Soccer: Going for youth cup glory

From left, Otis Maddison, 14, Tim Myers, 14, and Jacob Matthews, 15, from Auckland Grammar, are relishing the trip to Hong Kong. Picture / Greg Bowker

Any plans Tim Myers and his soccer-mad mates might have had for these school holidays went on hold early last month.

Against the odds, the Myers-led Soccer 2 team beat Australian champions FC Melbourne 2-1 on an outer field at North Harbour Stadium, and with it won the chance to lace their boots at the Manchester United Premier Cup tournament in Hong Kong.

The under-15 team and their coaches, Kevin O'Leary and Paul Marshall, leave tomorrow on the trip of their lives.

As captain, Myers has the honour of leading the team, who include two of his Auckland Grammar schoolmates, into the unknown.

They will not know their opponents until Tuesday night's draw, but there will be no easy games.

Soccer 2, as the Pacific representatives, are basically a team drawn from a number of the country's federations rather than the club-based teams from other parts of the world.

Since being selected for Soccer 2 this year when he was juggling cricket and soccer, Myers has been aware of the big prize, but admits he and his team-mates did not carry any great expectations into the game against Melbourne.

"I expected them to be stronger," he said.

When Soccer 2 fell a goal behind after 20 minutes to an Australian team so confident of success that they did not turn up until the day before the game, he was not too surprised, but said he and the rest did not give up.

"During the week we had been talking about something like that happening. Setbacks are always part of football and we were determined not to just sit back. I said to the guys, 'We can get back into this'."

They did. By halftime they were level at 1-1. Early in the second spell they hit the front and bravely held on, leaving the heads-down Australians almost in tears.

"The feeling at halftime was that we just wanted to get out and keep playing," Myers said.

"Once we went ahead it was just a case of keeping our concentration."

Myers, a defender who first kicked a ball as a five-year-old at the Eastern Suburbs club where he continues to play, is under no illusions as he prepares for the 10-day trip, which will include, realistically, four pool games, but not much else.

"When you look at the list of the teams who will be in Hong Kong, you realise there will be no easy games whoever we are drawn against," Myers, 14, said.

With players drawn from Auckland to Christchurch, they have not trained together. O'Leary will make the most of the pre-match days to have five practice sessions.

Alex Shillito from Christchurch Boys has replaced Westlake BHS defender Tom Smith.

Pool matches on Wednesday and Thursday will be played early in the morning and in the evening to avoid the heat.

* Premier Cup: the squad

GOALKEEPERS

Michael OKeefe (Redwood Colts/Marlborough BHS), Shaun ONeill (Wellington College).

DEFENDERS

Fraser Colson (Lower Hutt City/Hutt BHS), Otis Maddison (Eastern Suburbs/AGS), Alex Shillito (Christchurch BHS), Tim Myers (Eastern Suburbs/AGS) capt, Caleb Gaylard (Mana/Westerns Suburbs/Kapiti College).

MIDFIELDERS

Hamish Chang (St Andrews College), Admir Balicevac (Lower Hutt City/Hutt Valley HS), Jacob Matthews (Central United/AGS), Tom Edwards (Glenfield Rovers/Westlake BHS), Mokhtar Mohammadi (Birkenhead United/Birkenhead College).

STRIKERS

Ethan Stewart (Bucklands Beach/Howick College), Tom Heywood (Bucklands Beach/Macleans College), Ben Hunt (Bucklands Beach/Macleans), Costa Barbarouses (St Patricks College).

Coach: Kevin OLeary.
Assistant Paul Marshall.

Road to Hong Kong

Drew United Soccer 1, 1-1.
Beat Capital Soccer, 3-1.
Drew Mainland Soccer, 1-1.
Beat United Soccer 1, 3-1.
Bt Melbourne FC, (Pacific final) 2-1.

World finalists 2005

Argentina: Estudiantes de la Plata.
Brazil: Flumineuse.
Chile: Universidad Catolica.
China: Liaoning YF.
England: Arsenal.
France: Paris St Germain.
Germany: Borussia Dortmund.
Hong Kong: Tai Po.
Italy: Inter Milan.
Japan: Kumagaya SCC.
Korea: Ulsin Hyundai.
Mexico: Pumas.
New Zealand: Soccer 2.
Russia: CSKA Moscow.
South Africa: Maroka Swallows.
Spain: RCD Espanyol.
Sweden: IF Brommopojkarna.
Thailand: Chonburi SA.
US: Washington Crossfire.
Hosts: Manchester United.

Past winners

1994: FC Porto, Portugal.
1995: Real Madrid, Spain.
1996: RCD Espanyol, Spain.
1997: Platense, Argentina.
1998: Athletic Bilbao, Spain.
1999: FC Barcelona, Spain.
2000: Sport Club, Brazil.
2001: Vitoria, Brazil.
2002: Sao Paulo, Brazil.
2003: SC Corinthians, Brazil.
2004: Manchester City, England.