Under 16 Tournaments Ferbruary 2025

Portugal 0-1 Mexico. Locals will be a bit sick with this as they had most of the ball. No chances tho, and Mexico made more with less, principally two off the line. A 30yard snorter in off the bar, by  Mexicos centre half with the last kick [again] won it. Very much a bolt from the blue.

Day 3 today, 

Portugal 1-1 Netherlands. Won on penalties by the visitors. It took a while as I think overall there were more pens missed than scored.

Mexico 0-1 Germany. First half penalty won this one. If only Mexico had been confident enough to play a more attacking game from the start, it could have been a different outcome.

Sadly no idea who won the competition. No presentation or announcement. Suppose it may creep out on social media at some point. 

On to the mens/boys tournament from next Thursday.

Netherlands 3-1 Portugal.

Home team on top in the first half, led by a goal thanks to their No7, unashamedly a Cristiano clone ..... flicks, tricks, the lot. Dutch team got a grip on him following half time, marked him out of the game [fairly] and Portugal faded away. Three goals saw the Oranjes triumphant.

Germany 0-0 Japan [17-18 on pens].

After a promising first 20 minutes, with plenty of neat football from both teams, the game limped along goalless thereafter. Barely a shot in anger. Penalties to decide the third point was poles apart ..... first six for each were scored..... then two for each missed [Germans hit both against the bar with the Japanese skying one and the German keeper with  a good stop against the other].... then back to successful kicks, including both goalkeepers ...... on to repeat action from 9-9......... all went well until a rather feeble attempt, saved,  gave the delirious Japanese the spoils at 18-17.

Apologies for spending a lot more comment on the pens than the game itself.

Thats football, I guess.