FC Irlande Vets 2

Vets 2 played British United 7 by the Belgian air base of Beauvechain today. With no drones in sight, the game could proceed on a lovely Belgian autumn day. As things go with Vets 2, we expected 16 players but we ended up with 14. One was finishing work too late and the other forgot about the game and was on a hike instead. We started with a 4-3-3 formation that was causing problems to the opposition. When losing possession, we reverted to a 4-5-1 formation with Antonio and Oscar dropping back to midfield to allow Rafa, Pascal and Joris to crowd the middle. We created more chances than they did but the last pass was too often missing. Eventually, BUFC broke the deadlock with a great run down the right by their striker who caught Laurent off guard at his first post. It was a tough angle and as a goalie, a difficult call to make as a cross would have been the logical choice for the striker. He decided to go for goal and scored. We kept playing well and caused problems but we just couldn’t find the opening. Eventually, Rafa did. On a very well taken corner, he delivered a peach of a ball to Slava who finished with a great header. A few minutes later, BUFC was on the attack with their winger going pass Patrick who brought him down in the box. Penalty was converted but Laurent almost had it. We kept our heads high and kept fighting. Rafa took a direct free kick from about 30 yards and their goalie had a hand on it just enough to divert the ball on the crossbar. Oscar was first to the second ball and headed it in. 2-2. With 10–12 minutes to go, Jeff sprained his left knee while chasing a ball back. We were down to ten men. Bobby hit the cross bar on a rebound. Laurent saved a couple of one on ones but we kept pushing and managed to score…Rafa yet again won the ball in midfield and set Slava up who buried it…but offside, it was not but the ref thought so. The game ended up 2-2. Well done to all lads, great fighting spirit. Rafa is MOTM and he is not going back to Vets 1 😉 . His presence made a big difference to our team, muchas gracias cariño!

Vets 2 played a very technical Jettoise team mostly made of players originally from the Balkans. The atmosphere on the pitch was most excellent with both teams being very fair-play. As usual, Vets 2 adopted a diesel engine approach to the game and conceded 2 goals within 15 minutes. Both goals came from silly mistakes due to bad passing. They scored a third on a corner, which we definitely need to work on at training. We won the second half 1-0 due to a clear blatant obvious no contest penalty on Slava. Pascal converted the penalty kick with a wonderful Panenka kick (okay, he did a Zidane and put it in the bottom left corner). Second half was much more even but we couldn’t create enough and the game ended 1-3. MOTM Jeff.

“Indian summer washed away in Wemmel”

After a week with forecast of a hot September Saturday, the reality turned out more Belgian with proper rain showers. After a calm Friday, Jeff and Damo had a decent squad. Unfortunately Pascal and Joris had to throw in the towels so the captains quickly sobered up.
We still lined up a decent team, so hopes were high for a result.
As mentioned it was raining a bit, so the bumby grass pitch turned slippery too. Tricky for all.
The game must have looked like a slow motion pinball from the side, there was not a whole lot of passing play.
Before half time we did not manage to clear the ball, after what looked a clear hand ball by Ken, and for 25 split seconds we stopped up and sid not react quickly enough on the loose ball on the edge of the box. Their striker thought “why the hell not?” and sent a shot that Jeff only managed to partly parry. 1-0.
Second half was much of the same, there was always the possibility of a mistake somewhere whoch could lead to something. Unfortunately something never became a thing, and even with a last push it remained the same until we exposed us too much and they found a cross and a header to beat Jeff. 2-0 and that was it.
Great effort by all, no heads dropped and on a different day we could have walked home with points.
MOTM Jeff, for safe hands and leadership.
Onwards and upwards.

Vets 2 played the rather technical Entente team on a rather windy day. The game was quite even until Entente took a long distance shot which the hurricane force winds carried over Jeff. As Ben said, normally keepers jump, which he did but managed to take off by about three centimetres, touched the ball with the tip of his fingers but that was not enough. 0-1. Entente created a few chances but nothing too threatening. In the second half, now playing with the wind, we created more chances but didn’t manage to score…until on a long kick from our goalkeeper helped by the wind, Oscar chased and put enough pressure on their defender who missed the ball, Oscar then headed it over the goalkeeper and finished it with a tap. 1-1. Entente went back on the offensive and created three more chances. Jeff easily saved two and won a one on one to keep the score levelled. Pietro was MOTM after a fantastic performance in holding midfield. Everyone gave it all and played very well. Thanks to Euros for delegating for us and for Ben to join us today. Great game lads, we can all be proud of ourselves!

Entertaining match, we were strong in first half but they were tricky. Fat Adolf and Fat Fernandes were a constant threat, and actually I got the yellow for kicking Fat Fernandes in half. Injuries did us bad, so we had to put players in unusual positions. Fajar as CB and Pietro as striker, and we were still it. True, Francois kept us alive bit we all worked our socks off to the end. A red card and some commotion in the last minute, and put of nothing they counter in the winning goal. Let’s continue the good and less of the bad, and we will win for sure. MOTM David.

Vets2 started the season welcoming La Lorraine.  We were 12 players for this first game of the season, without our usual goalkeeper and without our very talented Spanish striker. We gifted the opponent too many easy goals and the game finished 1-8. David saw two of his great efforts ending on the crossbar after their goalkeeper saved them with the tip of his fingers Nico saved the honour of FC irlande in the second half with a very nice finish. Not the best start for this new season but we will bounce back!