The Warm Up
The defending champions had set a high bar. Last year Right To Dream powered in seven goals to emphatically win the Junior section final. This year they returned to the final to face local favourites County Londonderry.
The style of play from Right To Dream juniors is identical to the team in the Premier section. A clear DNA running through the set up. Feed forwards quickly when possible. When successful, look to play fast one and two touch football to penetrate the opposition back line. If this is not on, retain possession, but always play as positively as possible. Should space allow it, drive at your opponents with ball at feet. This style was never ponderous, always purposeful.
The first half domination from Right To Dream yielded surprisingly few openings. Their right winger forced a fine save from the Londonderry goalkeeper’s legs after a weaving run created the opportunity to shoot low right footed.
In the second half Right To Dream would immediately unpick Londonderry’s defence. It came from their right winger going at the full back, beating him on the outside and flashing in a cross. The delivery was cut out by a defender’s hand and the referee awarded the penalty. There would be no doubt as the ball flew high into the top right hand corner.
From here Right To Dream became increasingly confident and assured, stroking the ball cross field as they desired before upping the gears. The right winger tormenting his full back, twice in a minute creating opportunities. First he drove inside before flicking a pass for on an onrushing team mate to strike low into the ‘keeper’s legs. When the ball spun back out the winger was fed again, this time he drove inside before jagging outside and having his low cross shot hacked away from the line.
The inevitable second came when a free kick was not dealt with by Londonderry. Two shots were blocked by defenders close to goal, The ball continued to ricochet around the area before being stroked in from six yards.
It was a barrage. Without some excellent saves and careless finishing RTD could easily have matched last year’s tally. A flying header rattled the post. A glorious 360 spin past two defenders created a powerful prodded shot superbly saved. The rebound jabbed wide.
Finally a quick counter attack gave Right To Dream the third goal they deserved. A forceful run infield from left to right dragged defenders across the pitch creating a pocket of space in the Londonderry right back position. A tidy reverse pass found the Right To Dream forward who controlled and toe poked home.
The performance from Right To Dream was notable for it’s purpose, elegance, technique and flair, marking them out as worthy victors.
The Main
Scotland vs Chile. Hibernian vs O’Higgins. O’Higgins had produced ten breathtaking minutes against County Antrim the previous evening to win 3-1 but Hibs had a produced a 3-1 win of their own against County Down.
Immediately it was apparent that O’Higgins had changed their shape from 3-4-3 with their number three and captain Alarcon as sweeper to a 4-3-3 with Alarcon operating as central defender. Just as it seemed that this was their obvious shape the set up switched to a 4-2-4 with the highest central midfielder pushing up to join the forwards.
As the game progressed it was notable just how flexible the Chilean framework was. Midway through the first half, Alarcon played forward and broke forward to follow his pass and destroy the Hibs lines. When this happened one of the central midfielders immediately filled the gap. This happened one more time before a tactical change saw Alarcon stay in midfield and the player who filled in for him take that position as his own. Fluidity and flexibility a hallmark of the O’Higgins style.
Through out the first half Hibernian stayed in a very deep block. O’Higgins stroked the ball around in front of their opponents looking for an opportunity to play quickly. These were few and far between. On one occasion a straight forward pass centrally enabled Salazar, the O’Higgins number nine, to quickly turn and strike a low shot against the post.
Moments before half time the frame of the goal would see more action. A throw in on the O’Higgins right bounced across the edge of the area. An O’Higgins right boot sent the ball crashing against the cross bar and safely away from goal. The power of O’Higgins shooting featured prominently in the game against Antrim and it was doing so once again.
At the beginning of the second half Hibs briefly flickered into life. A good run on the right hand side enabled a low delivery across the six yard box but the O’Higgins goalkeeper gathered well. This would be the last time Hibs would threaten for a long time.
O’Higgins made a slight tactical change, pushing their number ten from the left side to the right. As a right footed player his objective was now to beat the full back on the outside and deliver into the penalty area. The first of these deliveries made it’s way to the far post, headed back across goal where Salazar connected with a header. The Hibernian goalkeeper grasping as the ball arrived in his midriff.
The early flurry of pressure from O’Higgins began to subside. They changed their plan of action. Now leaving all three forwards up field when Hibs attacked and looking for opportunities to hit them immediately, especially when the ball was in their goalkeeper’s hands. One long kick bounced around before a couple of flicked one two passes ended with Salazar volleyed into the goalkeeper’s hands.
Salazar was a threat throughout. Possessing a sharpness along with his movement the term ‘live wire’ could have been created just for him. The equally impressive Alarcon threaded a pass from the left hand side through two Hibs players into the feet of Salazar. The first touch nudging the ball away from the Hibs central defender before rasping a shot over the goalkeeper high into the centre of the net. 1-0.
Hibs now had to attack. O’Higgins continued to leave three players forward. The counter attack was now on. It was the O’Higgins left sided forward who would benefit from the most space. An interception was followed by a long diagonal pass and the race was on between wide player and full back. The attacker won the race but was in a wide position. he cut the ball across the six yard and the arriving Salazar stabbed an effort at the near post which was well kept out by the Hibs goalkeeper.
Minutes later the same break away happened. The race was stride for stride between attacker and defender but the attacker got his foot to the ball first and dragged it back, spinning as he did so. The defender ended on the floor, the attacker now one vs one with the goalkeeper seven yards out. Chilean power would not prove the right choice on this occasion as the ball whistled over the bar.
Three minutes of stoppage time had almost come to an end when O’Higgins burst forth with another counter attack, this time on the right. The right sided number 10 rode a challenge on the touch line before flighting a ball to the far post. Salazar would arrive to stroke a volley back across the goal past an off balance trophy. The trophy was won.
Two finals. Two comprehensive victories. Two terrific teams. A fine end to the Super Cup.