Jack Brown ‘23
Staff Editor
While most of the Law School was embracing WASP culture at Foxfield this past Sunday, the men and women of Barrister’s United were out there doing battle with the fearsome Tigres squad. Having tied the week before, the Barristers came out with something to prove and ended the day with a hard fought 10-1 win to extend their unbeaten streak to 13 games in a row.
A total team effort, the excellence began at the back with the debut of shot stopper Rambert Tyree. A series of acrobatic one-on-one saves helped keep the scoreline manageable and pundits are in agreement that the team has done well finding talent to stand in between the uprights. While he was denied a clean sheet by a garbage time goal, this was mostly due to a low work rate demonstrated by some of the centerbacks.
The biggest story of this game were the four introductions to the outfield, all of whom scored. Aziz Rashidzada made the most of his outfield start, bagging a brace and hitting the upright as he was agonizingly close to starting his season off with a hat-trick. There were no signs of rust on the veteran as he helped the team pressure the Tigres’ back line and commanded attention every time he came forward with the ball.
In the midfield, Barristers United received a lot of help from the LLM program thanks to the massive contributions of Jose Beliz, Jose Miguel Poblete, and Jose Antonio Onandia Osores. All three scored and provided constant pressure in the midfield, along with opening up to help the Barristers really make use of their short passing game.
Jose Miguel Poblete got his goal early in the first half. Well-known as an unselfish playmaker, he proved himself to have a deadly right foot when the ball fell to him on the edge of the 18 yard box, and he slotted it right past the keeper. He later drew a penalty that he deferred to Captain Day Robins who scored easily from the spot.
The other two LLM students got their moments in the second half. Jose Beliz capitalized on a long buildup sequence to get the ball in the six yard box and calmly slid it past the keeper. Aside from his goal, he along with the other LLM players made very good use of backheels to bamboozle the other team and keep the Barrister’s faithful entertained.
Antonio Osores was the last debutant to score for Barristers. After proving needed physicality and poise in the midfield, he was able to get through on goal as the Tigres defense fell apart in the second half. All in all, the showing from the LLM players was exceptional and validates the funds Barristers expended on scouting international talent.
Another standout performance on the day was Kathryn Peters, who locked down the flanks as she had an amazing showing at fullback. Slide tackles, perfectly timed challenges and at one point a disgustingly disrespectful demonstration of step overs dropped the Tigres winger to the ground in front of his family, as Kathryn helped get the ball out of pressure.
Thanks to the effort by the entire team, center backs Ardi Khalafi and Ray Roesler were able to get some minutes farther up the field than usual. With his first touch at striker, Ardi played the team through and led to the fifth goal of the match. Afterwards he was quoted as saying “look what happens when I go up top, I touch the ball and we score.”
Not to be outdone, Ray made multiple bounding runs up the field in the hunt for his own goal. Despite not getting a look for either of the PKs drawn by Barristers United, and having the distraction of his dog Zona barking frantically whenever he got the ball, Ray was able to preserve and get a goal near the end of the game to take some pressure off the team by making the scoreline 9-0.
There are so many other standout performances that we unfortunately don’t have time to go too in depth. Sam’s calmly taken penalty, Day’s numerous skills that brought Tigres players to the ground, Mustapha’s technique that confounded the defense, Tyler’s work rate to help control the midfield, and Tom Schnoor’s versatility filling in for every position in the back line. All in all, it was an impressive team effort despite being short staffed due to Foxfield.
The final noteworthy performance of the day came from the referee, who, unlike other officials, seemed to have a decent understanding of the offsides rule, was not openly drunk, and didn’t curse out the other team at any point. While it makes for a less entertaining read, the quality game management on display today was noted by all in attendance.
Be sure to tune in next week as the team takes on the fearsome team Spare Parts in what will no doubt be an incredible clash!
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jwb4bb@virginia.edu