BOYS' FINAL: Brazil 0-1 Netherlands

After being heavily criticised following his team's semi-final defeat at the Med Cup, Mister Nikos answered his critics today with a masterful tactical victory over a Brazil who dominated possession but couldn't score.

The first period finished scoreless; the best chance fell to Ruben at the far post but his header went just wide. Daniel had a few half chances for Brazil and he made the best of them but lacked support. Santiago played a risky game in goal but his frequent forays up front proved fruitless.

The game's only goal came in the second period. Lorenzo, continuing in the fine vein of form that began in Verona and continued through the semi-final, made a great run down the left, beat two defenders and was tripped by the thir defender as he turned into the penalty area: penalty! Converted by Lorenzo!! 1-0!!!

Brazil threw everything at the Dutch in the last period but nothing much got past Giulio and Ben, and anything that did was ably dealt with by Giovanni. Interviewed after the game about his tactical approach, Mister Nikos declared: "The plan was to score first and then defend in depth". Simple but effective.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Lorenzo 8, Ben 5, Vittorio dP 5, Giulio 3, Giovanni 3, Santiago 2, Sam 1, Daniel 1

Germany 4-1 Argentina

 Argentina flattered to deceive at the beginning of today's match. Lucas fired his team ahead and Pedro looked like he might dominate in midfield again. But, as the match wore on, Pedro forgot how to pass and Lucas forgot how to score. Germany took full advantage. Theo grew into the game; Kevin was electric in midfield, Remy and Adam O were solid in the tackle and Aron had his best game yet. Mattia's pace up front unsettled the Argentinian defence and Mattia scored two goals and played the assist for Theo's goal too. Adam H and Dylan copuldn't drag Argentina back into it, but Ben played well in two positions and Victor made some crucial saves later on.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Victor 5, Kevin 5, Theo 3, Remy 3, Aron 2, Adam O 2, Adam H 2, Mattia 2, Ben M 2, Pedro 2

BOYS' semi-final penalty shoot-outs: RESULTS

Brazil 4-2 Germany

Netherlands 4-3 Argentina

AOSR Tournament: AMBRIT Wins all Six Matches!

 Ambrit's g8 team rode into Roma Nord on Saturday morning and swept aside all opposition with a powerful display of teamwork that netted 31 goals in 6 games, conceding just 2.

Here is the story of the day....

Chapter 1: Hitting the post

Having established an early lead over Southlands 'A' with goals from Pedro and Zach, Theo was forced into an impressive double save to keep his team in front. Alberto hit the post, Zach scored again (kind of...), then he hit the post just before the end; good start... Ambrit 3-1 Southlands 'A'.

Chapter 2: Jonah takes Centre Stage 

Mattia was often Ambrit's fastest starter and he opened the scoring here: Brother Zach turned assisit-man and set up Theo and Pedro for goals two and three. And then Jonah took over. In an extraordinary 10' of inspired play, Jonah banged in four goals one after the other to the immense joy of his team-mates and supporters. With the opposition stunned into submission, Bertie applied the final, killer touch: Ambrit 8-0 Southlands 'B'.

Chapter 3: Stepping on Acorns 

Ambrit were caught napping at the start of this game but luckily Theo was awake and made a great save to keep the score at 0-0. The Bentsons then crafted one of the day's most beautiful goals: Mattia met Zach's perfect pass with a crisp first-time shot right into the corner of the net. Santi passed to Pedro for goal no. 2 and Zach passed to Santi for no. 3. Santiago added two more and Giorgio got onto the scoresheet for goal no. 6: Ambrit 6-0 Acorn.

Chapter 4: Botta e risposta... e poi qualche botta

This might have been a difficult game but Ambrit were now on a roll, in the zone and pretty unstoppable. Giorgio scored again and Alberto played in Zach for a second. Zach's throw produced a third when Alberto knocked it over the line and Pedro scored a fourth. Finding themselves 0-4 down, AOSR got a bit more physical but Ambrit matched them on the ball and off the ball and Alberto curled an exquisite fifth goal around the defender to give the goalkeeper no chance. Jonah, hungry for more goals, added a sixth. Ambrit 6-0 AOSR.

Chapter 5: San Giorgio 

New School maybe gave us our toughest game of the day... let's call them the dragon. No problem, we've got San Giorgio: he scored the first, set up the second (Zach) and the third (Zach), scored the fourth, set up the fifth (Pedro) and then used his psychic powers to help Alberto to score the sixth. Ambrit 6-0 New School.

Chapter 6: Inside Out

The last game of the day was against St. George's. Like us, they wear a red and blue jersey. They kindly turned their shirts inside out for this game and then Santiago et al proceeded to turn them inside out. Well, not really. This was a good team; this was a nervous match, this was a narrow win. Pedro scored first, Alberto scored later, St George's huffed, St. George's puffed but Ambrit won... again... well done... to all!

SEMI-FINAL: Argentina 1-1 Netherlands

 Another entertaining semi-final, another absorbing match, another 1-1 draw. Pedro had so many touches on the ball today, winning it in midfield and bringing it forward into attack. After some close shaves, it was a Pedro shot that put his team 1-0 up; Giovanni got to the ball with an acrobatic dive but he could only push into the corner instead of around the post. For a while it looked like Argentina might pull away, but the Netherlands were still creating chances. Ruben almost scored with a header but Lucas saved well and Antonio hit the bar with the rebound. Lorenzo had chances too but the Argentinian defence of Giulio P + Dylan was solid. Zach played as target man up front but Giulio T kept him largely under control. Adam and Vittorio had a good battle in midfield but Adam couldn't stop the grade 7 ace from scoring the equaliser.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Pedro 6, Vittorio 5, Giulio T 4, Antonio 3, Lorenzo 2,  Adam H 2, Giulio P 1, Ben M 1, Giovanni Z 1, Ruben 2, Dylan 1

PENALTY SHOOT-OUTS MONDAY LUNCHTIME!!!!!

Grade 7 students have exams but will be finished and can be in school for the penalties.

SEMI-FINAL 1: Brazil 1-1 Germany

 Santiago and Daniele were the two most dangerous attacking players on the field today and both of them made it onto to the score-sheet. Santiago scored first, taking advantage of a defensive error to smash the ball home.  Daniele's equaliser came with practically the last kick of the game, as he stuck out a foot to prod home an Ale shot past Santiago in goal. In between these two goals, both teams player good football. Theo was solid at the back for Germany, Bernardo for Brazil. Ale foraged well in midfield for Germany, Jonah did the same for Brazil. Marco was always available up front for Brazil; Adrian saved his team late on with a fantastic double save.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Santiago 5, Daniele 4, Ale 3, Adrian 3, Theo 3, Bernardo 3, Jonah 2, Kevin 2, Adam O 1, Marco 1, Daniel 1

COPPA ACLI: Simplicitas 1-1 Ambrit

 This was one of Ambrit's best performances of the year and it deserved to be crowned with more goals and with a victory. Despite creating chance after chance after chance, Ambrit found themselves 1-0 down and it stayed that way until well into the second half as chance after chance was wasted. Shots went wide, shots went over, shots were saved by a very good goalkeeper until finally, after spending most of the game in goal, Ale was played through and he fired a crisp lefty-footed shot past the goalkeeper to make it 1-1.

A lot of good performances today: Bernardo was excellent against a tough opponent; Carlo and Jonah cleared up everything when they came on but it was Captain Santiago who was really outstanding today. Determined, lucid and effective - both in attack and in defence - he totally led by example.

ANSPI: Ambrit 1-3 CRIS

 This was a very even game but Ambrit's inability to convert chances into goals cost them dearly. And things had stated so well! Ruben took a corner on the right and Gabriele came in on the far post and met the perfectly-flighted ball with a perfectly-judged header: 1-0.

CRIS equalised with a headed goal of their own before the first break and they then added a goal in each of the remaining periods to take the three points.

TEAM: Vittorio, Diego, Francesco, Gabriele, Sara, Aurora, Ben, Oliver, Ruben

Russia 0-0 Bolivia

 È la Russia che affronterà il Messico nella finalissima del torneo femminile: è bastato lo 0-0 a Carolina & Co per guadagnare il punto decisivo. Ottima prestazione in difesa di Aali ed Ella, molto attente alle incursioni di Camila e Aurora, mentre Rose e Irene hanno battagliato a centrocampo per guadagnare terreno e proporsi in avanti. Carolina, ha gestito le forze con intelligenza, cercando nel primo tempo di difendere e avanzando nel finale di partita per fare il colpaccio.

Sul lato sudamericano Bianca, Vittoria e Lavinia hanno corso pochi rischi, forse con qualche fallo di troppo, mentre la coppia d'attacco ha mancato la stoccata finale e non è riuscita a pungere.

PLAYER OF THA MATCH POINTS:

Vittoria 3,  Aali 3, Rose 3, Camila 3, Ella 3, Aurora 2, Bianca 2, Irene 1.

Australia 2-0 Bolivia

 L'Australia, quasi al completo, batte con una certa facilità la Bolivia, negando alle Sudamericane di giocare l'ultima partita prevista nel girone con la Russia in situazione di parità. Le reti tutte nel secondo tempo, una sfortunata autorete prima e un gol facile di Alice a conferma della superiorità di gioco e territoriale. 

Decisiva l'assenza di Camila, leader della Bolivia, reduce dall'ottima prestazione alla MedCup. Aurora e compagne hanno potuto solo assistere alla sconfitta e ora la strada per la finale si fa in salita, dato che ci sarà bisogno di una vittoria con una differenza reti importante.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH POINTS: Isabel 5, Abby 3, Alice 2, Vittoria 2, Bianca P 1, Aurora 1.

Russia 1-0 Mexico

 La Russia compie un passo decisivo verso la finale femminile 2022, battendo il favoritissimo Mexico, seppure grazie a uno sfortunato autogol. Non è stato facile infatti - fino ad ora - perforare la difesa centroamericana, che può schierare tra i pali la neopremiata "Best Goalkeeper" alla recente Mediterranean Cup, Myla. 

La partita è stata piuttosto equilibrata, con poche occasioni da una parte e dall'altra, ma l'autorete ha mescolato le carte in tavola e la Russia ne ha approfittato. A due partite dalla fine del girone, nulla è ancora deciso, se non la presenza del Mexico in finale: staremo a vedere!

PLAYER OF THE MATCH POINTS: Irene 4, Myla 3, Clara 3, Carolina 2, Rose 2, Emma 1, Aali 1.

ACLI League: Third Place Final - Ambrit 3-0 Miracoli

 It was one of those days when the Ambrit team was compact, concentrated and concrete. Theo in goal and a starting backline of Santiago-Bernardo-Giorgio was solid. The first half was a very even affair. Ambrit started strongly, pushing back their opponents and forcing some mistakes. Not too many chances though - not too many shots - until Emilio almost scored... but the ball came back off the post. Miracoli were growing into the game though and their passing and movement was good. Theo was forced into making two very good saves. Then Ambrit went ahead. Giorgio curled an indirect free kick towards the far post... the goalkeeper flapped at the ball, touched it, and in it went: 1-0!

Ambrit did not allow Miracoli to settle into their stride in the second half. Santiago, who had one of those games where he seemed to be everywhere on the pitch, went on another mazy run that saw him drift past one defender, burst through two tackles and score the second goal. Giorgio added a third when he got on the end of a Zach throw-in and the 3-0 scoreline saw them comfortably over the line.

BOYS SEMI - FINALS

Wed May 18th: BRAZIL versus GERMANY

Fri May 20th: NETHERLANDS versus ARGENTINA

Netherlands 3-1 Belgium

 This Benelux derby was one of the best games of the year: exciting attacking movements, decisive defending and outstanding goalkeepers. Lorenzo was in fine form today and it was he who forced the first good save of the day, from Adriano. At the other end, Alberto tested Giovanni and then, as the play switched to and fro, Lorenzo shot just wide. Vittorio forced Adriano into another good save and thenBelgium took the lead when Carlo's shot was saved by Giovanni but turned in by Alberto on the rebound. It didn't take long for Netherlands to equalise: Ruben  pounced on some indecisive defending and rolled the ball past Adriano. 

In period 2, Vittorio forced his way past three opponents and fired a shot past Adriano to make it 2-1. Belgium then brought three saves out of Giovanni with shots in quick succession from Alby, Giorgio and then Alberto again. No goal though, and Lorenzo took advantage of the new spaces opening up to score again: 3-1. No more goals in period 3, with Gabriel making two fantastic saves from Antonio and Vittorio.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Lorenzo 6, Vittorio 6, Giovanni 5, Gabriele 4, Adriano 2,Antonio 1, Leo 1,  Carlo 1, Rocco 1, Alberto 1

ACLI (2007/2008): SEMI FINAL, Monteverde 6-1 Ambrit

 A tired Ambrit team was no match today for a Monteverde team that was determined to expolit home advantage to the full and secure their qualification for Saturday's final. Ambrit were never consistent with their tackling and were slow to the second ball and their opponents took full advantage. The team must now try to collect whatever reserves of energy they have and prepare for the Third-place play off on Saturday at 11.00.

Spain 4-1 Italy

 Returning to international duty after representing their school at in Verona, Italy disappointed their fans who expected more from the Med Cup finalists. Emilio crossed a ball for the first goal, Daniele P rising majestically to score with his head. Shots from Atena (over) and Emma (wide) gave the Italians some hope but Dani killed that off with a second goal. Matteo scored the best goal of the game, a cracker from 25 meters into the top corner and Captain Seb made it 4-0 off a Dani assist. Italy pulled one goal back to make the final score 4-1.

BEST PLAYER POINTS: Matteo 5, Cameron 4, Abby 4, Emilio 3, Daniele 3, Sara 2, Bianca P 2, Seb 2, Trym 1, Hugo 1, Isabel 1