CADEMY RED WIN U13 CUP IN DRAMATIC FASHION
The final of the Middlesex FA Sam Dunn Under 13 Cup, between Cademy Red and Wealdstone Youth Red, was played on Sunday, 12th May at Rectory Park.
The Middlesex Under 13 Youth Cup was first competed for in the 1980-81 season, when it was won by Belmont United Boys FC.
The holders of this cup were Parks (Youth) FC, who turned in a superb performance to beat Parkfield Youth Red 6-2 in last season’s final at Rectory Park.
58 teams entered this season’s competition.
Both of the teams engaged in this game play in the Premier Division of the Harrow Youth League. Wealdstone Youth Red topped the Division this season by winning 16 of their 18 games and finishing on 48 points. Cademy Red finished in 6th place on 27 points.
Cademy Red drew a bye in round 1. They then reached the final by winning 3 of their 4 ties in penalty shoot-outs. They outshot FC Starz Red after a 1-1 home draw in round 2. Cademy then beat Parkfield Youth Red 9-1 away in round 3. Penalty shoot-out wins in their quarter-final against Ickenham Youth Eagles and their semi-final against Ashford Town (Middlesex) Junior Warrior, both away, followed. Both these matches had finished 2-2 at full-time.
Wealdstone Youth Red’s path to the final was much less complicated. They beat Omonia Youth Gold 5-0 at home in round 1, Hampton & Richmond Borough Youth Colts 18-1 away in round 2, Bedfont Eagles 7-1 away in round 3, Panthera FC Red 6-1 away in the quarter-final and SYS FC Red 4-2 away in the semi-final.
The duration of matches in this competition is 35 minutes each half. Rolling substitutions are used.
The eventual outcome of this keenly contested and defence dominated match illustrated just how unpredictable football can be. Wealdstone took the lead in the 2nd minute but Cademy equalised 5 minutes into the second half. With the score at 1 goal each, the match went to a highly dramatic penalty shoot-out, which was won by Cademy.
Alex Owen headed home from Pat Price’s corner, to put Wealdstone ahead in the 2nd minute.
Wealdstone kept up the pressure. Cademy goalkeeper, Mace Osei-Kwabena, held Darren Drizys’ long shot. James Blackwell squared low for Jack Kerr, whose shot cleared the crossbar.
James Blackwell headed home but the score was disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper.
Cademy exerted pressure on the Wealdstone defence as the match progressed.
Zayd Linton’s long shot was fielded by the Wealdstone keeper. Then Luca Petre hit a bouncing ball into the side netting of the Wealdstone goal.
Yousef Mohammed tested the keeper with a drive. Diego Rojas made a run down the left and shot just wide and Alan Kielbasa was also narrowly off target.
At the other end, Mace saved at close range from Ibraham Hatabi.
Half-time score: Cademy Red 0 Wealdstone Youth Red 1
Wealdstone changed their goalkeeper at the start of the second half, bringing on Vlad Denes for Otto Ball.
Pat Price crossed low for Ibrahim Hatabi, whose close-range shot was saved by Mace Osei-Kwabena.
Abram Cuerdo set up Ibrahim, whose high shot was pushed for a corner by Mace. Mace then saved from James Blackwell and low at Ibraham’s feet.
Yousef Mohammed cut in and equalised for Cademy, with a low shot, 5 minutes after the break.
Mace made an acrobatic high save from Abram.
Long freekicks for Wealdstone by both Alex Owen and Darren Drizys cleared the Cademy bar.
Vlad Denes saved Mohammed Khan’s header.
Mace then made a succession of saves from Frankie Booth, Abram Cuerdo and Keshon Parker-Gordon and then took Keshon’s wide freekick under his crossbar.
Abram then set up Ibrahim, who was foiled by the keeper.
Mace made further saves from Keshon, Albie Carroll and Alex Owen, before the referee whistled for the end of the 70 minutes.
Just before the latter happened, Wealdstone changed their goalkeeper again, re-introducing Otto Ball in anticipation of the imminent penalty shoot-out.
Score at full-time: Cademy Red 1 Wealdstone Youth Red 1
Cademy went first in the shoot-out.
The first pair of kickers, Kayaon Oshilaj and Abram Cuerdo were successful.
Otto Ball then put Wealdstone in the driving seat by diving to his right to save Cademy’s second kick, taken by Alan Kielbasa. Alex Owen converted for Wealdstone to put them ahead.
The 3rd pair of penalty takers (Mohammed Khan and Keshon Parker-Gordon) were both successful.
The 4th pair (Luca Petre and Darren Drizys) also netted their shots.
Yousef Mohammed netted Cademy’s 5th penalty, leaving Ibrahim Hatabi to score to win the cup for Wealdstone. However, Mace dived to his left to save Ibrahim’s shot, sending the shoot-out into a sudden death situation.
Zayd Linton shot Cademy’s 6th penalty past the post, again putting Wealdstone into a potential match-winning position. However, Mace saved Riley Rusike’s kick.
Captain, Leo Edwards netted Cademy’s 7th penalty and then Mace saved Otto Ball’s kick to give his side victory.
Penalty shoot-out score: Cademy Red 5 Wealdstone Youth Red 4
Referee Harry Jacobs had a very good match. Harry and his team maintained the excellent standards of officiating set at our cup finals this season.
The Guest of Honour, Abdul-Razak Rakhis, the Chairman of the Middlesex FA Youth Council, was introduced to the teams and match officials, before the match and presented the Cup and individual mementoes afterwards. He chose Cademy’s Taclan Samuda as Player of the Match.
TEAM LINE-UPS:
Cademy Red: Mace Osei-Kwabena, Archie Sturt, Logan Campbell, Taclan Samuda, Kayaon Oshilaj, Zayd Linton, Leo Edwards (captain), As’ad Gardner, Luca Petre, Mohammed Khan and Maxim Traev.
Rolling substitutes: Alan Kielbasa, Diego Ararat Rojas, Raife Pritchett, Yousef Mohammed and Moritz Martynenko.
Manager: Charles Bunce.
Wealdstone Youth Reds: Otto Ball, Alex Owen, Darren Drizys, Frankie Booth, Pat Price, Ed Statkus, Abram Cuerdo, Jack Kerr (captain), James Blackwell, Riley Rusike and Albie Carroll.
Rolling substitutes: Vlad Denes (goalkeeper), Ibrahim Hatabi, Xavier Tomi-Odufuwa and Keshon Parker-Gordon.
Manager: Steve Booth
Physio: Colin Camilleri.
Referee: Harry Jacobs
Assistant Referees: Brandon Perry and Danny Samuels
Fourth Official: Keith Williams.
Report: Jim Taylor
Photography: Chris Benn