Mini World Cup

With a nod to the impending Women's UEFA Euros and Men's World Cup finals in Qatar in November, for the past 3 weeks nearly one hundred boys and girls from Years 4,5 & 6 have been battling it out in a 9 a-side mini World Cup football tournament held at lunchtimes.

Tournament organiser, Liam from Year 6, has written the following overview of the tournament:

The early stages of the tournament saw 10 teams covering all the continents of the world, placed in two groups. Group A consisted of Italy, Ukraine, Japan, Argentina and Brazil. Group B consisted of France, New Zealand, Canada, Uganda and England.

Italy and France both topped their respective groups with both Ukraine and New Zealand edging a second place finish. Early tournament favourites from Group B, Canada, surprisingly failed to qualify besides having some of the school's finest players.

The stage was now set for two tense semi-final matches. Ukraine were pitched against a formidable France led by the boys' school U11's team vice captain, Teddy, whilst outsiders New Zealand, were paired with the mentally strong Italians who featured top girl player, Taya.

France easily breezed past Ukraine 2-0 in the first semi-final but Italy almost came unstuck against a stubborn Kiwi team who took the Italians to a gripping penalty shoot-out. Fortunately for Italy, Year 6 hotshot, Micah, converted the winning penalty firing his shot low into the bottom right corner of the onion sack!

With nearly 250 pupils and staff watching, the final took place on a rain battered pitch. Following a tense, goalless first half, the game came alive in the second period when the Italian striker, Micah, opened the scoring with a goal that took a wicked deflection off the French keeper, Oliver.

However, within a minute the French team levelled when Year 5 pupil, Sebastian, struck the back of the Italian net with a thumping shot from the edge of the 6 yard box.

At the final whistle there was nothing to separate the two teams so the outcome could only be decided by the feared penalty shoot-out. After goal after goal and miss after miss, the pressure weighed heavily on the shoulders of Year 4 pupil, Cody, who stepped up to the spot firing his unreachable penalty into the top corner of the net. France were champions of the world, well at least the school!

Player of the match: Oliver (France - Year 5)

Photography by Toby ( Year 5 )

Spreadsheet by Liam ( Year 6 )