Autumn Cup Football Success

by Theodor Aizic, Year 10

On the 19th of November, several age group IBSB football teams participated in the BSB Autumn Cup 2022, which was a sensational experience overall for everyone taking part, with the other students and staff being very open and welcoming. I can agree with this myself, as I participated in this challenging competition as well.

I played in the U15 team, experiencing a few demanding moments in the various matches played. We played 4 games in total, winning 2 games, tying one, and losing the other. These results did put pressure on the leading team, but as the day reached its conclusion our team was a warded second place in what can only be described as a very tough and at times testing competition. What I am most proud of, more than the final results itself, is the fact that at all times we put our utmost effort in. We also left feeling we had learnt a lot, and are now ready and equipped to return stronger than ever in the next event.

To end on a positive note, I will describe one of the matches that we won against Lycée Français Anna de Noailles, which was one of the dominant teams, having won both their matches until they played us. Despite this, we didn’t let it demoralize us, rather quite the contrary, feeling extra motivated after our comfortable win against SEB (Scoala Europeana București).

We stepped out confidently onto the pitch and began to warm up for what we knew would be an intense match. The whistle blew and the game started energetically. The French school was definitely a strong opponent, which we could see from the goal they scored after just 10 minutes. The first half then ended, and we were not phased, still feeling fired up we prepared for the second half win.

The second half then started and we saw immediately that the French school was still on top of their game, so we to fight our absolute hardest, passing well and not to giving them an inch. I then saw a pass coming from one of our best players, Rares, and jumped up to head it. The ball soars above the keeper and into the goal. Our team had equalized! Everyone goes wild and we realize that we have a chance.

Shortly after, the match was about to end, with just one minute left on the clock, and everyone concentrating on both defending and attacking. Our team then gets a corner and one of the most tactical and fierce players of our team steps in to take it, Andrei Braha. He breathes in and shoots. Its and incredible kick, and somewhat unbelievably achieves the near impossible, scoring a goal from the corner, we all start screaming and shouting, running like wild animals in a frenzy. We couldn’t believe it: we had managed to beat the French school, and were now considered the most dominant team, with everyone looking to us as the team to beat!

In the end, I think everyone would agree that the Autumn Cup was a remarkable experience, and one we will be more than happy to participate in again next year.