R Union Lasne Ohain B

On yet another crisp, sunny afternoon, FC Irlande Ladies III faced visiting R Union Lasne Ohain B.

Let’s get one thing out of the way right away: Despite what the final score would suggest, this was one of the strongest matches FCI has played all season.

The first half started off slowly, but FCI eventually got into a groove. There was a lot of conduction, with the team making good passes and advancing the ball well into the opponent’s half. We generated many goal-scoring opportunities, including a couple of break-away runs and free kicks, but unfortunately, none of our shots were met with success. At the same time, our defense was solid – we were nearly impenetrable, and the moment the opponent broke through our line, another player was there and ready to intercept the ball. This excellent pressure prevented any goals from being scored in the first half.

During the second half, FCI came out even more assertively, determined to put points on the board. There was a lot of action from both sides of the field. The opponent ended the stand-off when they capitalized on a corner kick at 52’, but FCI kept a positive mindset and continued to play on. We had a couple of exciting corners, with Beaty firing a shot that Clem expertly headed into the goal, but the goalkeeper miraculously kept us from the desired finish. We continued to make attempts on the goal and took risks by playing up high and moving the ball well (except for a moment when it felt like a forcefield was keeping us stuck in a certain area in the midfield). Unfortunately, we lost the gamble, conceding a second goal at 73’. We continued to battle on but were found unlucky as they scored once again at 82’. We finally answered with our own goal as Viktorija landed a shot at 84’. The match ended with a final score of 3-1.

Now that Venus has entered retrograde on March 1, we’re invited to take the next 40 days to reevaluate our relationships, values, and self-worth while also being introspective about what truly brings us joy and satisfaction. Though the score wasn’t what we wanted, we certainly played well together and pushed ourselves for 90 minutes. It was a pleasant and satisfying match, even if we were frustrated with the result. This match represents a key milestone on our journey to strengthening our trust in each other and confidence in ourselves and we look forward to continuing this growth.

We fight on, with smiles on our faces and delicious brownies in our bellies.

Player of the match: Beaty

On one of the last sunny Sundays of the year, FC Irlande Ladies travels to Lasne to play against R Union Lasne Ohain B.

The game stays balanced during the first few minutes of the first half. FCI attempts to capitalise on some corner kicks while Lasne Ohain tries to be dangerous by playing on the wings. It is from one of these actions that Lasne Ohain, at 17’, finds the space to score. The opponent’s striker anticipates FCI’s defence and finds a deflection that beats Olatz. Despite the disappointing episode, FCI does not lose its cool and stays with the head in the game. The dribbles of Roxanne and Angela and the uncertainty of Lasne Ohain’s goalkeeper give some hope for a goal but the hope does not materialise. The first half ends 1-0 for the home team.

FCI starts the second half. Angela tries to find Roxanne on the wing with a long ball but the opponent’s defence stops the attempt. The second part of the match does not see the teams having big chances to score. Lasne Ohain almost finds the second goal from a corner kick but it fails to score an open goal. The clearest and last opportunity of the match is for FCI. Béa in front of the goalkeeper is not calm enough to finalise the goal-scoring opportunity. This action closes the match with the result of 1-0 for Lasne Ohain.

The match against Lasne Ohain always brings back the memories of the first match the refounded FCI Ladies III played and of the ditzy and rambling team we were. The result of the two matches is the same, we lost (the first time 3-0). But, in reality, the results hide two different stories. In the first match, we were destroyed and we were lucky to only lose 3-0. In this season’s match, we were more or less at the same level and we lost due to one of the few, if not the only, distractions in the defensive phase. And also, nice sandwiches at the buvette.

Player of the match: Angela