108 games, 17.5 hours of live soccer, five age groups, 47 teams, hundreds of young soccer players, 295 goals, 60 helpers, three shootouts: These are the numbers of the second edition of the PASO Future Cup, which was held by SV Bögl Hohenzell at the weekend was hosted. Within a few hours, the organizers transformed the large gymnasium in the federal school center into a stage for youth football. There, the young footballers competed in a sporting showdown – loudly cheered on by their parents and grandparents. “Whole families were sitting in the stands. We are very pleased about this interest,” says Roland Feichtinger, secretary of SV Hohenzell.
In between, the said interest was so great that not only the young footballers, but also the canteen staff, who mainly consisted of committed parents of the young footballers, worked up a sweat. “It went on like this all Sunday morning. Only in the afternoon did it level off at a high level,” says Feichtinger. He and his colleagues from the organization team also shed a few beads of sweat. Most in the run-up to the tournament. “After a two-year break from the pandemic, it felt like the first time, but in the end everything went well,” says the official happily. Although the age group U11 was not quite full, “I had to cancel LASK for that. The people of Linz wanted to compete in the classes and U9, but were too late. The lists of participants were already full,” says Feichtinger.
Linzers were still present at the PASO Future Cup: The ASKÖ football school Linz started with two (strong) teams in the U8 age group. Both met in the final. In the end, the A team celebrated the victory after a successful shootout (4:3).
A rule that was applied for the first time at the PASO Future Cup. Similar to ice hockey, if there was a draw in the final after regulation time, the winner was not determined by a 7-meter shootout, but by shootout. A player dribbles from the kick-off point towards the goalkeeper and tries to score. The goalie is not allowed to leave his penalty area. The player with the ball may not stop or run back towards the center line during his attempt. Additional shots or playing with the gang are also not permitted. Each coach nominates three players from his team. If there is still a tie, another player from each team takes turns until there is a winner. “We already liked the idea when we analyzed the first tournament in 2019. That’s why we implemented it this year and I have to say that it was well received. It’s even more exciting for the spectators. And extremely nerve-wracking for the parents.” , Feichtinger knows. A total of three of the five age groups were decided by shootout this year.
Although the feedback was consistently positive and difficulties were only marginal, the organizational team of SV Hohenzell will meet again soon. Together we should analyze what went well and what could be improved. The results will be implemented at the end of November 2023: at the third edition of the PASO Future Cup.
The results, age group U8: 1st ASKÖ football school Linz A, 2nd ASKÖ football school Linz B, 3rd SV HAI Schalchen, 4th SV Schildorn; U9: 1. Union Mehrnbach, 2. SPG Antiesental, 3. SV Weng, 4. Union Woodstock St. Martin B; U10: 1. SV Ried, 2. SC Marchtrenk, 3. USV Pattigham/Pramet, 4. Union Weibern; U11: 1st SV Bögl Hohenzell A, 2nd SV Weng, 3rd SV Eberschwang, 4th SV Bögl Hohenzell B; U14: 1st Union Gaspoltshofen, 2nd SV Bögl Hohenzell, 3rd Union Geretsberg, 4th Union Rottenbach.
Source: Nachrichten
