The Redbacks dominated right from kick-off, putting pressure on the opponents by organising a high press that ensured they were able to re-gain possession of the ball when lost and dominating the possession percentage throughout. Such dominance on the field wasn’t as fruitful as they had hoped as the match was 0-0 at the end of the first half. Coach Amin decided to take advantage of the half-time break outlining the tactical errors that were occurring on the field while also giving instructions as to how the team should be play in order to break through and score the crucial first goal.
The second half performance proved much better than the first, with the opponents only registering two shots, both off target. While defensively they were sound, offensively the team lacked finishing, breaking away multiple times with timely runs and excellent dribbling, however not being able to put the ball in the back of the net. The match finished 0-0 in regular time and we were off to extra-time, 10 minutes per half with no sudden death.
Another strong speech delivery by the coach during the break before extra-time and the team had an adrenaline rush to see off the match, backing up their dominance on the field with a result on the scoresheet. It was early in the second half of extra-time when Dilhan Durust broke away and scored a well-placed shot in the bottom right corner to put the Redbacks up 1-0. The match ended with that score line and the boys ended on a high note and are preparing for a do or die match next week, with the aim to see it through right to the final and hold the trophy they so desperately desire.
