From the first whistle, the team were unstoppable. Fastest to the ball, winning every 50/50, being effective in beating the press, and played with the entertaining flair that they’ve been accustomed to all season; however, the clinical finishing was the defining factor behind the dominance the team had set in the group stage. Taking the lead within the first minute in all group stage matches, and not conceding a goal simply shows how dominant the boys were. Finishing top of the group with 3/3 wins, 10 goals scored and 0 conceded, the team moved into the Elite cup knockout stage.
The quarter final showcased a 4-1 win against Bloomsbury Foundation U9s. The Bloomsbury derby ended with the Academy group dominating the game, scoring with the first shot on target and not looking back, carrying on their fine form from the group stage.
The semi-final contained a 2-1 win against EFA. Going behind within the first 3 minutes of the match, the team was in an unfamiliar position as it was the first time within the tournament they were in a losing position. However the never-give-up mentality shone through as Yasser Gharouz found the important equaliser with 3 minutes left of the match. He then provided the assist from a quick corner and a precise cross into Santiago Caicedo, where he placed an incredible finish with the outside of his left foot into the bottom corner, the winning goal sending Bloomsbury into the final.
Going into the final, the team again found themselves going behind after 3 minutes, however once again, the boys were unfazed. Continuing with their entertaining brand of football, the boys created countless chances throughout the game however were struggling to find the finishing touch. Nevertheless, with 30 seconds left on the clock, Yasser Gharouz hounds the last defender attempting to control a bouncing ball, winning the ball and with a cute toe-poke, finds the equalizer and sends the game into a penalty shootout. Marlei Charles and Santiago Caicedo score their penalties, with the deciding moment belonging to Andi Krasniqi, making an incredible right-handed save, tipping the ball to the post, and then out, making Bloomsbury the winners of the CYL tournament in dramatic fashion.
The Bloomsbury Academy U9’s Black were the well-deserved winners of the CYL tournament. Every single player put in a fantastic performance throughout the tournament, in all positions, and it was great to see players volunteering to go in goal. Extremely proud of the heart and passion shown, and backing it up with some truly fantastic football, entertaining the cheering crowd. Yasser Gharouz was the player of the tournament, with 7 goals in 6 matches, including two important equalisers in the Semi’s and the Final, he was unstoppable and deserved this award, leading by example as our captain. The players and parents deserved this moment with all putting in maximum effort and incredible support throughout the season. It is an honour to coach these boys and work along with such a great group of parents. Thank you all!
All three goals came in the second half, Oli with the equaliser, Samuel to put Bloomsbury in the lead and Ylli with the final goal near the end of the half to put the game to bed. Ylli, today’s captain and man of the match, combined fantastically with Jon for the moment of the match. Jon relentlessly pressed the opposition defender, forcing him to clear the ball out for a corner, and he wasted no time, instantly taking the corner and finding Ylli who had made a darting run into the box and headed the ball into the back of the open net, leaving the defence scrambling! Yili’s combination play was brilliant to watch, creating plenty of opportunities for both himself and others, preventing the opposition from intercepting with clever passing and precise movement. Jon battled hard all game, constantly pressing the opposition and forcing many errors, allowing his teammates to gain the advantage on numerous occasions, some fantastic footwork on display too, avoiding defenders to create opportunities for himself very well. Oli’s ball carrying and dribbling were excellent, rarely getting dispossessed and creating pockets of space for his teammates by drawing defenders away, topping off his performance with a wonderful strike across goal that deflected in off the post. Samuel used his physicality well, dominating the midfield and putting in many well-timed challenges. He also scored one of the best goals of this season, a rifled strike into the top corner from outside the box, leaving the goalkeeper grasping at air! Jorge made some great saves, preventing multiple goals from the opposition, whilst also distributing the ball well, finding his teammates in good space on many occasions. Zac was very solid defensively, cutting out many attacks, and beating opposition attackers off the ball to win it back for his team. Morley’s playmaking was excellent, always looking for the correct options, and finding his teammates in space with minimal effort, whether cutting in and pushing forward from an attacking role or starting the attack from a deeper position, Morley was always involved in the game, a fantastic performance. Sammy’s tricky feet kept him away from the opposition at all times, finding space in the tightest of areas and maintaining possession with ease, his ability to pick out a pass is outstanding and led to many great chances. Vanya used his strength to push the opposition off the ball, very rarely letting someone get past him, and always pressing to win the ball back after it had been lost. Gabi was very involved in the play combining well with others and creating a host of opportunities for both himself and others, helping out in both defence and attack.
A very entertaining match, with some fantastic football played! A slow start for the Bloomsbury boys, but after adjusting to the pitch and some encouragement from everyone, they found their stride and ran away with the game. A very positive response to being 0-1 down at half time! During the half-time talk, the players all agreed that they had not been playing as well as they know they could. It was great to see the recognition and responsibility within the team to acknowledge this. They then went out into the second half and improved on all the aspects of the game that they had mentioned, and completely deserved the comeback win!
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