FC Irlande Ladies 3

FORFEIT

FC Irlande Ladies III, for the second time this season, heads to Nivelles for a Saturday afternoon match, one of those matches that has one possible result: a win. 

FCI starts the match fully aware of the need for goals, and immediately puts Nivellois under pressure. Just five minutes in, FCI pierces Nivellois’ defence. Karissa’s long throw-in reaches Marina in the penalty box, who stops the ball and puts it in the back of the net. Following this opening goal, the first half becomes an endless series of goal-scoring changes and offside calls. A one-way match in which FCI struggles to put the result beyond doubt. While Nivellois is unable to pose a real threat to the FCI defence, the narrow margin could lead to an undeserved draw due to a small mistake.  

For the second half, FCI has to continue its good performance, increasing the level of precision in front of the goal. At 48’, a perfectly delivered corner from El is converted into a goal by Alex B.. This goal takes the pressure off the team, which now plays as it has never played before. Ten minutes later, Viktorija, assisted by Alex B., dribbles the goalie and scores into the empty goal from a tight angle. The momentum continues as Roxanne plays the through ball that puts El in front of the goal, who finishes it. A few minutes later, Roxanne assists again another goal, this time, for Marina. At 80’, Marina completes her hat-trick, thanks to the assist of Anna. The seventh and final goal arrives five minutes before the final whistle when El’s excellent corner finds Gabi, who fires it in. In the last minutes of the match, a through ball cutting the FCI defence gives the chance to Nivellois striker to go 1v1 against Ana; however, Alex recovers her thanks to her speed and preserves the clean sheet. At the final whistle, the scoreboard says 7-0 for FCI. 

This match report cannot contain all the actions and goal-scoring opportunities we created. With a bit more luck and fewer offside calls, we could have easily gone into double figures. On paper, this match against RCS Nivellois C was an easy job. However, we know how much we have struggled to obtain good results against opponents within our reach. The final score reflects both technical and mental growth. We had one job and we delivered it perfectly without getting too nervous and feeling too much pressure.

Sunday’s match against Maccabi Brussels started in a promising way for FC Irlande Ladies III. After some heavy rain during training, we actually got some sun, and within the first minutes, Marina had attempted two impressive bicycle kicks, one of which was not far off the goal. However, it would be Maccabi to open the score, and FCI went down. The team fought back courageously and levelled thanks to a nice goal from Marina. Unfortunately, Maccabi were skilful and dangerous in their counter-attacks, and they scored two more. A beautiful back post shot from Viktorija ensured we went into halftime 2-3, and with high spirits of turning the game around.

In the second half, FCI was aggressive and looking for the equaliser, which came thanks to a perfect low shot from Viktorija. They were hungry for more and looked like they were going to get it. But thanks to another counter-attack, Maccabi scored the last goal of the match, and FCI suffered the first defeat of the season.

Still, many positives to take from this match: our tenacity to come back twice, our attack looking more fluid, and some very nice pictures taken by Maccabi and shared with us.

Now, all our focus goes into preparing for our next match with a busy November schedule.

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.

After almost two months of intense training, FC Irlande Ladies III finally kicks off its season. Away in Nivelles, FCI is ready to put all its spirit on the pitch and to fight for 90’.

FCI starts the match in possession of the ball, and from the first actions, it is clear that the team has its head in the game, playing tight and vigorously. At the 21’, following a throw-in, Anna controls the ball at the edge of the penalty area, crosses it in the middle and finds Viktorija, who, with her speed and ball control, skips the goalie and scores against an empty goal, despite being chased by three defenders. In the first part of the first half, everything goes smoothly. But as time passes by, Nivellois emerges and becomes dangerous. First, a cross that seems destined to go out hits the crossbar, and it is put back into play. However, FCI defenders are faster than the opponent to arrive at the ball and kick it away. At the 42’, Nivellois finds the equaliser when a cross coming from the right side of the pitch is converted into a goal by the Nivellois striker lurking in the penalty area. In the closing minutes of the first half, Nivellois goes close to overtaking: an unpredictable bouncing ball takes by surprise FCI players who, fast to react, stop the ball on the line twice in a few seconds. The first half ends 1-1.

The overall good performance of the first half makes FCI restart the match confident that obtaining a positive result is possible by playing intensively but calmly. At the 64’, Roxanne, putting pressure on the Nivellois defender, steals the ball inside the penalty area and, with her left foot, finds the perfect curve to edge out the goalie. 2-1 for FCI that wants to keep on pushing to find more goals. With one of their usual runs on the left side, Viktorija finds Eli well-positioned at the edge of the box. Eli takes the ball and shoots, but her shot finishes outside, caressing the post. From now on, the match becomes more intense, tense and aggressive. Nivellois fights back and is determined to find the equaliser again. At the 88’, Nivellois finds it. A killing-spirit goal…but not for FCI, that with the last source of energy runs on the left wing with Viktorija, crosses in the penalty box for Roxanne, who puts down the ball, pressured by two opponent defenders, touches the ball enough to find Eli, who rapidly shoots and scores the goal that ends the match. At the final whistle, the scoresheet says 3-2 for FCI.

1 match, 3 points… what more to say? All three goals scored were marvellous, requiring quality and above all, willfulness. The season in front of us is still long, and we know that it won’t be easy, but this first match and three points give us awareness of the role we can play in this league.

Forecast for September 2025 ✨

The full moon is a time to let go of anything that doesn’t serve you. Every month, we have an opportunity to identify the things we need to release and leave in the past so that we can dedicate our energy on pursuits that are more aligned with where we are going. On September 7, we had both a full moon and a lunar eclipse, which often signifies a turning point. This lunar eclipse in Pisces had a particular focus on intuition, letting go, and spiritual/emotional release.

In the wake of this full moon, FCI L3 decided once and for all that it was time for our winless streak to come to an end. We have another week to shed the elements we don’t want to carry into this next season. This creates a clean start for us to start manifesting the season we know we deserve with the new moon on September 21. On the same date, we will also experience a lunar eclipse in Virgo, offering a fresh start in the areas of service, work, health, perfection, and routines. While eclipse vibes add unpredictability and intensify the shift, we know one thing for sure – the FCI Ladies III team is on track to have a fun and exciting 2025/26 season.