Omonia youth Under 15 Girls team secured the league title after an incredible finish in their final league match last week. Indeed, the destination of the title was unknown until the final seconds of season! Sophia Karanicholas and Samuel Arthur’s Under 15 Girls knew that a win would give them at least a share of the league title. A draw would see them finish second and if they lost, they would finish third; so, there was plenty on the line in their last league match of the campaign.
In a match that swayed to and fro, for all involved they endured a rollercoaster of emotions The game was massively competitive with the Omonia Youth Girls pressing incessantly and relentlessly for the 15 minutes with the game played predominantly in their opposition’s half. After tiredness kicked in and a few changes, the girls lost a bit of their momentum but never ever stopped. They went 1-0 up thanks to a brilliant goal from Soph T but on the stroke of half time they conceded a goal to take them into the half-time break level at 1-1. Mia A gave her team the lead again through great determination to win the ball back, but the opposition pulled it back again with only five minutes to go. With the league title on the line the Omonia Youth Girls kept pressing, kept working and kept creating chances. The pressure was mounting but the opposition stood firm. As the match inched to its conclusion, one final attack saw Shekhinah win the ball back and she proceeded to take on a player and then smashed the ball into the back of the net with the final kick of the game.
What followed were incredible scenes of jubilation; the girls had won the league and for the second consecutive season secured promotion. It is an unbelievable achievement of all involved. Player of the Match was awarded to Ellie who won so many 50:50 balls and battled non-stop. The girls will rightly celebrate but they still have one more match to go – a chance to complete a Cup and League double as they have a Cup Final to play too. After the match Sophia said: “Samuel and I started with a team who probably went a season only winning a handful of games, to one where we had to rebuild following a few talented players moving. This has taken us to where we are now, a team who won their league last year, finished joint top this year and is in a cup final too…we are just lost for words! We are aware we may lose more talented players this year, as they move on, but we are proud they have started their football journey at Omonia Youth FC and we are truly thankful for all the wonderful memories these young people have created for themselves and for what they have given us too.” Well done to all.