League

Merriam Park
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Rachid Harkouk started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. In the 4th minute, Cheb Ben Khalidi got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. When Zīn ud-Dīn Merzekane came up free with the goalie in the 8th minute, the Van Buren fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Zīn ud-Dīn Merzekane couldn't finish the play. Zīn ud-Dīn Merzekane fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 11th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Karim Zaoui having to interfere. When Abdelmalek Mimoun fell near the penalty area in the 12th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Merriam's protests and gave Abdelmalek Mimoun a yellow card for diving instead. After a rather tough play, Merriam's Abdelmalek Mimoun got a free kick in the 12th minute. After some fancy dribbling in the 24th minute, Zīn ud-Dīn Merzekane managed to get in a good position for a shot. Van Buren's supporters rose to their feet, but Zīn ud-Dīn Merzekane was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Karim Zaoui breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. 28 minutes into the game, Ahmed Madani was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Merriam's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Van Buren the free kick. In the 29th match minute, Merriam was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Ahmed Madani to maneuver through the defense. Abdellah Saïdi-Sief's long shot made the audience stand up and applaude when it rumbled by Karim Zaoui on his right side and into the goal. 29 minutes into the game it was 0-1. If Abdelhamid Méniri had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 37th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. In the 43rd minute, Zīn ud-Dīn Merzekane left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Van Buren fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-3. Rachid Harkouk's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Karim Zaoui read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 48th minute of play. After the first half Van Buren were leading 0-3. They had played with great self confidence throughout the first half and fully deserved their lead.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Cheb Ben Khalidi to strike the kick off in the second half. In the 53rd minute of the match, Zīn ud-Dīn Merzekane got a very nice opportunity to score, but Karim Zaoui was well-placed and pushed the ball away from the goal at the left post. Merriam's Karim Zaoui proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 54th minute of the match, managed to save Merriam from getting a goal against them. In the 56th minute, Zīn ud-Dīn Merzekane got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. When the match had gone on for 62 minutes, Rachid Harkouk took a quick shot and it went in 0-4 without a chance for Karim Zaoui to make any attempt to save it. With his leg Karim Zaoui managed to avoid a goal in the 71stth minute, when Van Buren's Zīn ud-Dīn Merzekane fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. Zīn ud-Dīn Merzekanes short, quick shot in the 73rdth minute got Karim Zaoui to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. Cheb Ben Khalidi fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 79th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Hamid Karim Belkassem having to interfere. Rabah Mamouni was astounded when the referee showed him the red card after a seemingly innocent challenge, 81 minutes into the match. After 80 minutes of play, the referee blew the whistle. It was a penalty for Van Buren! The supporters of Van Buren booed when Merriam was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 89 match minutes in a wonderful position. Hakim Laura Douibi didn't get a good kick on the ball. After 97 minutes of play, Merriam's Rachid Hima made it 2-4 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Hamid Karim Belkassem was left in no man's land by his defense there! Van Buren's supporters were very happy and cheered loudly because their team had won after a very close match.