Under a bright afternoon sky, the Malden High Boys’ soccer team faced one of its toughest challenges of the season when it took on the undefeated Somerville team.
The game was physical, competitive, and decided by a single goal, but Malden stayed composed enough to leave with a 1-0 victory.
Before the game, the players knew they would have to be ready for a difficult match. Senior Captain and left-winger Abdulmohaimen Kalefa felt the team entered the game confident while understanding the challenge ahead. “We knew it was going to be a hard game, but we got what it takes to win,” Kalefa expressed.
That confidence came from preparation. According to senior midfielder Yusuf Zoulgami, the day before the match, Malden practiced different game situations they expected Somerville to bring.
“The team mindset before the game was to be focused and stick to our game plan,” Zoulgami explained.
Once the game began, Somerville’s pressure made it difficult for Malden to build its attack. The opposition stayed compact and closely marked Malden’s players.
“Our biggest challenge during the game was their press,” Senior Captain and midfielder Juan Caballero expressed. “They were a very compact team and man-marked as well,” he added.
Junior goalie Wender De Abreu Moura also made an important one-on-one save against a Somerville player. “It was a hard save, and I feel like that was the best I had on the game,” Moura commented.
Eventually, Malden found the breakthrough and took a 1-0 lead. For the players, the goal brought a wave of excitement, but it also created a new challenge: protecting the lead while continuing to play their game.
“When Malden scored, all I thought was happiness,” Caballero mentioned.
The final minutes remained tense as Somerville looked for an equalizer. Malden held on to its narrow lead until the final whistle, finishing the game with a hard-earned 1-0 victory.
Even with the win, the players recognized there was room for improvement. Caballero noticed that Malden relied too much on long balls after taking the lead instead of keeping possession.
Zoulgami also believes the team still has room to grow, despite how far they have come since the beginning of the season. “I think we still have a lot to improve and a long way to go as a team, but we also have come a far way from the beginning of the season and have proved that we are a very capable team of doing something big this year.”
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