GB Deaf Football Top Their Group in Reaching the Quarter Finals

Successfully navigating their way through a difficult group stage of the European Deaf Football Championship in Germany, the Great Britain team will enter the play-off stages unbeaten and in confident mood.

Kicking off on the 14th June in Hanover, Germany, the highly competitive Championships provide an opportunity for the best players in Europe to pitch their talent against their European counterparts. Playing their first game against a strong Russian team on the 15th June at the Oststädter Stadium, the GB starting 11 was:

12 ATKINSON (GK), JOHN
4 MILLENSTED, JEREMY
5 BYFIELD, MATTHEW
6 LAMPERT, BENJAMIN
7 DOLAN, PHILIP JOHN
8 ALLEN, THOMAS
11 COSTI, MARIOS
15 GREGORY, NICHOLAS
16 WILLIS, JACOB
17 KERR, JORDAN
20 DALZIEL, ALISTAIR

Getting off to a flying start, the GB team were 2 - 0 up within minutes of the start of the game, Jacob Willis putting them in front with just a minute on the clock, and influential Philip Dolan, adding a second two minutes later. Looking as though they would take that lead into half time, Marat Shiriniantic pulled one back for Russia on the stroke of half time.

Early in the second half Jamie Clarke entered the fray replacing Marios Costi. Still in control of the game and entering the final 20 minutes, the GB team had a few poor minutes, with Nicholas Gregory earning himself a yellow card, Russia equalising on 74 minutes and Alistair Dalziel picking up another yellow card a minute later. With Samuel Halfpenny replacing Dalziel a few minutes later, the GB team were able to see out the game, with Philip Dolan formally named man of the match.

After the game it was found that the Russian team had played an ineligible player, resulting in the Russian team being penalised and GB being awarded a 3 - 0 win in the game.

Team GB played Denmark in their second game on the 17th June. The staring 11 for this game was:

12 ATKINSON (GK), JOHN
2 HALFPENNY, SAMUEL
3 MCCARTHY, PAUL
5 BYFIELD, MATTHEW
7 DOLAN, PHILIP JOHN
8 ALLEN, THOMAS
9 CLARKE, JAMIE
17 KERR, JORDAN
18 WOOD, DAMIEN
20 DALZIEL, ALISTAIR
21 SWIFT, PHILIP

With a foal committed almost every 3 minutes in the game, this was a more tetchy affair, with the GB Team taking the lead with 40 minutes on the clock, following a Philip Dolan cross and a Jamie Clarke finish. Danny Rea came on to replace Damien Wood at 50 minutes and with Denmark still well in the game Samuel Halfpenny picked up the first yellow card of the game. Jacob Willis replaced Philip Swift at 71 minutes with a couple of yellow cards to Danish players around the same time showing they still felt they could get something out of the game.

With final whistle imminent, Thomas Allen was to pick up his first yellow card of the competition, only to be followed by a second, earning him a red card. With the final whistle shortly afterwards, the GB team had secured their second win of the tournament, and their second man of the match in Jamie Clarke.

Their final group match was played against a Czech Republic side who had beaten Denmark 3 - 0 in their first match, so had all to play for. Kicking off at 4pm on Friday 19th, further changes to the GB Team were made to manage the gruelling schedule. Starting 11:

1 BOYLE (GK), THOMAS
2 HALFPENNY, SAMUEL
3 MCCARTHY, PAUL
4 MILLENSTED, JEREMY
5 BYFIELD, MATTHEW
6 LAMPERT, BENJAMIN
10 AILEY, DANIEL
11 COSTI, MARIOS
15 GREGORY, NICHOLAS
17 KERR, JORDAN
19 EVANS, SAM

Getting off to another flying start, Daniel Ailey celebrated his first game of the tournament with a goal after just 5 minutes. Shortly after the Czechs picked up the first yellow of the game, Benjamin Lambert slotted home from the penalty sport to give the GB team a 2 - 0 lead. Looking already assured in the tie, Daniel Ailey rounded off an excellent first half with a goal just before half time, giving Team GB a 3 - 0 lead at the break.

With each team making full use of their bench, Adam Breeze, Halkawt Kerkouki and Philip Swift came on to replace Jordan Kerr (57 mins), Daniel Ailey (68 mins) and Marios Costi (83 mins) respectively. With Matthew Byfield and Adam Breeze both picking up yellow cards in the second half, the GB team showed how much they wanted to keep a clean sheet in the game, and that is what they achieved, with no addition to the score for either side.

With the man of the match award going to Daniel Ailey, the GB team finished the game safely in the knowledge that they had topped their group, with their sights immediately turning to their quarter-final match against Sweden on the 21st. Having managed the squad well, the GB team will start that game in confident mood, but having secured wins against Greece and Italy, they know the Swedes will prove a tough challenge.