The Otago Youth team was competitive in all its games in the Milk Cup tournament at Coleraine in Northern Ireland.
There were 20 teams competing at the tournament and Otago's performance pleased head coach Neil McKenzie who has been at all eight tournaments.
"We scored seven goals and this was our best ever performance," McKenzie told the Otago Daily Times.
An opening 1-1 draw with Shamrock Rovers was followed by a 2-1 loss to Portuguese side Porto. Another 2-1 loss, to Antrim, followed, but the Otago youngsters produced a quality performance to beat Mexican club Cruz Azul 3-1.
Otago lost its final game against the trainee professionals from England's Watford club 3-1, in the play-off for for 13th place.
The tournament was won by Manchester United, which beat Sheffield United in the final. SC Porto reached the semifinals and County Antrim reached the B Cup final.
In a warm-up game before the tournament started, the Otago team beat the Bangor club, from near Belfast, 7-0.
"It is an invitation tournament and continued participation depends on performance," McKenzie said.
"We have been invited back each time."
It is a good opportunity for young football players from the province to compete against teams that are supported financially and some of the teams are filled with young professional players. It costs each Otago player $6500 to attend the tournament.
The trip was an opportunity to impress one of the many scouts who went to Northern Ireland looking for talent. One who would have impressed was Otago captain James Watson, with his outstanding defence. He was one of five returning Otago players.
The Otago squad was selected from seven catchment areas with four players from Timaru and two from Oamaru and two guest players, Andrew Barton (Christchurch) and Adam Smith (Nelson). The rest of the squad was from Dunedin.
The coaching staff was McKenzie, Roger Brooks, Matt Scoles and Andy Duncan.
• OTAGO YOUTH TEAM
Milk Cup record
v Shamrock Rovers (Ireland) drew 1-1
v SC Porto (Portugal) lost 2-1
v County Antrim (Ireland) lost 2-1
v Cruz Azul (Mexico) won 3-1
v Watford Academy (England) lost 3-1
