It felt like a proper Sunday league game in the UK, wet green grass and the teams had to chalk the lines themselves as well as get the corner flags out and move the goals for a full day ahead of TML matches. BFC vs Nomade was the first game, and during the warmup the numbers didn’t quite add up. Only 8 players seemed to be there for Nomad, first blood to BFC – the referee even suggested that if the score got too ridiculous we could play a friendly in the second half. It wasn’t the first thing the referee would be 100% wrong about.
The first game between the teams ended in a 1-1 draw back in Autumn of 2022, in a closely fought even game. Now Nomades were 5 points clear in 2nd place of 3rd place BFC and only a win would keep BFC in the hunt for promotion. The game started with the typical psychology of the team with 11 having most possession, territory and all the pressure. Every minute that the score stayed 0-0 was a moral victory for Nomade, and the pressure would gradually increase.
BFC dominated possession without really creating anything in the first 20 minutes or so, they were overhitting a lot of diagonal through ball attempts and mis controlling in the final third, Nomad were resolute in defending. Around the 25 minute mark a ball broke loose in the Nomade penalty area and Daigo buried a rising shot with his weaker right foot into the roof of the net. 1-0 to BFC.
The next 15 or so minutes things got weird. A rare corner in the match for Nomad went long to the far post and under no imminent danger or pressure one of the BFC midfielders took a big swing at the ball to clear but the Nomad defender had just got to ball milliseconds ahead, promptly receiving the full impact of a swing and miss at the ball but kicked the Nomad players leg / foot with an emphatic sound that could only be a penalty. The Nomade captain slotted it home left of centre and it was 1-1.
With around 5 minutes of the half remaining the Nomade right back intercepted a ball fairly close to the Nomade penalty area and went on a run past 3-4 BFC players the full length of the pitch with a few fortunate mis tackles and re-bounds but stayed calm and slotted home. 2-1 to Nomade with just 9 men (1 person showed up around the 25 minute mark).
At half time a 10th player arrived for Nomade and they were fully up for it, with everything to play for / hold on for. BFC were patient and at least some of their players still confident to turn things around. There were some break away chances for Nomad especially early in the second half, including a close call as they hit the outside of the post. Otherwise it was probably 70-80% possession for BFC, and one way traffic with perhaps 10+ corners.
With around 10-15 minutes remaining a long ball from the BFC centre back was flicked on and Shota ran clean through nudging the ball past the keeper for 2-2. With around 3 minutes of the game remaining BFC had an in-swinging corner from the left and it was headed straight into the net from dead centre of the 6 yard box. A great delivery and quality finish.
Harsh on Nomades who lead most of the game and were close to pulling off a great result. But BFC did enough and 3 points means they are 2 points off the promotion back with 4 to play. It’s on.
