U14 Whites vs Team 780

Match Report: U14s Whites 4-4 780

This was truly a game of two halves, and the lads showed incredible character to come back from 4-0 down at half-time to secure a 4-4 draw. The first 20 minutes really hurt us, as two quick goals came from the gap between our full-back and centre-back, with their fast winger causing problems. Unfortunately Rocco made a handling error to lead to another goal, this sometimes happens to keepers and though he was devastated by it, he bounced back and performed brilliantly after that with 3 or 4 good saves to keep us in the game over the course of the match.

Despite being 3-0 down going into the second quarter, we actually outplayed them in through whole of it, controlled possession and created chances, but 780 had one shot and took it clinically, extending their lead to 4-0. C'mon we all knew the comeback was on!

In the third quarter, the boys came out with renewed energy and belief, and the comeback was most certainly on. We got an early goal, and from there, we moved the ball better in possession and pressed with real intensity. 780 struggled to deal with our high press, leading to more goal-kicks and chances for us. We showed a real desire to win the ball back, which led to two more goals and gave us momentum heading into the final period.

The final quarter saw us keep pushing, and we levelled the game at 4-4 with a fantastic team effort. At that point, I truly felt we could go on to win it, but it was one of those matches where we could have lost it too. It was end-to-end, and both teams had chances, but we were unlucky not to find a winner.

Key Takeaways:

• A tough start left us 4-0 down, with defensive gaps and a handling error contributing to the early deficit.
• Rocco recovered well after his mistake and was solid for the rest of the match.
• We outplayed 780 in the second quarter but were hit by a clinical finish on one of their few chances.
• The second half was a brilliant display of character, with improved possession and pressing that led to three second-half goals.
• We showed great resilience to come back from 4-0 down and were unfortunate not to win it in the end.

While the first half was difficult, the way the boys fought back showed their strength and determination. It was a great comeback, and we’ll take the positives from this match as we continue to grow as a team.