Dallas Cup Match Reports

The Dallas Cup 2009 experience.

Fri. 3rd April

We arrived into Dallas Fort Worth exhausted after flying via Toronto and then on to Texas. A journey that lasted approximately 26hrs mixed between flights, delays, customs and making connections.

Arriving at midnight on Saturday it was crucial for the players to rest and be ready for registration and the pre-match training session in which we would have a friendly game against the Dallas Texans (Super Group – Team).

The boys met the families at the airport and were taken home to rest before the first training session.

Sat. 4th April

The training session was held at Flower Mount College on an american football astro truf pitch surrounded by huge stands. Training was made up of fitness and possesion drills finishing with a 30mins training match against the Dallas Texans (our host family's) . After 10mins Lewisham started to dominate possession of the ball, and the game ended nil-nil. After coming off the pitch the players started to realise the effect of the heat on their performances.

In the evening the host families put on a true Texan style Barbaque in which there were games and activities set up to bond the teams. A photograph of all the players from both teams was taken and presents were given to the Lewisham players and coaches.

Sun 5th April.

Our first match took place at Pizza Hut Park against the strongest local team called 'Solar fc'. The game was lost two - nil in terrible windy conditions. These are typical Dallas conditions in which the local teams are familar with. Our boys found these conditions extremly difficult to play in and could not play their normal passing game. The opponents went one - nil up due to a poor defensive error within the first 10mins which put the team on the back foot. This was followed by sustained Lewisham pressure with a shot from outside the box by 'Frankie Richards' going just wide of the post. Lewisham had other chances with a shot that went over the crossbar taken by 'Stephon Hayles'. Unfortunately Lewisham could not score during the sustained period in which they were on top. Towards the end of the game with Lewisham taking risks to score the equaliser and pushing players forward Solar scored there second goal on the counter attack.

After the match all the players and staff went to the main Pizza Hut Park stadium which seats over twenty thousand people and watched Sau Paulo (Brazil) vs Dallas Texans (USA). In which Sau Paulo destroyed the Texans 7-0.

Once the game had finished all 121 teams came on to the main pitch to meet each other and have photos taken with them.

We all went up into the stadium stands to watch Man. City vs AC Milan in which Man. City won 4-0.

Mon. 6th April.

Our second game was against Miami in a disappointing two-nil defeat and ended our hopes of us progressing from the group stages into the knock out rounds. Once again the windy conditions had a major influence on the game and the referee did not allow the game to flow, sending off one of our key midfielders with a straight red that should have been a yellow card. This changed the dynamics of the match as we could not play the tactics set out. The game ended two-nil by a deflected shot outside the area and a goal mouth scramble in which there should have been a hand ball decison for us.