We came into the match with strong energy, and from the first whistle both teams showed their intensity. Our opponents started just as strongly as we did, which made for a competitive and fast-paced game right from the beginning. Our defence worked incredibly hard throughout the match. They stayed composed under pressure, made important tackles, and did a great job transferring the ball out from the back to start our attacks. Their ability to move the ball across the pitch helped us keep possession and create opportunities going forward.

However, as the game developed we struggled at times with our movement when receiving the ball. We lacked drive towards it, which made it harder to keep the flow of play and allowed the opposition to close us down more quickly. At moments we also moved away from our simple hockey — the quick passes and strong support play that usually help us control the game. Because of this, the match became a real back-and-forth battle. Each time the opposition managed to score, we responded well and fought back with a goal of our own. The determination from the team kept us in the game the entire time and showed great resilience.

Unfortunately, the match ended in a narrow 3–2 loss for us. While it wasn’t the result we hoped for, there were still many positives to take away, especially the effort and teamwork shown across the pitch.

We’re already looking ahead to next week, excited to take what we’ve learned from this match and come back stronger.