Our U18 youth league team, led by Goran Kopunović, took part in the 10th MOL Kukkonia Cup held in Dunaszerdahely. After the tournament, the boys remained in southern Slovakia for a training camp.

Our U18 youth league team, led by Goran Kopunović, took part in the 10th MOL Kukkonia Cup held in Dunaszerdahely. After the tournament, the boys remained in southern Slovakia for a training camp. Goran Kopunović sent a summary of the events to the readers of our website:

Before the training camp, we prepared at home for two and a half weeks with two training sessions per day. Then, on Wednesday, July 23rd, we set off early in the morning for Dunaszerdahely, where we were warmly welcomed after a long journey. On Thursday afternoon, the 10th edition of the MOL Kukkonia Cup began. We were probably one of the youngest teams there, as it is a U19 tournament, but this was actually good for us – the intensity, duels, game pace, and off-the-ball movement were at a higher level, which we needed to properly prepare for the season.

Our first match was against NK Osijek U19. Although they were physically stronger, we held our own and went into halftime with a 0–0 score. In the second half, we took the lead with a penalty converted by Noveli Luca, but they equalized six minutes later and then scored the winning goal five minutes before the final whistle, resulting in a 2–1 loss for us.

On Friday morning, we played against DAC 1904 U19. It was another useful match with a high tempo and good quality – the team looked good physically, technically, and tactically. However, once again, we conceded a goal five minutes before the end, losing 1–0. That afternoon, we played against the Puskás Ferenc Football Academy U19 team. This time, we managed to show we have character too. The players carried out their tasks with strong tactical discipline. Although we missed three major chances, the close match ended in a 0–0 draw.

On the last day, we played against Viktoria Plzen for the 5th–6th place. Our team showed a determined and combative side, created several chances through direct play, but couldn’t find the net. Plzen was a worthy opponent for the 5th place match, and we had to remain well-organized defensively, considering we were playing against a prestigious team with a rich history. The match had to be stopped in the 45th minute (as the games were 2x35 minutes) due to hail. Eventually, the result was decided by a penalty shootout, which we won, securing 5th place in the tournament.

This 5th place is a great success for us, as our young team held its ground and did not disappoint – in fact, we are proud of them. We’ll continue our preparation this week, staying humble, with no excuses, and working hard here at the MOL Academy in Dunaszerdahely. We are grateful once again for the invitation, the support, and the excellent organization by all DAC staff members.

We would also like to thank the president and the technical director for their support, for organizing the tournament, and for providing us the opportunity to spend a week training at DAC Academy, where the conditions and infrastructure are of the highest quality.

R. A.
Photo: DAC Academy