0, taking 7th place in the final SCL 2023.
 

 
M2 completely defeated M&S to win 7th place in the final SCL 2023 tournament

 

On field number 1 is match 5 & 6 between electric brothers E2 - E3. The E3 players are the ones who are more appreciated in this match with their youthful and fighting force. The initial situation was better for the E3 players with consecutive attacks on the E2 side of the field. But unable to find a goal to take the lead, the E3 players had to concede a goal after a very quick counterattack from their team. Stunned after conceding a goal, E3 players could not find an equalizer when the two teams entered the break, accepting a small advantage for E2. Entering the second half, changing the formation with many attacking positions, the E3 players raised the attacking formation, and the result was 2 consecutive goals after a few minutes, turning the situation around. In the following minutes, although they tried very hard to find an equalizing goal, the loss of physical strength made the E2 players unable to do what they needed, accepted the loss and finished the tournament in 6th place overall.

 
  
E2 lost to E3 and accepted 6th place overall
 

The bronze medal match between Safety - M3 is considered very difficult to predict as both launched their strongest squad with the determination to bring home the bronze medal this year. The match was tense and balanced right from the first minutes of play with duels taking place on the field of both clubs. At the end of the first round, both sides were still undefeated, promising a round full of drama ahead. In the second half, it was still a balanced and attacking match between the two sides. In an attacking phase, M3 players found the opening goal. Having taken the lead, Safety rushed into the opponent's field with consecutive shots. The result was an equalizing goal in the following minutes with captain Nguyen Van Hiep's close-range cushion to equalize the score 1-1. In the remaining minutes of play, both clubs played cautiously, and the match ended with a score of 1-1, dragging each other into an unfortunate penalty shootout. In this match, M3 players were the ones who performed better with a stronger mentality and won 2-1 in the end, winning the SCL-2023 bronze medal.

 
 
M3 defeated Safety in the penalty shootout to take the bronze medal of the SCL 2023 tournament

 

Flag raising ceremony of the SCL 2023 final match
 

Finally, there is the championship match of the SCL 2023 season, many scenarios are presented because both teams have a team of good quality players. The opening whistle blew, followed by consecutive attacks from M1 strikers. In the first minutes of the match, quality players from M1 like Nguyen Kien Thanh were always closely marked by the opponent, trying to block every ball. In the 12th minute of the match, the final score opened for E1 with a goal belonging to striker Ta Duc Canh. However, just a few minutes later, player Thai Van Thang scored a goal to equalize 1-1 for M1. What followed was a series of tit-for-tat attacks. M1 then gained momentum, scoring two consecutive goals from strikers Tien Dat and Dao Van Cong, raising the score to 3-1 in the extra minutes at the end of the first half.
 

 
 

M1 defeated M1 with a score of 5-2 to step up to the SCL 2023 throne

The match entered the halftime break, and both teams had a conference call. Football fans still remember this day 24 years ago, MU stepped to the top of Champions League glory in 1999 after defeating Bayern Munich because of an "unbelievable comeback" that took place in just 90 seconds of extra time. Does this scenario apply to E1 boys? Striker Hoang Long then scored 1 goal, increasing the score to 3-2 for E1, shortening the gap for the E1 boys. I thought E1 would take advantage of the psychological momentum to bring the match back to the starting line, but no. M1 immediately increased the score to 4-2 and ended with a goal from striker Nguyen Kien Thanh to close the match with a score of 5-2. E1 missed too many opportunities and had to regret missing out on the gold cup once again, ceding the throne to the new owner of SCL 2023: the M1 football team.
 

Bronze medal of the SCL 2023 tournament: M3 team


Silver medal of the SCL 2023 tournament: E1 team




Owner of the SCL 2023 championship trophy: M1 football team

Nervous. Thrilling. Feeling. Shutter. That's all we can say about the SCL 2023 football tournament. After 60 tough official matches, with 293 goals scored and 293 different shades of happiness and sadness, SCL 2023 has officially come to an end. At the same time, the closing ceremony and individual awards also took place successfully and well with a lot of love and attention from the audience, bringing a colorful and meaningful closure.

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