Parker and Obada wins their first title of the season
Parker and Obada won their first title of the season when the won the Folksam U21 Tournament* with Malmo FF.
After three trainingsession Parker and Obada were selected to play the final of the U21 tournament with Malmo's U21 game against IFK Norrkoping.
Parker started the game on top while Obada started on the bench. The game started slow but after 20 minutes Malmo started to take over and Parker was involved in many of the attacks that Malmo created. However, it was Norrkoping that created the best scoring opportunity when they hit the crossbar after some sloppy defending by the Malmo defence.
After the first 45 minutes Malmo has had most of the possesion and Parker had a good performance.
In half time Obada replaces Parker on top. Malmo starts the second half starts slow and Obada doesn't really get any good balls to work with but he still shows how fast he can be.
It is Norrkoping thats opens up the scoring in the 64 minute after another misstake by the Malmo defence.
25 minutes into the second half Malmo makes a couple of changes and starts to put pressure on Norrkoping and Obada really starts to show his qualities. He drives the ball forward, goes past the first defender, passes the ball to his teammate up front, Pontus Jansson, who passes the ball back to Obada who goes past another defender and is free on goal but gets a bad hit on the ball and misses a great chance.
Then Malmo decides to bring in Parker again (the teams has free substitutions in the Folksam U21 Tournament) and takes Obadas position up front, who takes the position as right midfielder. Now Malmo really starts to put pressure on Norrkoping. In the 86th minute Obadas hard work on the flank pays of when he is brought down just outside the penalty area and awarded a freekick and the defender that brought him down a second yellow card. On the following freekick Malmo's Jimmy Touma scores a magnificant goal to level the game.
After that Malmo tries to score again and the best chance was created by Parker and Obada. Parker gets the ball on the left flank and tries to shot the ball over the goalkeeper and succeedes only to see the ball hit the crossbar. The rebound goes to Obada who shoots just outside.
The game goes to extra time and Malmo continues to pressure Norrkoping.
In the final minute of extra time Parker has a great chance and scores a goal that is dissallowed by the referee. The referee said the ball had crossed the line for a goalkick.
The game goes to penalties.
Norrkoping misses their first penalty and the first penalty shooter for Malmo is Bernard Parker. Parker shoots a great penalty with his right foot to put Malmo ahead. Malmo keeps this lead and wins the game 5-4.
Thanda Royal Zulu FC are very proud of Parkers and Obadas performance during their trial in Malmo.
*The Folksam U21 Tournament is considered the unofficial Swedish U21 Championship. It is created to provide the teams U21 players with competitive matches to improve their development at the same times that it gives the team the opportunity use their reserves. To accomplish this the tournaments allows the teams to use four over aged players plus one over aged goalkeeper, free substitution, and the possibility to use players on trial with the club.