RAVENS Wood’s Year 9 football team recently returned home from the annual Dallas Cup tournament in Texas, the largest international youth football competition in the world.

The boys played against three teams from the United States in their group.

In the first match they lost 3-1 to FC Dallas.

They were edged out 1-0 by Chicgao Fire Premier Academy in a very tight game before signing off with a 2-0 reverse at the hands FC Patedoreos from California.

Despite this, coach Paul Bilsby was pleased with the fact Ravens Wood played well in all three games.

Ravens Wood also played two friendly games against Champions League Select from West Virginia and a touring side from Houston.

The trip for international teams is as much about the cultural experience as the football.

Each international team stays with host families and the players get to experience first hand what living in America is like.

This year Ravens Wood where hosted by the Dallas Texans Reds 92 and enjoyed trips to the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium and a local rodeo.