Portugal Fc 1

On a cold day in the sun, the Firsts took on top-of-the-league FC Portugal. James got us off to a bright start by winning the toss, forcing the Portuguese to play into the sun. A clear tactical plan was laid out for how to press, with the forwards putting in an extra shift.

The plan paid off early. We took a 0–1 lead thanks to a brilliant header from Tiago inside their six-yard box, beating two defenders to the ball. Our press continued to cause trouble, and we recovered possession several times deep on their half. Later on Tiago struck again with a composed finish into the far corner to make it 0–2.

The second half brought more of the same. Rachid curled in a superb free kick to extend the lead to 0–3. Portugal pulled one back from the penalty spot, leading to a few squeaky bum moments for Kev Flynn on the sideline. But substitute Vincent quickly restored the confidence, making it 1–4 and sealing the match.

A great all-round team performance from the Firsts!

MOTM: Tiago