The able-bodied men from Chapala’s Firefighters and Civil Protection Unit earned the champions’ trophy at the first annual Bomberos Torneo de Fútbol, held Saturday, January 24 at the municipal soccer field. 

In game one of the playoff round, the Chapala team trounced their colleagues from Poncitlán’s fire department, sailing ahead with a 5-1 goal score. Bomberos de Jocotepec  defeated the team from Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos in the second game to qualify for the championship match.

The heated final between Chapala and Jocotepec ended in a zero-zero score during regulation 90-minute game time, propelling the players into a penalty shootout to determine the winner. 

The first round of five free kicks pitting designated shooters against the goalies finished in a 1-1 draw.  The tie persisted when both teams failed to score in a second bout. Chapala finally landed a single goal in the third shoot-out to capture victory. 

Despite somewhat slack attendance attributed to competition from various other events scheduled for the same day, the athletic firemen and spectators in the stands relished a great day of sportsmanship and spirited conviviality.  

Event organizers affiliated with the Lakeside Fire and Red Cross Assistance Group are enthusiastic about repeating and even expanding the scope of the tournament next year. They expressed gratitude to everyone who turned out to cheer on the teams or bought tickets to support the cause. The extend special thanks to Chapala fire department staff and Chuy Hernández, director of Chapala’s Comude Sports Council, for the crucial assistance in all the logistics.