19 July 2001

Gothia cup - thursday - well as i told you yesterday, thursday is the toughest day in the cup and we started off great, the girls 14 won their 1\8 round match in penalty kicks, they dominated the game and deserved the victory anyhow, at the same time the girls 19 lost in the last 30 seconds 1-0 and are out, they are devastated as you might expect but have to recover as most of them play with the girls 16 in less than 2 hours.  the girls 16 lost a tough game also 1-0 but the heart and drive the girls somehow found was very inspiring. they are devastated again and are running a rollercoaster of emotions. no time to think as the girls 14 have a 1\4 final game the same afternoon and the kids are all following each other and supporting each other, especially the boys, once again the boys have taken on the role of cheerleader and are carrying the girls to higher levels with their enthusiasm. the girls 14 game takes shape as very physical with both teams playing the body, the referee is terrible and the coaches let him know about, with as much class as possible.  penalty kicks again as we dominate the game but can not score, we lose this time as lady luck is against us.  i am so proud of the girls as they left their heart and soul on the field and they can not hide their emotions.  tough loss and a long walk home.  a good shower and some free time with their family and friends should provide some recharging of the battery.  all in all a great cup, not any hardware this year but great games and experiences.  tomorrow will be a little less stressful for all of us.

Ed