Just two days after their first training session of the season, the U12 took to the field for the first time on Saturday morning. Facing a selection from the Thai academy SK NiNe, the CDSC team showed plenty of promising signs despite having had very little time to prepare. In the end, they secured a narrow 12–10 victory — a result that provides plenty of encouragement and clearly highlights the team’s potential.
The match initially proved somewhat inconsistent. Coach Martin Brinkmann deliberately used the game to give his players experience in different positions. After three of the four quarters, the CDSC therefore found themselves trailing 9–5.
However, everything changed in the final quarter. Each player returned to their familiar position — and the team really came to life. Niklas provided the necessary pressure down the left flank, while Felix repeatedly made a decisive impact on the right wing. Emil controlled the game as a convincing center back, giving the defense the stability it needed.
The team also demonstrated its qualities in midfield. Paul finished the game with an impressive six assists. Tommy stood out with tremendous fighting spirit, while Pau impressed with his exceptional work rate. Lucas was his usual reliable presence in goal and also showed his ability to pull the strings when he moved into an outfield position.
The highlight of the game came from Max in the center-forward position. With an extraordinary seven-goal haul in just 15 minutes, he fired his team to a 12–10 victory in the final quarter. The spectacular comeback was no coincidence: Back in their familiar positions, the players quickly rediscovered their established routines and executed the moves they had become accustomed to over the previous seasons extremely well.
The first appearance of the new season has certainly whetted the appetite for more.
If the U12 continues to develop in this way and builds on the experience gained during these first training sessions and matches, it will be exciting to see what the team can achieve over the course of the school year.
