In a disappointing league encounter at St James's High School on 14 December 2024, Tiki Taka Dortmund faced off against top of the table Pennington Pumas, ultimately succumbing to a 4-0 defeat. The match kicked off at 10:30 am, and despite some promising moments, Dortmund struggled to find their rhythm against a well-organised Pumas side.
Tiki Taka Dortmund set up in a 2-3-3 formation, with Kamsy Anajemba in goal, flanked by central defenders Archie Hunt and Lawrence Nwakamma. The midfield trio comprised Nikita Velicka on the right, Zac Leach in the centre, and Zac Humphries-Deveney on the left, while the attacking trio featured Andrew-Franz Nkemka on the right, Noah Rule as the central striker, and Yasin Mohammed on the left. This formation was designed to provide a solid defensive base while allowing for fluid attacking transitions, with the midfield expected to support both defence and attack.
The substitutes for the match included Kai McCaughtrie, who would later play a role in the game as well.
The match began with an early chance for Dortmund as Noah Rule made a clever flick in the fourth minute, creating a promising opportunity. However, Andrew-Franz Nkemka's attempt went wide, failing to trouble the Pumas' goalkeeper. Just five minutes later, the Pumas struck first, taking the lead in the ninth minute with a deflected shot that left Dortmund reeling.
In the 16th minute, Tiki Taka Dortmund made their first substitution, bringing on Kai McCaughtrie for Nkemka as they sought to regain control. Kamsy Anajemba was called into action shortly after, making a parry in the 18th minute and then a full-stretch save in the 19th, showcasing his skills and keeping the scoreline from escalating further.
As the first half progressed, Andrew-Franz Nkemka returned to the pitch in the 21st minute, replacing Yasin Mohammed. However, the Pumas doubled their lead in the 23rd minute, capitalising on a defensive lapse from Dortmund. Lawrence Nwakamma made a crucial block just moments later, preventing a further chance for the Pumas, while Nikita Velicka also contributed defensively with a block in the 26th minute.
Dortmund struggled to create clear-cut chances, with Kai McCaughtrie's clever through ball in the 27th minute failing to result in a significant opportunity. As the first half was coming to an end, Dortmund had a lapse in concentration and let the Puma's in to score their third goal of the match.The first half concluded with the Pumas leading 3-0, and Tiki Taka Dortmund needed a strong response in the second half.
The second half began with Noah Rule attempting to pull one back in the 35th minute, looking to capitalise on a goalkeeping error but his shot was straight at the Pumas' goalkeeper. Kamsy Anajemba continued to shine, making a diving save at the feet of an opponent in the 40th minute, demonstrating his resilience in goal.
Dortmund made further changes in the 42nd minute, with Archie Hunt coming back on for Lawrence Nwakamma. Things could have got worse for Dortmund in the 47th minute when Andrew-Franz Nkemka committed a late tackle, conceding a penalty. Fortunately for Dortmund the resulting kick was put wide.
Zac Humphries-Deveney had a chance to respond in the 51st minute, but his long range effort was saved, and shortly after, the Pumas scored their fourth and best goal of the game in the 52nd minute, putting the match firmly out of reach for Dortmund. In the aftermath, Kai McCaughtrie was substituted off for Zac Humphries-Deveney, Kai would soon return to the field to replace Yasin who picked up an injury who had just returned from injury.
As the match drew to a close, Nikita Velicka made a good pass in the 56th minute, that started a good counter attack but it failed to create a shot on goal. The final whistle sounded confirming a disappointing 4-0 defeat for Tiki Taka Dortmund.
Player of the match Kamsy Anajemba was undoubtedly the standout performer for Dortmund, making several crucial saves and keeping the scoreline from being even more severe.
