It was a cold morning at St James's High School on the 15th February, Tiki Taka Dortmund secured a 4-0 victory over Turton Tigers Orange in a league home match. The game, which kicked off at 10:30 am, showcased Dortmund's clinical finishing and solid defensive organisation, culminating in a hard fought victory that left their opponents struggling to understand what went wrong.
Tiki Taka Dortmund lined up in a 2-3-3 formation, with Kamsy Anajemba stationed as the goalkeeper. In front of him, the central defensive duo comprised Archie Hunt and Lawrence Nwakamma, who were tasked with providing a sturdy backbone. The midfield trio featured Nikita Velicka on the right, Kai McCaughtrie centrally, and Zac Humphries-Deveney on the left, with the responsibility to control the tempo and support the attack. Up front, Oscar Manders and Yasin Mohammed operated as right and left wingers respectively, while Noah Rule led the line as the striker, expected to convert chances into goals.
The substitutes for the match included Andrew-Franz Nkemka and Zac Leach, who would later play pivotal roles in the outcome.
The match began with Turton Tigers on the front foot looking to control the match and playing the ball around well. But it was Tiki Taka Dortmund who had the first real chance, as Yasin Mohammed delivered a good cross from the left in the 4th minute that created a chance for Noah Rule, whose attempt was saved by the Turton Tigers goalkeeper. The away side continued to press and make chances, with Lawrence Nwakamma having to make a crucial tackle in the 6th minute to thwart the Tigers.
Nikita Velicka followed suit with another tackle in the 7th minute, demonstrating Dortmund's intent to dominate the midfield. However, the first significant change came in the tenth minute when Noah Rule was substituted off for Andrew-Franz Nkemka, and Zac Humphries-Deveney made way for Zac Leach, both changes aimed at injecting fresh energy into the side.
Kamsy Anajemba, the Dortmund goalkeeper, was called into action in the 15th minute, making a parry to keep the score level. Archie Hunt then made a vital header in the 19th minute, preventing a chance for Turton Tigers, showcasing the defensive solidity of Tiki Taka Dortmund.
As the first half progressed, Dortmund were still struggling to put any sort of authority on the match as Turton Tigers continued to put more pressure on the Dortmund back line. The substitutions continued in the 20th minute, with Noah Rule returning to the pitch, replacing Yasin Mohammed, while Zac Humphries-Deveney came back on for Oscar Manders.
In the 28th minute, Nikita Velicka played a through ball that created another opportunity, but unfortunately Yasin Mohammed's shot was well saved. However, the breakthrough came shortly afterwards against the run of play in the 29th minute, when Zac Leach scored with a stunning driven long-range strike that left the Turton keeper with no chance, assisted by Zac Humphries-Deveney's short pass.
As the first half concluded with the score 1-0, Tiki Taka Dortmund could count themselves lucky to be ahead, in a first half that was dominated by the opposition.
The second half started with Turton Tigers looking to continue their dominance as they pushed for an equaliser early on. Dortmund looked a different team in the second half as they started to challenge for the ball and pass abit more. In the 46th minute it paid off, as Noah Rule made a well timed run to get on the end of a long kick by Kamsy. He calmly slotted the ball past the on coming keeper into the net to make it 2-0. Turton Tigers continued to press and look for that first goal but Lawrence Nwakamma's tackle in the 49th minute further exemplified Dortmund's defensive discipline. The 51st minute saw another goal for Tiki Taka Dortmund, as Zac Humphries-Deveney found himself unmarked in the box to scored from close range, assisted by Archie Hunt's long pass, making it 3-0.
With the game slipping away from Turton Tigers, Tiki Taka Dortmund continued to press, and in the 56th minute, Noah Rule added his second goal of the match, converting another assist from Kamsy Anajemba. This goal, was like a replay of Noah's first, and another composed finish past the keeper, effectively sealing the fate of the Tigers.
Kamsy Anajemba's performance was noteworthy, as he demonstrated his goalkeeping prowess with a full stretch save in the 57th minute, denying any hopes of a consolation goal for Turton Tigers Orange.
As the final whistle blew, Tiki Taka Dortmund celebrated a hard fought 4-0 victory, a testament to their teamwork, resilience and determination.
Zac Leach's standout performance earned him the accolade of Player of the Match, highlighting his crucial contributions in midfield, breaking up play and scoring a great goal to help the team get the win today.
Big thanks to our team kit sponsor:
New Bury Chippy https://www.facebook.com/share/18bYeWyiEw/
