WOW! What a game we have seen tonight! Our girls played their first-round fixture against Highfields in the Wolverhampton City Football Cup (our first ever match on grass and at home!).
The match consisted of 4 x 10 min quarters in conditions that can only be considered suitable if we were looking to sail a ship! Windy and freezing! But we got on with it anyway!
The game finished 2 – 2 after the allocated time, with us coming back from behind twice with goals from Amber and Elexus (both fantastic finishes and assisted by Rene).
We had ample opportunities to win the game as well as Highfields. Rene made possibly 6 saves during the match that kept us in it. We grew in confidence as be gained game time, looking to dribble where we could. In extra-time, we defended with our lives (as Elexus said) and almost had an opportunity to win the match. We moved on to penalties – this is where the nerves kicked in!! We haven’t practiced them much!
We decided on the order – 1. Amber 2. Elexus 3. Lexie 4. Bethany T 5. Destiny.
Now, it was show time! We lost the toss and Highfields wanted us to take the first penalty of the shootout.
Up stepped Captain Amber with a penalty that not even the mighty Emi Martinez (Aston Villa Goalkeeper) would have saved – right in the top corner with great power!
Rene pulled off a fantastic bottom corner save against their main striker – majestic!
Second, Elexus calmly slotted home the ball in the bottom corner, keeper no chance.
Rene guesses right again and pulls off a fantastic save!!!
Lexie steps up and hits a fantastic shot which I thought was seeing us home, but their keeper made a fantastic save!
Rene, booming with confidence I think intimidated the penalty taker who hit it over the bar!
Bethany steps up to try and see us home but hit it over.
I briefly mentioned to Rene, “if you save this, we win!!” – and you guessed correct, she saved it again!!!!! What a goalkeeping performance, penalty shootout star and two assists!!!!!! Player of the match, even commented on by the opposing PE teacher. Well done, Rene!
One of the best performances we have had since the group started playing as a side!! So proud!!! Great resilience to come from being behind, encouraging each other throughout and the smiles after winning was a great moment to see! Even victorious, they were so respectful to the other team, congratulating them on a great football match.