At this year's U12 regional tournament in Leipzig, the Berlin juniors faced strong competition from the north-east of Germany. In five intense matches against the state associations from Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, Thuringia and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the Berlin team showed many good approaches - and ultimately secured a well-deserved third place.
Courageous performances with light and shade
After an unfortunate 0:1 at the start against Saxony-Anhalt, the team quickly got back on track. With a 2:1 win against Brandenburg and a convincing 3:1 victory against Thuringia, the team showed its potential in terms of play and fighting spirit. In the game against Saxony, a good performance was not enough to be rewarded despite some chances in the meantime - the game ended 3:1. In the last game, the Berliners once again set an exclamation mark with a confident 3:0 against Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Valuable experience on the way to further development
In possession of the ball, the Berlin team played an appealing combination game and courageous 1-on-1 actions for long stretches. Many scoring opportunities were created through committed teamwork and individual assertiveness. For this very reason, the regional tournament in Leipzig was an important building block in the players' sporting development. The matches made it impressively clear what demands are made at this performance level - and where the next development steps lie.
With the impressions gained, many successful actions and clear indications of further potential for improvement, the Berlin team can look back on the past season with satisfaction.
Association sports coach Lukas Fechner stated:
"The regional tournament was an important yardstick for the Berlin players at the end. We saw a lot of good approaches - courageous actions with the ball, great combinations and very convincing teamwork at times. At the same time, the tournament also made it clear what the players need to work on: Speed of action, sharpness in tackles and clearer free running behavior. More determination and the absolute will to win are needed, especially in close games. However, it is precisely this kind of experience that is crucial at this age group in order to develop both athletically and personally. Many thanks to the NOFV for this superbly organized tournament."
