With just days to go before the new season kicks off, some questioned the decision to play a match given the weather conditions — concerned that unnecessary knocks or injuries could occur so close to the opener, but we welcomed EstudiantesLDN over for a game a showcase team with a lot young star players in there squad and that showed tonight with moment that could people mistaken them for the Step 5 team.
As expected, we came out of the blocks the stronger side and it didn’t take long before we had the ball in the net — but the goal wasn’t counted. The referee or linesman failed to spot that the ball had struck the wheel just inside the goal. Moments later, however, Newham broke the deadlock just before the 10-minute mark. The following 25 minutes saw relentless Newham pressure on the EstudiantesLDN goal, and if it weren’t for their goalkeeper, the scoreline could have been much higher.
Around 10 minutes before half-time, Newham seemed to ease off the pressure, allowing Estudiantes LDN to settle into their rhythm. The hosts took full advantage, capping off a well-worked move with a deserved goal.
Moments later, EstudiantesLDN nearly grabbed a second after a misplaced pass from Newham gifted them a golden opportunity — but the Newham goalkeeper came to the rescue with a crucial save to keep it at 4-1. EstudiantesLDN didn’t back down, continuing to press the Newham backline in an effort to claw their way back into the game. Newham eventually responded just before the break and came close to extending their lead, only to be denied once again by an impressive save.
HALF TIME
Athletic Newham 4-1 EstudiantesLDN
The second half was a quieter affair, with both sides creating a few good chances. Athletic Newham looked the more threatening, pressing forward with most of the attacking play, but Estudiantes LDN held firm, forcing Newham’s players to think on their feet in an effort to break down a solid backline.
The first real clear-cut chance came in the 72nd minute, when a Newham player found themselves clean through on goal. However, the EstudiantesLDN keeper made a strong save, tipping the ball over for a corner. From that corner, Newham came agonisingly close to a stunning goal—the clearance dropped to the edge of the box, where a thunderous strike beat the keeper but rattled off the post, flying back into play with no one there to capitalise on the rebound.
The game began to settle, but that all changed six minutes from time when both sides found the net. Athletic Newham opened the scoring with some excellent work down the wing, cutting the ball back into the box for a well-worked team goal. But straight from the restart, EstudiantesLDN tried their luck—and somehow, the ball ended up in the back of the net. The shot initially looked harmless and unlikely to trouble the Newham keeper, but it crept through into the back of the net for 5-2.
FULL TIME
Athletic Newham 5-2 EstudiantesLDN