AAU Football opened the new semester on a positive note this Monday with a resounding 4-1 victory over SC XaoS 11, marking the team’s first official competitive match after changing leagues.
After a transitional year that saw a changing of leadership with Matyáš Kousek taking the helm as head coach and a newfound emphasis on elevating the club’s competitiveness, the move to abandon the university league to join the Pibfal Amateur League this year was one made with that same goal in mind.
“We needed a league where we could play teams at a similar level and be competitive. Objectively, that was something we were struggling to achieve in the University League,” Kousek said.
While Kousek assures this does not entirely rule out the possibility of university fixtures in the future, the change does seem to be a welcome one, as beyond just improving the balance of matchups it also provides more opportunities for the team to play competitive games.
Furthermore, the move to amateur club opens up the new opportunity for women on the team to be able to participate in competitive matchups, something the University League did not permit, instead limiting them to just friendlies. Now, women will be fully eligible to play in all competitive league games.
As was also a top focus last year, Kousek emphasizes the need for team unity and cohesiveness entering the new season. “The players need to understand that when they step onto the pitch, they are playing for each other, not just themselves. Our priority in the first month is therefore to get everyone fully on board with our philosophy and establish a strong team identity,” Kousek said.
While there is a long season to go, AAU’s showing on Monday night is certainly a promising sign for the club’s future. The team played aggressive and with intensity for all 90 minutes, and even as the first half stayed scoreless there was still no question which side was in control of the match.
After the first goal was eventually scored by AAU, the team maintained their composure even after a quick response from SC XaoS to tack on three more scores and secure the one sided victory. Lukaš Gajzler led the scoring for AAU, recording the team’s first two goals.
“After a 4-1 win, it is difficult to complain too much!” Kousek said on the match. “Overall, I was pleased with the performance and, most importantly, with the result…but we know there is still a lot of room for growth.”
While Kousek reports he was pleased with the commitment he saw in the team to that shared philosophy he preaches, he cites the two main areas of improvement for the next match as patience and teamwork. “We want to be comfortable on the ball, make the right decisions and trust the player next to us.”
Still, such a statement win is to be celebrated, and it gives the team high spirits to begin the season after a roller coaster of up and down results last year.
“The work with the team this year has been very positive. The guys are motivated, they are working hard and, most importantly, they are ready to fight for the team,” Kousek said. “I am very proud to be the coach of AAU Football, and I am excited to see what we can achieve together this season.”
As always, Kousek encourages anyone interested to reach out to AAU Football if they would like to join. The club can be reached on Instagram @aaufootball.
The club’s next matchup is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 21 at 19:45 against Galaksia Praha 23 at FK Admira Praha, where they will hope to keep the momentum going.
