2025-06-29, 06:39 PM - Word count:
I stood on the pitch in nervous anticipation. My new Academy team, Istanbul FK, was about to begin their first match of the season and the long road towards eventually making it onto a top-level team. The opponents, Port Royal F.C. would start the first half with the ball, and I looked over toward the opposing player that I'd be marking to start. With the screech of the whistle, both teams were away to start the match. The first few minutes of the game were reserved as both teams simply tried to figure out the other, and I tried her best to figure out where I fit into the formation. Cait had always been the more analytic of us and used that to make great first passes in hockey with a high degree of accuracy, whereas I was quick and light on her feet but wasn't as adept at reading plays.
In the waning seconds of the seventh minute, my first chance of the game arose. After the ball got stuck on top of the net, Istanbul had a corner kick that legendary player Linnea Nesse was set to take. The kick was headed off a crowd of bodies and shot out straight to me, forcing me to run backwards a bit to get it. Unfortunately, my dribble cutting back towards the goal wasn't the cleanest and the ball shot off my foot straight to a defender who cleared it safely out of bounds. Silently cursing to myself, I got back into position to deal with the throw-in.
The next stretch of the game went by uneventfully until the 20th minute when we got a steal and set off on a fast break. My centre mid, Van Grimbergen, took the ball into the left corner and I sprinted for the top of the box. This crossover play was one we'd drawn up in training, but hadn't fully been able to get the timing down yet. Fortunately, Van Grimbergen's centering pass was right on target and right on time as I cut to my right to perfectly corral it on my right foot. Reaching the top of the penalty arc with no one on me, I wound up and kicked it as hard as I could toward the goal. The Port Royal goalie dove for it and got part of the shot, but couldn't fully keep it out. I could only watch in horror as the deflected shot, instead of heading towards the net, went straight off the post, up and out of play. I had been that close to my first Academy goal, but the luck just hadn't been on my side that time.
Fortunately, I wouldn't have to wait long until another chance arose. We had a throw-in from the left side of the attacking end and I returned the throw back to its deliverer in Deedee Yoker, who returned the favour with a nice arcing pass ahead where only I could get it. The ball settled nicely onto my foot and I stopped on a dime, looking for an option to give the ball to in front. Aimo Silakka was running through the box directly toward me and I fired off a quick pass, and he did the rest with a one-touch shot from the penalty spot. It took a little longer than I was hoping, but I finally had my first involvement in an Academy league goal.
In the 54th minute, I would get one more go at scoring my first professional goal when Silakka stole the ball on a pass deep in the offensive zone. I was all alone at the top of the penalty arc and he saw that, sending the ball my way and through the legs of Van Grimbergen's mark. With no one even close to me, I kicked it squarely right to the net, but could only groan as the Port Royal goalie tipped the ball off the crossbar and out of play. For the second time this game, I'd come agonizingly close to putting the ball in the net myself. Winning cures everything, however, and I was more than happy to have contributed positively to our 1-0 victory in the season opener.
In the waning seconds of the seventh minute, my first chance of the game arose. After the ball got stuck on top of the net, Istanbul had a corner kick that legendary player Linnea Nesse was set to take. The kick was headed off a crowd of bodies and shot out straight to me, forcing me to run backwards a bit to get it. Unfortunately, my dribble cutting back towards the goal wasn't the cleanest and the ball shot off my foot straight to a defender who cleared it safely out of bounds. Silently cursing to myself, I got back into position to deal with the throw-in.
The next stretch of the game went by uneventfully until the 20th minute when we got a steal and set off on a fast break. My centre mid, Van Grimbergen, took the ball into the left corner and I sprinted for the top of the box. This crossover play was one we'd drawn up in training, but hadn't fully been able to get the timing down yet. Fortunately, Van Grimbergen's centering pass was right on target and right on time as I cut to my right to perfectly corral it on my right foot. Reaching the top of the penalty arc with no one on me, I wound up and kicked it as hard as I could toward the goal. The Port Royal goalie dove for it and got part of the shot, but couldn't fully keep it out. I could only watch in horror as the deflected shot, instead of heading towards the net, went straight off the post, up and out of play. I had been that close to my first Academy goal, but the luck just hadn't been on my side that time.
Fortunately, I wouldn't have to wait long until another chance arose. We had a throw-in from the left side of the attacking end and I returned the throw back to its deliverer in Deedee Yoker, who returned the favour with a nice arcing pass ahead where only I could get it. The ball settled nicely onto my foot and I stopped on a dime, looking for an option to give the ball to in front. Aimo Silakka was running through the box directly toward me and I fired off a quick pass, and he did the rest with a one-touch shot from the penalty spot. It took a little longer than I was hoping, but I finally had my first involvement in an Academy league goal.
In the 54th minute, I would get one more go at scoring my first professional goal when Silakka stole the ball on a pass deep in the offensive zone. I was all alone at the top of the penalty arc and he saw that, sending the ball my way and through the legs of Van Grimbergen's mark. With no one even close to me, I kicked it squarely right to the net, but could only groan as the Port Royal goalie tipped the ball off the crossbar and out of play. For the second time this game, I'd come agonizingly close to putting the ball in the net myself. Winning cures everything, however, and I was more than happy to have contributed positively to our 1-0 victory in the season opener.
<center><img src='https://i.imgur.com/X6cSRMC.jpeg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /></center><br><center>Sig by Pandar</center>
