2023 DSAFF Comrades Cup final
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| Event | 2023 DSAFF Comrades Cup | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Date | 16 July 2023 | ||||||
| Venue | Estadio Olímpico Luis Rivera, Mérida | ||||||
| Player of the Match | Laëtitia Tatah (Akach) | ||||||
| Referee | Mardhia Breac (Sörslúth) | ||||||
| Attendance | 75,000 | ||||||
The 2023 DSAFF Comrades Cup final was a football match that took place on 16 July 2023 at Estadio Olímpico Luis Rivera in Mérida, Yucatan to determine the 2023 DSAFF Comrades Cup champion. Akach defeated Ukotrium (UEC) 4-2, to claim their first title.
Background
The two teams had only met once before, in the 2022 DSAFF Frost Cup, with Ukotrium eliminating Akach in the quarter finals, after a penalty shootout.
Ukotrium  | 1–1 |  Akach |
|---|---|---|
Schieda  28' |
Douis 55' |
|
| Penalties | ||
|
4–2 |
|
Returning players
As the matches were just six months apart, there was substantial overlap in the squads for both nations.
Sixteen Akach players were in the squad for the Frost Cup tie, with seven of them starting the quarter final. For Ukotrium, the entire squad of twenty-three was identical to the one named at the 2022 Frost Cup.
| Returning from | Team | Type | Players |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Frost Cup | Akach | Starters (7) | Sébastien Marcel, Makan Adams, Kenza Ayache, Moussa Sagnier, Yannick Coquet, Marie Douis, Friday Ennui |
| Subs (1) | Thibault Janvion | ||
| in Squad (8) | April Baca, Kenneth Janis, Yoann Lutic, Johan Strappe, Sophie M'Barek, Maryan Hamidouche, Pascal Marcel, Avery Robertson | ||
| Ukotrium | Starters | ||
| in Squad |
Route to the final
Akach
| Opponent | Result | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Cat Army
|
1–1 |
| 2 |  Yucatan
|
2–1 |
| 3 |  UFS Mexico
|
2–2 |
| R16 |  Levonen
|
1–0 |
| QF |  Talamia
|
|
| SF |  Hortizo
|
1–0 |
Drawn in Group E alongside co-hosts Yucatan, and reigning Frost Cup champions UFS Mexico, Akach looked to be in the "group of death" for the tournament. An opening draw against Cat Army – lowest ranked side in the group – looked bad for the Odum te okeala, as they struggled to mount many meaningful attacks. Aside the seventeenth minute opener from Kody Theus, Akach barely threatened the opposition, managing just two more attempts on target for the remainder of the match. They would put on a much more impressive display in their second game, however, with Laëtitia Tatah making her first start for the national team. The opening goal would come from Kenza Ayache, marauding forward to fire Yannick Coquet's layoff into the top left corner on twenty-three minutes. Yucatan's Sara Rodríguez shot narrowly wide shortly before the end of the half, while Tatah would force three smart saves from Vidar Traustanen in the intervening minutes. Angélica Valadez would tie things up early in the second half, but Tatah would put Akach back in front a little after the one hour mark, with Sébastien Marcel pulling off a string of saves to secure the win. In their final group game, Akach played out a somewhat fortunate 2-2 draw with UFS Mexico – given that their opponents largely controlled possession and forced some good saves from Marcel – twice coming from behind to secure a point and progression to the knockout stage.
In the round of sixteen, Akach played out a cagey 1-0 win over Levonen, courtesy of a 74th minute winner from Kenza Ayache, setting up a quarter final clash with reigning Comrades Cup champions and one of the tournament favourites: Talamia. The two teams had played out a 1-1 draw in a friendly prior to the tournament, and they proved to be equal yet again. Another Tatah goal gave Akach the lead after just fifteen minutes, but Thaskema Apopatos levelled things on fifty-one minutes. Despite Kody Theus missing a one-on-one and Ayache needing to make a crucial goal line clearance in the last few minutes, Akach held on for extra time. Both teams slowed down toward the end, content to let penalties settle the tie, and they did. Marcel saved attempts from both Arees Sus and Lignus Fonè, sending Akach through to the semi finals. The semi finals were, again, a cagey affair, with both sides doing well to stifle the other's attacks. Ultimately, it was a Thibault Janvion free kick in the sixty-second minute that won it, putting the Lions in the final.
Ukotrium (UEC)
| Opponent | Result | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  New Ordiel Kalibleland
|
1–0 |
| 2 |  Nachturne
|
2–0 |
| 3 |  Hithridge
|
0-1 |
| R16 |  Osreton
|
|
| QF |  Lannistter
|
|
| SF | Yucatan
|
1–0 |
Match
Summary
Details
 Akach |
Ukotrium (UEC) |
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  Marcel  Ayache Adams Boutella Ndiaye Sagnier Coquet (c) Janvion Ennui Theus Douis  Natale  Macedo Trenciant (c) Rakena Pinho Leyton De Lucca Guimarāes Figera Scheida Zannallis 2023 DSAFF Comrades Cup final; starting lineups |
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Match rules:
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