apêl gôl!

Moscow, Russia
November 2003

Gôl! and the Domededevo home's football teams

Whilst in Moscow for the Euro 2004 play off match, members of Gôl! took time away from visiting Red Square and buying Russian hats and dolls to visit the ROOF (Russian Orphaned Opportunity Fund) sponsored orphanage in Domededevo on the outskirts of Moscow.

As well as donating thirty sets of football kits and several footballs, photos of the Welsh national team and FAW penants there was a chocolate selection box for each of the children at the orphanage, and incase we got into trouble with the staff for taking sweets, we also took tens of toothbrushes and toothpaste!

Having handed out the presents, we were told that the children wanted to challenge us to a game of football, apparently national pride was dented following the previous evening's scoreless draw.

Outside on the all weather football pitch, and already wearing their brand new football kits, three teams of six players were waiting to teach us a footballing lesson!

We played three matches - winning the first match, drawing the second and, despite attempts to gift the kids the final match which included our ref awarding them a very dodgy last minute penalty, we also drew the third.

As refreshments were served Gôl! also presented the manageress of the orphanage with $850 with which the orphanage has purchased a computer.

Before we left the orphanage we were informed that the director of the local International School had heard of our visit and had set up a match for us against the local football team, Metalurg Domededevo. As we arrived at the all-weather six-a-side surface at Domdededevo Stadium we were proudly informed that Metalurg were runners-up in last season's Moscow Football League!

We were shown to a nice warm dressing room where there were shirts hung out on pegs awaiting our arrival. As we trotted on to the pitch we were greeted by their squad of 20 players - we had a squad of eight, which included two Russians!

Unsurprisingly we lost quite heavily in a match which lasted 10 minutes each way, before we were swept to a meeting room of the main club building where a fantastic spread of sanwiches, tea, coffee and, of course, vodka, was laid out for us.

After quite a few toasts to friendship it was with a heavy heart that we tore ourselves away in order to catch our flight back home.