Gunners’ girls fly the flag
as they vanquish States

Pro touch soccer boys go close in transatlantic face-off

PLAYERS from the Pro Touch Soccer Academy teamed-up with Arsenal Ladies on Monday to fly the flag against a top team from America in a special tournament at Market Road.
The under-14s Pro Touch stars joined forces with Arsenal Ladies’ youth academy to take on Massachusetts Premier Soccer Team in back-to-back games at the Islington based Astroturf pitches.
The Gunners’ girls, aged between 16 to 19 years old, fired their way to glory as they continued their preparations ahead of the new season, which kicks-off in September. Coached by former Parliament Hill School pupil Emma Hayes, Arsenal Ladies’ academy stars stormed to a 6-0 victory against the Mass girls’ team courtesy of a brace from Katie Stanley, and goals from Kayleigh Hines, Kayleigh Greening, Dawn Mallet and Alex Scott.
Meanwhile in the boys’ match, the Pro Touch squad were narrowly beaten 3-2 in a five-goal thriller. Terry Akaue and Max Bland twice fired the home side ahead, but their cross-atlantic opponents hit back to level before grabbing a late winner.
After the match, academy director of the Pro Touch Soccer Academy Ash Rahman, who help set up the organisation in a bid to help disadvantaged players fulfil their dreams of making it in the often-harsh world of football, felt that the Camden and Islington based side could learn a lot from the defeat.
“Sometimes players learn more about themselves and the team when they lose. I’m confident that the boys are good enough to learn the lessons they need to and will bounce back to become even stronger players.