Under 11 Performance Squad vs Procision Oxford Amazons

JPL Warriors Cup U12 Group 5

Yesterday was a momentous day for our U11 performance squad as they played their first-ever JPL Warriors match, facing a tough Procision Oxford team a year ahead of them. Despite being the younger side, our girls displayed incredible heart and determination from start to finish.

The team started with a high tempo and maintained that energy for the full 80 minutes. They battled fiercely for every ball, competing against players who were not only older but also bigger. Our squad showed immense resilience, proving they could stand their ground against a physically imposing team.

Early in the match, a strong headwind made it difficult for us to clear the ball from our goal kicks, but the team stuck to their philosophy, constantly looking for ways to break through the opposition's press. While goal-scoring opportunities were limited in the first half, we went into halftime down just 1-0.

In the third quarter, with the wind now in our favour, we looked more dangerous on the attack. We continued to defend bravely, but a small lapse in concentration led to a second conceded goal with less than a minute left in the quarter.

Our team's positive attitude never wavered. We were unlucky not to score when a shot hit the post, and the follow-up was disallowed after the ball had just gone out of play. Procision Oxford scored their third goal with a moment of brilliant skill, but our girls never gave up. They kept pushing forward and were rewarded with a well-deserved goal in the final minutes.

The match ended in a 3-1 defeat, but this game was filled with so many victories for our squad. The passion and fight our girls showed proved they are not out of their depth playing a year up. This promises to be an exciting year of development as they continue to face older and bigger opponents.