We were delighted to accept the invitation to the Company Cup / Whitsun Tournament in Hövelriege. It took place on the first hot weekend of the year—a true challenge for everyone involved.
The tournament was well-attended and featured plenty of exciting matches. Numerous formaplan footballers stepped up to the plate, allowing us to consistently bring on fresh players in the blistering heat. Even though our team wasn't in peak form that day, the dedication and ambition of every single player was clear to see.
Unfortunately, a few referee decisions didn't go our way, and we lacked that crucial bit of luck in front of the goal. As a result, we had to settle for last place in the end.
With a positive mindset and a continued passion for the game, things went much better in Sende at the beginning of June. We finished 3rd out of 5 teams in the group stage, qualifying for the 5th-place playoff. After regular time ended in a 2–2 draw, the match had to be decided by a penalty shootout. Unfortunately, we lost it 0–2, finishing the tournament in a respectable 6th place out of ten participating teams.
Our takeaway: Intense heat is clearly not our thing—and we definitely have room for improvement when it comes to penalty shootouts. But it was a blast either way, and with some proper training sessions beforehand, even more would have been possible.
We are already looking forward to the next tournament!