RRC Waterloo

After a few weeks without league football and a victorious friendly, FC Irlande Ladies III is back for a home game against RCC Waterloo.

Waterloo starts the match in possession of the ball, but FCI takes control of the game immediately. Unlike the previous matches, the team is focused from the first minutes and effectively stops Waterloo from creating any attacking action. FCI easily finds space between the Waterloo lines, coming close to scoring on multiple occasions. This sustained attacking pressure results in two goals by Zoe, scored at 19’ and 35’. After six minutes, unexpectedly, Waterloo scores the goal that could reopen the match. This goal closed the first half with a 2-1 result.

FCI enters the pitch for the second half confident in its superiority and ability to score more. Three minutes in, Marina converted a penalty, earned by Zoe. One minute later, Zoe finds the back of the net for her second hat-trick of the season. Nelly then opened her account for the match and for FCI. FCI keeps on attacking without giving Waterloo a chance to be dangerous in the offensive phase. Once Viktorija comes on to the pitch, motivated to put her name also on the scoresheet, she scores the sixth and seventh goals of the game in two minutes. Before the final whistle, Marina scores two more goals, completing her first hat-trick of the season. The match ends with an incredible 9-1.

This match report cannot contain all the scoring chances we had and cannot convey how much we dominated during the entire match. We scored so many goals that it was impossible to track all the assists. This impressive win comes at the right moment in the season, boosting our morale and energy for the next matches after the last disappointing results.

At Waterloo, FC Irlande did not surrender.

On the Waterloo battlefield, FC Irlande Ladies III faced Racing Club de Waterloo for an epic match and an electrifying midseason finale.

Waterloo kicks off the match and does it strongly. After not even 10 minutes, the home team is 2-0 up, with FCI unable to contain their attack. Despite this shocking start, FCI composes itself and finds the strength to react, knowing that it is not defeated yet and the battle is far from over. Action after action, the team improves the quality of its game, becomes more compact in defence and more precise in attack. At 42’, Marina assists with a header El, who keeps her cool in front of the goalie and puts the ball into the back of the net after it hits the crossbar. A few minutes later, Marina tries to find the equaliser, but her shot goes over the crossbar. First half finishes 2-1 for Waterloo.

The goal at the end of the first half galvanises FCI players, certain that the match still has a lot to say and a victory is still possible. Three minutes into the second half, a beautiful through ball from Marina launches Sophie, who, 1vs1 with the goalkeeper, cannot miss the chance to score her first goal for FCI. FCI did not come to Waterloo to equalise and keeps on pressuring the opponent. At 68’, Roxanne’s throw-in finishes on the arm of a Waterloo player; the referee does not have any doubts: penalty for FCI. Marina, confident in her abilities, steps up to kick the penalty and, with calmness, scores the goal of the overtaking. The remuntada is finalised at the 80’, another goal from Marina assisted in the penalty area by El. Waterloo reacts and creates a few scoring chances at the end of the second half, notably a free kick from the edge of the box, which is successfully neutralised by FCI.

Waterloo tried to hold us back, but we were stronger. We showed that we can win, but more importantly, we proved an incredible mental strength and confidence in our means. We can proudly say we have a perfect away winning streak. Now, for the second half of the season, we have to learn to win at home.