Unbeaten to 6 in a row... BUFC Ladies are surfing in the top of the wave!

By Ana Rios

This week we faced, on one hand, an apparently non difficult opponent, since they are in the bottom of the league, but, on the other hand, we could not forget that we had lost 8-3 against them so it was a little 'encrucijada'.

On top of that, there were some key players that were not available like Lisa and Amos, and some others who just fell off the list of players for the match in the last minute…actually two of our youngest players: the super goalie Pauline and our super central midfielder Rachel ( watjes!!..:)...) So we had to recur to one of the oldest glories and the most awarded goalie of the whole story of the BUFC, super Franci, than, despite the fact that she did not walk more than 20 meter in a row since March 2007, and the criticism of her family, she did not think it twice, abandoned Giorgia Isabel for some hours and joined her pupils. And that was key in our...yes...victory to FC Sfeerbergen.

In a cloudy windy grey late morning we started our match at Nekker. And I'm not saying 'our match' par hazard but because 90% of the possession was BUFC ladies…oh, well...to be honest 50% was wind's possession, 40% ours, and 10% of ...nr. 10.

The first half, thanks to cap Caz, we won the side to have to wind in favour. But what at first sight looked a good idea, it turned a little bit against us, since beautiful long crossings coming from captain Caz or the midfielders, Maaike and Hils, were finishing in the hand of their goalie since the wind was too fast and their goalie, probably their best player. However, we kept trying and there were some beautiful intrusions from the wind from Fabbi and captain Caz, arriving to the feet of the strikers Ale and Anay, who also had a couple of nice 1-2s but again the wind carrying the ball further. In particular, Fabbi had a really nice chance where she took it in from the wing, and a 1-2 with Hils and drove into the box, turned and passed her defender but pushed it just a bit too far ahead and keeper scooped it up.

So, although, there were no many direct shots, we won some corners that the wind, again, made difficult to concretize. Specially, captain Caz had a couple of good crosses from the right - once or twice a ball down the line from Tish, and other time where Ale got the ball square from Tish and put it through to Caz. One of them, Fabbi missed it by a whisker and it went all the way across for a throw in for them.

In the mean time, Maaike and Hils, were doing an amazing job to keep all the centre square of the pitch with BUFC flags, and allowing themselves to get close to the area and had some shots or some beautiful passes to the wings and to the strikers. Actually both of them did really well getting possession back after their goal kicks and our defence (Gibbo instructing well!) pushed up high (almost the half way line) which meant that we really put lots of pressure on them.

At that moment, we had a lot of pressure coz we knew we had to take advantage of the wind in 'our favour' to score...and 5 minutes before the end of the first half the goal, from a triangle of Anay, Hils and Maaike, who who cooly placed a solid strike in the top right corner from the edge of the box.

However the pressure that we imposed to ourselves continued in the second half since we did not want to grant any points to the opponent...So, despite the fact the wind holding back the balls, allowing their centre defender did pick up a few of the balls intended for Anay, Ale, Fabbi or Caz which hung in the air...but we all put pressure on her where we could and often came out winning the ball and/or making a dangerous push forward.

Almost 1 after the other Caz switched inside with Ale and got a ball through: 1st time Caz tried to take it past the defender and was almost through when she stuck her toe in and put it off for a corner, a super beautiful corner that Anay headed it but just couldn't direct it down under the bar and it went wide. 2nd time Caz was clear through past the defender, looked up and tried to shoot it to the right of the keeper who came off her line, but put it wide of the post.

Few minutes later Anay took a long ball from the midfielders, passed by speed two defenders but shot in front of the goalie that was pretty advanced and got the ball on her body.

Again Fabbi and Anay had nice opportunities, one came from Ale to Anay, but it was cut off from a defender just in front of the goalie, and the second one came form a super high class pass from Hils to Fabbi that this latter put out just for a few cms.

All these attacking actions were thanks to the fact that defensively we were pretty safe except for a couple of spurts down their right hand wing but a combo of Gibbo/Jackie and Josine and Maaike kept things safe. Whilst Tish was very confident and started a few attacking situations form her right wing.

Defence had a really easy job with either "weable" striker number 12 who didn't even get passed to by her own team mates, however they did a great job blocking their danger players, number 10 and number 5, that only were able to shot properly twice: one went wide and the second was a strong shot that thanks to the experience of Franci, who was very well positioned it ended up in her hands.

And then, the end of the match...we won 1-0, but with the feeling that we had a team that can create a lot of beautiful attacks based in a strong defence and very solid and creative midfielders; and thus looking forward to showing how we continuing surfing next Sunday on the top of the wave.

Many thanks to the supporters: Hels as delegate, Rachel - despite she was sick - and Fabbi's family; and congratulations to all the players, specially to the MOM: 3. Gibbo and Jacky ( solid defence and Jacky even taking the start shootings...sometimes outside the edge of the small box...J); 2. Fabbi, the Italian top class, and Maaike, who came from Holland just to play and had an awesome game and a great goal, and to the super MOM: 1) Hils who kissed with her feet all the lines of the pitch and had a terrific game, actually one of the best she had placed so far...still surfing, eh ???;)