We started well as right in the beginning we started pushing Szent Pál AFC and for most of the first half we controlled the match. There were not many chances, but it looked like BJ were the more dangerous team and not far away from grabbing a goal.  Our defence was strong, so Szent Pál could not come close enough to our goal and the first half ended goalless.

In the second half Szent Pál started better, but missed the goal twice in a row. We needed an answer just to settle ourselves down and we didn't have to wait long. Matthew passed to Bence from about 5 metres away from the goal and Bence scored into the top left corner. From there on Buda Juniors took control of the game again and were more dangerous. 3 minutes from the final whistle Helmer saw the opportunity and gave a very clever pass to Paolo from the halfway line, and Paolo copied our first goal and so we ended up winning our first group game.

As we were already through to the semis, we made some changes to our team. Bence, for example, played at the back and Helmer was moved up front from defence. Like this our players had a bit of a taste of other positions. We started with two great opportunities, but missed the goal both times. Piliscsaba were playing strong, but our team could handle all their efforts.

We started the match better and created chances. Of course we had to be alert at the back very much, as II.ker UFC plays great football and has dangerous players when it comes to playing in front of the other team's goal. Even so, we had the first big chance, but Bence could not beat the keeper one on one. Unfortunately II.ker UFC got the first goal right after the missed chance. II.ker kept pushing form there on and not long after the first one they scored again (with a little help from our defence). Buda Juniors tried their best to come back into the game and 4 minutes before the end Bence scored. Unfortunately today's form of BJ wasn't as good as the previous two matchdays and we could not equalise. In fact, another mistake and II.ker UFC won 3-1. This meant we played for 3rd place.

We met Piliscsaba for the second time in the day and all of us hoped that we could grab 3rd place… and it started that way as Paolo found himself alone in front of the goal twice right after each other. Unfortunately he missed both of the opportunities and so we ended the first half 0-0 instead of with a 2-0 lead. The second half saw another BJ chance, but we missed and then (as happens many times in football and had already happened to us on this day) Piliscsaba scored 2 minutes before the end. We had no more chances to score and had to walk away with the 1-0 defeat. Today's teamplay wasn't as good as we had experienced before, but still we have 3 more matchdays to show ourselves.

After the disappointment of Matchday 1, the reigning champions were hoping to take maximum points to put them back in contention. Despite having control from the off we were very sloppy in defence and went two goals down before waking up. The first came as Till lost the ball in the middle and George couldn't get close enough to block the shot which flew into the near top corner. The second was worse as Christian left his post covering George at the back too soon and both players were caught out by a long ball over the top and the striker finished past Victor. Till replied with his first of the campaign, latching on to Christian's pass and finishing left-footed to the corner and he found the equaliser on 10 minutes after George's long throw had set him free to bury a right-footed volley past the keeper. It took until two minutes to score the vital third as Matthew scrambled home from close range after Till had somehow contrived to hit the keeper three times with the ball. A poor start in terms of performance but the boys eventually found some spirit and the 3 points was all that counted.

A good result with some excellent football but despite scoring 8, the chances missed proved again how poor our finishing has been and how important the habit of scoring goals is when facing tougher opposition. Matthew got the ball rolling with a first-time finish from Till's pass and buried the second a minute later after winning the ball from the last defender. Some great football encompassed the 97's play so far this year as George played a one-two with Simon to escape from our own corner and then played a quick switch to Matthew on the left. He immediately looked right to Till and met Till's return pass but the finish flew wide! Great to watch but lacking the vital ingredient...a GOAL!!! Till hit the post moments later but Matthew collected the rebound and set him up to finish from close range. Next Matthew's cross shot was deflected into the corner by an unfortunate defender. Joao then got in on the act with a ferocious half-volley from distance that cannoned back off the angle of post and crossbar. He did find the net moments later, however, arriving at the back post to finish George's sublime dribble and pass. Christian became the next player on the scoresheet, winning possession and stroking the ball confidently into the far corner. He then scored his second in bizarre circumstances, somehow steering the ball into the net while laying on the ground after being tackled by the last defender and with the keeper coming out to collect the loose ball! We failed to keep a clean sheet, however, as Victor was left exposed from a long ball which was finished to the roof of the net. Joao set up Simon for the 8th before MAC hit back with a free-kick, leaving the final score 8:2.

Again a story of missed chances punished in the last second of the match. Christian, Till and Matthew all missed easy chances early on before some shocking marking from a free-kick left a yellow shirt with all the time in the world to control and finish past Victor. George set up Christian down the right and he somehow dug out a cross from the corner and Till arrived at the back post to finish left-footed for the equaliser. Till and Christian then hit the keeper when it seemed easier to score before Simon latched on to a rebound from Till's effort to score with his first touch! Next Matthew couldn't find the target as his heavy touch drew the keeper out at his feet with Alex wide open to his right. A quick turn and shot by the MAC striker crept into the corner to level the scores again, then George hit the keeper from close in after playing a great one two with Till. With the last kick of the game Joao stretched to intercept a cross from the left but only succeeded in diverting the ball past Victor into the corner for an O.G and a very unlucky defeat! Unlucky yes, but maybe not undeserved. If you don't take your chances during the game they will come back to haunt you. 6 points out of 9 on the day and still not out of the race by any means... let's hope for a change in fortune in the new year!!!

AS Római has a good team, so we didn't expect anything but a very hard 20 minutes for the start of our 1996s campaign. The Buda Juniors players played the whole match with discipline and only one mistake in defence, when AS Romai scored. Alex and George missed two open chances and so the half-time result didn't change. In the second half BJ was the better team on the field, but even Matthew's open chance (again) wasn't enough to provide at least an equaliser. We lost a match we could easily have won.

This match started excellently for us, as Till scored within five seconds of the kick-off. Not long afterwards Till scored his and our second goal. Matthew passed to George who gave Till the final pass which found him face to face with the keeper, and he made no mistake, dribbling round the keeper and placing the ball in the net. And it was still not over for Till. After Matthew's slide tackle and pass Till's third meant a hat-trick for him. Glenn's saves just before half-time kept us 3-0 up. In the second half Hidegkút tried to push for a goal, but our defence held on. A small mistake, however, and the score changed to 3-1. After the goal Hidegkút pushed even harder but Glenn saved all their attempts. Alex recovered the ball beautifully and put it through to Patrik, who placed our 4th goal. We thought that Hidegkút would stop coming, but they kept on testing our defence. Glenn again showed that he was in good form by saving a penalty. Most of the second half went on in our half, but we still managed to score very close to the end. Matthew got the ball and after a solo run he scored, making the final score 5-1

We started the match well, but Till could not score after a brilliant pass from Matthew - an easy chance again, the 5th of the day. And as always happens after such things, Tát scored after a defensive mistake. We were the better team on the field, and finally Till managed to score after George's assist. With still 4 minutes remaining, we went for the winning goal, but Sam's shot was denied and George just didn't recognise that passing the ball to Patrik would find him alone in front of the empty goal. So we had to walk away with just a draw.

The 97s got off to a very poor start in this year's Winter Cup, having being crowned champions in the previous two years. We had a lucky escape in the opening minute as some slack marking allowed a free shot at Victor's goal which came back off the underside of the bar. Then it was all pressure. Hingl was set free but dragged his shot wide. Some slick passing from George to Matthew set Hingl up again but he scooped the ball over from close range. A mistake in midfield lead to the opener as there was nobody back to protect Victor and the striker finished well to the bottom corner. Matthew then hit the keeper when he should have done better and Hingl forced him into a great save with the ball agonisingly brushing the post before stopping on the line and then being hacked clear! After all our chances the last three minutes were awful as we conceded twice more due to more terrible marking, handing us a heavy defeat with much to ponder on before the next game. Probably the worst performance by the 97s in the Winter Cup ever with missed chances, little passing, silly mistakes and a huge lack of spirit and fight.

Despite again starting the game on top we were punished for not taking our chances and for some awful defensive errors. Christian and George shot wide before the first real chance fell to Matthew, who forced a good save from the keeper with his right foot. Victor was once again left exposed 5 minutes in as a loose ball was picked up in the middle and the striker dribbled through some non-existent tackles to finish. Anton had a header saved while George shot over from Christian's free kick and Simon's effort was blocked down. In the 10th minute we were two down as our corner was deflected clear and with no one staying back the attacker had a free 30-metre run at goal before placing the ball past a bewildered Victor. The boys had no response, with Christian losing possession for the 3rd goal and Hingl doing the same for the 4th. Our misery was compounded in the last seconds as Christian and Joao's missed tackles led to a fifth goal and an absolute hammering was complete.

Finally a victory with some goals scored, despite another shaky display at the back. Christian opened the scoring with a cracking shot from the right which went in off the far post. Matthew should have made it two but hit the keeper from close range but luck was seemingly with us as from the resulting corner the ball deflected off a defender's shins and found the net. A shocking mistake from Christian gifted a goal back as he passed the ball across his own goal to the waiting striker who tapped in. Matthew switched the play from left to right and Christian this time picked the right pass to Anton who finished at the second attempt to make the score 3-1. Christian was involved in everything (good and bad) and was caught way out of position as Victor was lobbed for the 5th goal of the game while at the other end Matthew rattled the post and forced the keeper into a smart save after two excellent dribbles. George extended the lead as he turned inside after his initial free-kick had struck the wall and hit a low left-foot drive past the keeper. George then set up Anton after beating two men and he controlled calmly before picking his spot to secure victory. There was still time to concede one more, however, as Victor was slow off his line from Joao's header and the striker lifted the ball into the empty net, leaving the final score 5-3.

After winning the tournament the previous week we were looking for another great day. And it started very well. Soon after kick-off Bence scored. We didn't play well but another goal from Bence gave us a 2-0 lead. Nyergesújfalu managed to break, but missed an open chance. Our defence was not 100% awake as another strike came but Lewis Whelan saved us. Right after the goal-kick Bence found himself alone in front of goal and he didn't miss. From Lewis Shaw's great corner Bence volleyed the ball into the net for the fourth. Just before half-time Nyergesújfalu got one back. The second half didn't go so well for us, as Nyerges kept pressing. Lewis Whelan denied shot after shot. Our team was focusing on defence, but in the last minute we still managed to score - Bence got all 5 goals!