The Play-Off Stage Marks a Fresh Start
The group stage came to an end last night, with teams now allocated to either Play-Off A or Play-Off B based on their performances in the preliminary rounds. The opening matches have given teams the opportunity to fine-tune their teamwork, tactics and style of play, but the tournament now enters a new phase. From this point on, there is no room for mistakes. Every match is a knockout tie – a win keeps the dream alive, while a defeat means the end of this year's Dana Cup.
"I would say that our tournament started again today. We were in a very strong group – actually too strong for us. We played against strong opponents. Today was a new beginning for the boys," says head coach Christian Salmagne of German club SV Rhenania Richterich.
"You can feel that things are different now because the knockout stage has started. It could all be over very quickly – or we could be back on the pitch again in three hours," adds Christian Salmagne.
His team made the perfect start to the knockout stage. In the Play-Off B Round of 32 in the Boys 12 (7-a-side) competition, they produced a strong performance to beat local side Vrå/Børglum IF 3–0. The victory sends the German team through to the Round of 16, which will be played later today.
