Vasca victorious in France

Vasca Amateur are bound for the finals of the UEFA Regions' Cup after winning the Group 1 mini-tournament in France.

Kempen held
The Spanish representatives at the tournament confirmed their progress to the finals with a 5-0 win against Scotland's Highlands and Islands Amateur on the final day of the tournament, as their nearest rivals, Belgium's Kempen Amateur, were held to a 2-2 draw by host team Nord-Pas de Calais Amateur.

Vasca rout
Eleder Ibarolla put Vasca ahead after just four minutes of the game against Highlands and Islands, with Francisco Xabier Gurtubay making it 2-0 three minutes later. Substitute Roberto Correa added a third goal midway through the second half before Alain Arroyo and Ibarolla completed the rout in the dying minutes.

French grit
Kempen had needed a better win than Vasca to progress with the two teams dead level at the start of the final game, but they were 2-0 down after 21 minutes as Johan Dumesic and Alexandre Danset put the French side ahead. Tim Verbeke and David Ruth scored the second-half goals that drew Kempen level.

Dead level
Vasca started the tournament with a 3-0 win against Pas de Calais in their opening game while Kempen triumphed against Highlands and Islands by the same margin. There was nothing to separate the sides after two games either as Vasca's José Betes cancelled out an own goal from team-mate Eneko Chopitea when his side met Kempen.

Materez double
Meanwhile, in the other game on the second day of the tournament, two goals from Jérémy Materez saw Pas de Calais win 2-0 against Highlands and Islands. The finals of the Regions' Cup, Europe's premier event for amateur footballers, will be held at a yet-to-be decided location in June 2005.