Nika and her family have come from the Ukraine to help look after her ageing Uncle Stanislav who lives in England. She is soon an enthusiastic member of her school's under 11's girls' football team which is to play in a tournament along the lines of the World Cup with each team allocated a country to represent. When her team draws the Ukraine, Nika is the only girl to be thrilled by this coincidence and she must set herself the task of rallying her fellow players and confronting their prejudices. She tells them about her Uncle's memories of a dramatic and fateful football match in Kiev during the Second World War when the Ukrainian team beat the Germans and showed immense courage in the face of all too real death threats. This is a fast-paced story with well-drawn characters, which tackles serious themes with a light touch.