Non-League and Academy football writer

Soccer Stars Fennecs FC went into this Middlesex County Football League Division One (East and Central) (step 8 of the non-League system) fixture with Westminster & Kensington FC (at Paddington Recreation Ground) as league champions, but they were also unbeaten in the league this season, going into this game. Westminster & Kensington FC started this match in third place in the league, and the reverse league fixture between these sides, ended in a 2-0 win for Soccer Stars Fennecs, last year. Soccer Stars Fennecs won this match 2-0, to extend their excellent unbeaten run in the league, with just one remaining for them, this season.

A very competitive game, right from the start, it was Westminster & Kensington who created the first chance of the game. With Aryan Bashashdoust hitting an effort over (on the bounce) the right-hand side of the Soccer Stars Fennecs’ penalty area. A couple of minutes later Joseph Daaboul managed to get to a looping ball into the home team’s penalty area, before travelling inside with the ball onto his right foot, and seeing his low effort on goal saved and gathered by Younes Boulares. After creating the first two chances of the match, the league leaders would then go on to create a number of goalscoring chances, as the fast pace of the game continued.

Following Ramy Rouighi’s effort from distance, which went over the Westminster & Kensington goal, Soccer Stars Fennecs player Mouadh Kermani hit an effort over their goal, from around 20 yards out. A good passing move followed from the home side, with Mouadh Kermani volleying an effort over the Westminster & Kensington goal, from inside of their penalty area. Mouadh Kermani had been impressing during the early stages of the match, for the home side. Soon after his volleyed effort, the midfielder would go on a good forward run with the ball, before shifting the ball to Youcef Chahmat on the left side of the Westminster & Kensington box, from where his low effort was well kept out by goalkeeper Dimitri Habib, at his near post.

As the first half of the match progressed, the goalscoring chances continued. Mouadh Kermani saw his corner kick delivery into the Westminster & Kensington box, headed towards goal by Youcef Mezaoui. However, the defender’s headed effort was superbly headed onto the crossbar by a Westminster & Kensington player, before the ball was cleared away. At the opposite end of the pitch, Mohammad Baratnezhad headed an effort over Younes Boulares’ goal, following a long throw-in into the Soccer Stars Fennecs’ box. A couple of efforts would then follow for Soccer Stars Fennecs, as both teams worked hard to try and get that first goal of the game. 

Following Hocine Krouchi’s headed effort (from a Soccer Stars Fennecs corner kick), which went over Dimitri Habib’s goal, the league’s top scorer (Ahmed Ayoub) would head an effort wide of the Westminster & Kensington goal, following a cross into their box by Islam Guerniche. Soccer Stars Fennecs were doing well in the match, and they were getting closer to taking the lead in the game. A good, fast passing move from the home side would result in Aymen Messaoudi having an effort from inside of the Westminster & Kensington penalty area, which was well saved at his near post, by Dimitri Habib, before Youcef Chahmat hit an effort over the goal, from close range, in what was a big chance for Soccer Stars Fennecs.

After Ramy Rouighi had hit a good and powerful effort from distance, not far over Dimitri Habib’s goal, Soccer Stars Fennecs would eventually take the lead in the game, just before half-time. Some good work on the left flank from Ilias Tahraoui to progress the ball forward, would then result in the skilful Soccer Stars Fennecs player delivering a good cross to the back post, from where Youcef Mezaoui was able to finish into the goal from close range, 1-0. The second half of the match didn’t get off to a good start for Westminster & Kensington, with the referee showing Aryan Bashashdoust his second yellow card of the game, and sending him off (I believe it was because he had blocked the Soccer Stars Fennecs goalkeeper from taking a goal-kick when he had intended to take it).

With only ten men on the pitch for Westminster & Kensington, this allowed Soccer Stars Fennecs to take control of the ball even more. They would soon get their second goal of the game. Mouadh Kermani’s cross from the left flank found Ahmed Ayoub on the right-hand side of the Westminster & Kensington penalty area, and the league’s top scorer would wait for the ball to fall perfectly, before volleying an unstoppable effort into Dimitri Habib’s goal. Soon after doubling their lead in the match, Aymen Messaoudi received a through-ball pass in behind the away team’s defence, before hitting an effort over the goal, form the edge of their penalty area. Westminster & Kensington were having to work extra hard to create goalscoring chances, since they had a man sent off.

Following a good forward run from Joseph Daaboul to take the ball forward at pace, the Westminster & Kensington player would hit an effort from the edge of the Soccer Stars Fennecs’ box, which was saved by Younes Boulares. Mouadh Kermani was linking the play really well for Soccer Stars Fennecs. After he had exchanged passes with Ahmed Ayoub inside of the Westminster & Kensington box, Mouadh Kermani would hit an effort over from close range. Then, a couple of minutes later, Ahmed Ayoub would find the run of Mouadh Kermani, on the left side of the away team’s box, with the move resulting in Kermani having a low effort saved by Dimitri Habib, at his near post. 

The sending off of Aryan Bashashdoust had made it incredibly difficult for Westminster & Kensington to get anything out of the game, against a team, in Soccer Stars Fennecs, who are the outstanding team in this league. Towards the end of the match, the chances for Soccer Stars Fennecs to extend their lead from, would continue. Shortly after Ramy Rouighi had hit a good free-kick effort (from distance) on the Westminster & Kensington goal, which was well pushed away by Dimitri Habib, Mouadh Kermani would hit an effort from the left-hand side of Dimitri Habib’s box, just wide of his goal, past his left-hand post. Very late on in the match Westminster & Kensington player Dhiyab Al-Hashimi had an effort from inside of the Soccer Stars Fennecs’ penalty area, which was well kept out by Younes Boulares, before the referee sounded his whistle for full-time.

This was a match between two sides who gave their absolute all, on Saturday afternoon. Yes, Soccer Stars Fennecs were the better team, dominating possession of the football and creating so many chances, as well as making the most of the one man advantage. However, credit to Westminster & Kensington, who kept working really hard, right until the end of the match, with goalkeeper Dimitri Habib helping to keep the scoreline at 2-0. I could see why Soccer Stars Fennecs are the league champions of this season’s division, and their game management and the way in which they play the game is very impressive. This was a really good game of step 8 football.

Mouadh Kermani was my player of the match, on Saturday. The highly skilful Soccer Stars Fennecs midfielder worked tirelessly off the ball, but he showed great quality on the ball, as well. He linked the play really well, covered a lot of ground and provided a nice assist for Ahmed Ayoub’s excellently taken goal. On another day he could have scored a hat-trick, as he got into some really good positions inside of the Westminster & Kensington penalty area. It was an impressive team performance from Soccer Stars Fennecs, earlier today, with players such as Islam Guerniche, Youcef Mezaoui, goalkeeper (Younes Boulares) and Ahmed Ayoub just some of the players who impressed throughout the match.