FC Ronvau Chaumont

In the misty Chaumont-Gistoux, FC Irlande Ladies III faces Ronvau Chaumont.

The match doesn’t start in the best way for FCI. The team struggles to control the ball and to evade the pressure of the opponent. This translates into the advantage goal for Ronvau Chaumont at the 9’. FCI fails in taking effective countermeasures to stop Ronvau Chaumont, which, thanks to its aggressiveness and physicality, keeps the game under its control. At the 30’ and 34’, Ronvau scores the second and third goals of the match. The first half ends with a clear 3-0.

Despite the challenging match, FCI wants to enter the pitch for the second half to keep fighting. Despite still being put under pressure and kept in the defensive half of the pitch, the team blocks Ronvau’s attacks more successfully and doesn’t concede any other goals. In the offensive phase, some attacking actions are produced, but not very dangerous enough to worry the opponent’s defence. And as in the first half, the match ends 3-0.

Like the match against RUA, this match gives last season flashbacks. A team forced to defend for most of the match, and with a few sporadic attacking actions. The break from matches will be fundamental to improvement on the weaknesses we showed and building on our strengths.

On Sunday, 5 October, FC Irlande Ladies III players put their football boots back on the Auderghem pitch for the first home game of the season against the leader of the table, FC Ronvau Chaumont. A match that promises to be tough, with both teams galvanised by their start in the league. 

Ronvau Chaumont touches the first ball and starts the match. From the first minutes, we witness an extremely balanced match. Neither of the two teams is able to get control of the game, and most of the actions are settled in midfield battles or a ping-pong between the two defences. The teams are unsuccessful in breaching the defensive lines, with the attacking players failing to create major goal-scoring opportunities, except for an attempt from Marina, who tries a sliding kick that finishes outside. Towards the end of the first half, FCI is awarded a free-kick that Sabri majestically delivers right in the middle of the penalty area, where the flying Catalan, Marina, anticipates the goalie and sends the ball at the back of the net. This goal allows FCI to close the first half with a 1-0 result.

Ronvau Chaumont enters the pitch for the second half with an aggressive manner. The opponent, now 1-0 down, knows that it has to do more to worry FCI’s defence and score. That is when a defensive inattention lets a through ball pass, leading to the equaliser goal for Ronvau Chaumont. After that goal, the match resumes the trend of the first half, challenges all over the pitch, with the teams failing to hurt each other and find the goal that means victory. The match ends 1-1.

As against Nivellois, also this week’s match was physical and intense. Probably due to the strength of the opponent, we were unable to find enough space in front to score the second goal. It remains an important point against the leader of the table that had won all their matches before this Sunday. Ladies I and Ladies II players were instrumental in achieving this result.