Line-up : Damien M.; Nicolas D.(cpt), Jonass G., Martin D.; Loïc A., Victor T.; Miguel L.; Sjoerd K., Oliver L.; Kosta T., Daniele M.

Subs : Antoine G., Tiago

It was a beautiful fall day and the team was slowly arriving in the locker room. Oli showed us his new 2000€ pair of shoes and the music was already very strong to sing all together that Victor comes to us from La Noche, and that he Takous in the neck. Gary came by bike probably to meet his need for kilometers because he was not going to start the game coming back from an injury. Nico had his classic blue scotch tape on his back while Tiago experimented with the locker room of the 2nds with the smile. "Already ready” Dani was sick and couldn’t sing as usual while Miguel proudly wore his white shoes which, you can be sure, weren’t going to stay that way for very long in the mud of Rosières. Kosta was calm as if he knew he was going to score goals and make his team win. No doubt, the team was in the place. A speech from the captain to give the positions, short and clear, and we were off to the warm-up. For this game, the 3-5-2 was going to be used and there would be a battle on the pitch. Dani made his 1 hour mobility drills while the squad warmed up and it was now time to invade the pitch.

1sthalf :

We started the match timidly although we could already feel the technical superiority. Indeed, there were some good spurts towards the opposing goal which led to nothing but oriented the game in the right direction. Defensively we were very solid and the opponent, who was still playing to win at the time, could not do better than pass the midfield. The defensive line was very attentive and anticipated the forwards. While our game leaned heavily to the left, we still couldn’t find the solution, probably due to a lack of rhythm and pressure. The ground coverage was relatively good, but we still suffered the game where we shouldn’t. It was then that RBBFC2 began to find the rhythm and bring more and more danger into the opposing area: on a good support from Dani, Miguel saw his shot deflected for a corner, which will be well kicked but will not find a taker. RBBFC2 continued to push and, on Dani's pressing, Kosta took the opportunity to recover the ball and try to lead the offensive, without success. Another corner well kicked followed by a shot did not give us the advantage. The Cameroonian pair Loic-Takou continued to recover the balls but we needed a little more effort to find the net, despite the good combinations Dani-Sjoerd and Miguel-Kosta. Takou was already negociating the round of beers with the opponents while they did not manage well their freekicks (main danger so far). Martin and Jonass played the balls in the feet and were not worried by the offensive opponents. It was then the best moment to score the first goal of the match: good one-time pass from Sjoerd to lob the defense with two options in front of him, header from Dani, followed by a deep ball and chipped in perfectly by Kosta above the goalkeeper who can't do anything: 1-0 for the good boys! The spirit of the opponent, with a rather favorable result for them so far, died out and we regained ground until half-time was whistled.

2nd half :

The instructions were clear during half-time: keep the ball and distribute calmly because we were better technically than the opponent, and push the pressing much more because there was no reason to let the opponent play (they would be suffering if we increased the pace of the game). The focus was also placed on the fact that it was necessary to make better use of the width of the ground, in particular by activating the right flank with Oliver. The instructions were perfectly heard and we could finally see the real territorial domination that should have been the case since the first half. After a few minutes, Miguel gave his place to Gary who settled in the middle with Takou, Loïc becoming the relay behind the attackers. The impact of the fertilizator-bulldozer was evident, and the opponent weren’t not really ready. Dani snatched a ball from midfield and very subtly tossed Sjoerd past the defender, Kosta and Dani followed and Kosta received the ball, but his attempt was just wide of the net. Dani continued to keep the ball and launched Loïc towards the goal, but no luck this time. Loïc created another opportunity but was countered in extremis by the defender. After a good action on the right side, the ball crossed the surface and found Dani, who placed himself on his right foot and struck, the defender countered in extremis a goal made with his head. Oli-Dani combinations became more frequent, and opponents began to suffer from the pressing, but they always found a foothold to repel the offensives. On one of these combinations, Dani turned perfectly leaving his opponents on the spot and delivered a very good pass to Gary who placed it perfectly in the goal to the right of the goalkeeper : 2-0 ! At this time, the opponent began to seriously lose control and complained, but RBBFC2 did not fall into the trap and was well aware that other opportunities would arise. A strike from Gary in the first intention forced the goalkeeper to make a top save and put the ball for a corner, which, again well kicked, narrowly missed the goal with the sliding shot from Oli. Oli took a yellow card for a little too much commitment which resulted in a knee on the opponent's face: fair enough, it would be the only yellow card of the match on the RBBFC2 side. On a long ball coming from who knows where, Kosta was offside but Dani came from very far to seize the ball, then he missed his relatively easy face-to-face with the goalkeeper : disappointing but the guy was doing anyway a very good game. At this time, the lines were a little further apart but Jonass prevented their best player from delivering a good pass, and, if the ball did pass, there were still two walls to cross in the person of Martin and Nico, who were imperials. On another excellent pressing from Gary and Dani, Kosta took the ball and put it calmly to the left of the goalkeeper : 3-0 and game over ! Just enough time to get Tiago in for Sjoerd the last 10 minutes of the match and to salute his excellent start, we could go and celebrate this great victory all together in the changing room and at the bar.

After the disappointment of the previous match, on an extremely hostile ground, RBBFC2 had been able to regain the domination of the matches that it had shown most of the time since the start of the season. It was important to quickly turn the page and get back into the race for second place, which was a success and in style. The team was all smiles in the locker room, and 4 hours later Dani came out last. We were 6 to animate the ceremony of the MoM, although the votes were communicated by those who had to leave. A very nice battle between Jonass, Takou and Dani made Dani say that he "loved this vote” and after having voted, Oli was jubilant to see his 37th glass of prosecco of the evening arrive. The next game is eagerly awaited!

Your reporter and MoM : Dani ‘Missile’ Mineo