3:0 - Cooperation continues

Low temperatures, half of the team’s illness, hours spent at the border check-point and a bus broken on their way could spoil pleasure of playing soccer but not for a Russian team in Kirkenes. Young soccer players from the Murmansk region visited “Barents Sport Days 2012” as the next step in mutual cooperation with Finnmark Football Association. “Such cross-border tournaments may become a good start for boys. We are happy to get them interested”, - Harald Sorensen, the organizer of the Sport Days. 

This festival became a great success for young Russian sportsmen on the football field and joyful time spent together with their Norwegian opponents afterwards. Not for the first time they came to the small border town interested in learning more from their Norwegian friends and improving playing skills at the same time. “It is nice that boys can play here, at a bigger field and train their long passes, run more”, - said Vladimir Samoilov, trainer of the Russian team.

Right after the starting call of the head judge the field flushed with emotions, and Russian players in dark-blue T-shirts made it clear that the play was going to be breath-taking. Artful footwork, delicate first touches, straight handlings made all three games tasty to observe. “You got involved immediately and felt as if at a real great championship”, - confessed match observers.

 The Norwegian teams consisting of some girls proved a well-known rule: “women are capable of everything, but some of them are hesitating”. Norwegian girls didn’t hesitate in football at all. They courageously took up the running and tried to play equally with the boys. On terms of the Norway-Russian cooperation agreement next Spring is expected to become first step in Barents female football development.