By Zahra Rashid
DUBAI – American University of Sharjah’s women’s soccer team won 5-0 against American University of Dubai on Feb. 14 in their first competition since the COVID-19 pandemic.
AUS Senior Supervisor for Sports Programs Solomon Aruparayil said the team played away on the AUD campus football ground at 7 p.m.
“It was a great feeling to come out of the virtual world and compete face-to-face with another university,” said Aruparayil. “The best part of it was the feeling of that adrenaline rush to compete after two long years,” he highlighted.
Amira Boudrai, the captain of the women’s soccer team, and Salma Sharawi scored a goal each, and Ward Furany scored a hattrick.
This match was the first time Boudrai played as the captain of the team.
“I felt like the whole responsibility was on me…and I was worried at first since the team hasn’t played for so long,” she said. “But nonetheless I trusted them and made sure to make them feel like we were all one team.”
“The women’s soccer team played extremely well being the first game of the season,” said Aruparayil. He explained that many new players have joined this semester and this has made the group much stronger along with the senior players.
Boudrai echoed this, adding that there was good chemistry between the players and they all understood the tactics they were supposed to use well.
“They all made sure the attackers from the other team wouldn’t cross the center line and kept the pressure high at all times,” she explained.
Aruparayil credited the victory to great teamwork and training with their coach Esam Abo Touk.
