Today (Tuesday the 12th) marked the first day of group-play at Dana Cup No. 1 in Frederickshavn, Denmark.

The Blackhawks girls first played Utbynas SK (www.utbynassk.se), a team from Gothenberg, Sweden in a morning match-up on a wind-swept but sunny field.  While the girls had a few more opportunities and did well possessing the ball, the end score was 0-0.

In the second game, vs. Froya IL (http://www.froya-idrett.com/), held in the evening, the girls acquitted themselves well against a Bergen, Norway team of Viking princesses.  Despite a strong showing in possessing the ball during the first half, the Blackhawks were tied 0-0 at half time (note that qualifying round games are only 20 minutes each half).

After a rousing half-time speech by Coach Jamie "remember the gipper"  Hagg, the girls took the the field -- and quickly got to work.  Four and a half minutes into the second, Maddie made a monster throw-in deep into Froya territory that Sarah raced to and dribbled to the edge of the 18-yard box and launched a perfect shot into the upper far corner of the net.  1-0.

Barely a minute later, Jordyn saved a Froya shot, punted to midfield.  The Blackhawks weren't first to the ball, but Froya failed to trap, kicking it instead to a waiting Brooke.  Brooke's kick dropped the ball over several defenders to Sarah.  Sarah then wove through and around three defenders on her way to serving a grounder into goal from just inside the baseline and inside the box.  2-0.

Nine minutes later, Meg forwarded a pass from Sarah to Olga at the top of the 18-yard box.  Olga got the turn on the defender, but her shot was blocked by the Froya keeper.  Olga's following up of her shot paid off, though, as the keeper's save was only a temporary deflection.  Olga fought off a defender to then kick a grounder into goal.  3-0.

Three minutes later the Blackhawks sealed the deal.  Martha slowed down a drive and the Froya kick was saved by Jordyn.  Jordyn sent a deep punt across half where Latrice fought a Froya player to send it back to Brooke at the half.  Brooke then took off in a streak toward goal -- passing defenders like questions on the driver's education test.  Brooke put a solid shot past the challenging keeper to the cheers of the other Blackhawks.

With the win, the girls took the a slight lead in their group (4 pts, followed by 2 teams with 3 points).  Tomorrow morning, they face their final group play opponent, hometown honeys F.f.l. Fodbold.  A win gives the girls a bye to the semi-finals and a day-off on Thursday.

Check below for results of group play, and a link to the playoff brackets:

http://www.cumap3.se/cuponweb/php/cupresclass.php?Cup=1931&Lang_Current=ENG&wd=www.cumap3.se&Klass=G15&Grp=2

Robin Vue-Benson