Premier Division
Eagles Land Cricklewood 1 Soccer Stars Fennecs 1
Saturday, 02 November 2024
This Middlesex County Football League Premier Division fixture (on Saturday, at Vale Farm) between Eagles Land Cricklewood and Soccer Stars Fennecs promised to be a fine game, between two fine teams in the Premier Division. Eagles Land Cricklewood started this game in sixth place in the league standings, after nine league matches played. Soccer Stars Fennecs started this game in 11th place after eight league matches played. This step 7 match ended in a 1-1 draw, but it was an entertaining game of football, which saw some good football be played. Zack Bettache's Soccer Stars Fennecs side would start this game strongly on Saturday afternoon, creating a good number of early goalscoring chances.
After Ilias Tahraoui had crossed the ball for Ahmed Ayoub, in the centre of the home team's penalty area, Ayoub would hit a low volleyed effort on the Eagles Land Cricklewood goal. His effort was well kept out by goalkeeper Orjon Hoxhaj, before being cleared away by a defender. A couple of minutes later a good passing move from the away side would result in a goalscoring chance being created for Mouadh Kermani. As Ramy Rouighi had passed the ball to Ahmed Ayoub, who then passed the ball to Mouadh Kermani, on the right-hand side of the home team's penalty area. However, Kermani's powerful effort on goal was saved by Hoxhaj, who would then mark a good save to keep an effort from the edge of his penalty area, out of the Eagles Land Cricklewood goal.
Eagles Land Cricklewood would create their first notable goalscoring chance of the game soon after that fine save from Orjon Hoxhaj. With Kristo Beshiku doing well to skip past a defender inside the Soccer Stars Fennecs penalty area. However, before he could test the goalkeeper, Soccer Stars Fennecs' captain Youcef Mezaoui would step across to make an important challenge inside of the box. Then at the opposite end of the pitch, Soccer Stars Fennecs would create a decent chance, following another good, fast passing move with the ball. With Ifeanyi David passing the ball to Mouadh Kermani (he was around 20 yards out from the Eagles Land Cricklewood goal), whose curling effort on goal was gathered by Orjon Hoxhaj. Soon after that effort on goal from the away side, Youcef Mezaoui would win the ball in midfield, finding Ramy Rouighi in the process. Ramy Rouighi would then find Ahmed Ayoub, just inside of the Eagles Land Cricklewood box, with a good through-ball pass. However, Ayoub's resulting powerful low effort on goal, would hit the bottom of the goalkeeper's right-hand post.
Not long before half-time, a good cross into the Eagles Land Cricklewood box (from Ifeanyi David), would find Youcef Mezaoui at the back post. However, his headed effort across the goal, went narrowly wide of the goalkeeper's right-hand post. The second half of this match got off to a great start for the home side, Eagles Land Cricklewood, who would take the lead early on in the second half. After the ball had been picked up by Kristo Beshiku (on the right-hand side of the Soccer Stars Fennecs penalty area) following a challenge, the home side's top scorer in all competitions this season would powerfully finish into the goal, off the goalkeeper's right-hand post, 1-0. A couple of minutes later the home side's fine start to the second half almost got considerably better. As Kristo Beshiku once again received the ball on the right-hand side of the Soccer Stars Fennecs penalty area. However, after skilfully working his way around a defender, Beshiku's resulting effort went over Sukhraj Dulai's goal.
The pace and intensity of the game had picked up further in the second half of the match. After Ramy Rouighi had hit an effort over the home team's goal from distance, an effort from Enes Shehu (at the opposite end of the pitch - from the edge of the away team's box, soon after) would see his powerful low effort on goal, be pushed away by Sukhraj Dulai. Kristo Beshiku would once again receive the ball on the right-hand side of the away team's penalty area, a couple of minutes after that effort from Enes Shehu. However, his effort went over the goal. More chances would follow for both sides, and after Omar Dirow's powerful free-kick effort from at least 35 yards out from goal had dipped over the Soccer Stars Fennecs goal, Hocine Krouchi would have a headed effort on the home team's goal (following a corner-kick) be held by Orjon Hoxhaj.
There was to be late drama in this good game of football, with Soccer Stars Fennecs being awarded a late penalty, following a foul on one of their players inside of a crowded Eagles Land Cricklewood penalty area. However, Eagles Land Cricklewood's very impressive central-defender Ashkan Abbasi would also be sent to the sin-bin just after the penalty had been awarded to the away side. Hocine Krouchi's first attempt/effort from the penalty spot found the left-hand side of the goal, but the referee would order him to retake it. However, Hocine Krouchi showed good composure to confidently finish into the same side of the goal at the second time of asking. Both sides really went for the win during the final minutes of the game, with Eagles Land Cricklewood substitute Anthony Whyte having a low and very late effort from distance, be gathered by Sukhraj Dulai.
Soccer Stars Fennecs, for the amount of fine chances that they created from their fearless passing game, will, I think, be disappointed that they didn't get the win. However, so will Eagles Land Cricklewood, who defended well, and also who knows how this game would've ended had that late penalty not been awarded to the away side. But this was a good and competitive game of football, with some impressive performances. There were some good defensive performances for both teams on Saturday afternoon. For Eagles Land Cricklewood, I thought that their player of the match was central-defender Ashkan Abbasi, who has impressed me every time that I have seen him play this season. Soccer Stars Fennecs player Islam Guerniche was my overall player of the match on Saturday afternoon, however. The way in which he defended, read and anticipated the play was very good. He is a very consistent player, who always shows good leadership skills on the pitch, as well as defending with real tenacity.
This match report was written by Lennon, who writes on non-League and grassroots football on his blog - nonleagueandacademyfootballwriter.co.uk