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Press Release

Thursday, September 05, 2019

Soccer Aigles to Host Tigers Friday

The Atlantic University Sport (AUS) soccer season gets underway this Friday evening as the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues and Aigles Bleus host the Dalhousie University Tigers at the Stade Croix Bleue Medavie Stadium. The women will play at 5 p.m. and the men at 7:15 p.m.

Both Moncton campus teams will then travel to Sackville on Sunday to play against the Mount Allison University Mounties at 1 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.

Mehyar Zekaroui is beginning his fourth season as bench boss for the Aigles Bleues. “The Friday game will be a good test for us against a team that should finish second or third this season,” said Zekaroui. “I have 11 rookies on the team; that is half the team. I do expect we will be competitive because a number of those players can make a difference on the field. They will be joined by a number of experienced players like Natalie Fleming and Catherine Dupuis. We expect to play well and continue Sunday against Mount Allison. To qualify for the playoffs, we need to keep our focus on our objective. We will go through ups and downs, but we cannot get discouraged. We played five preseason games and things look up.”

The new Aigles Bleues captain, Natalie Fleming, is happy about her new role. “I want to be a leader on and off the field,” she stated. “There are numerous rookies, and I wish to direct them on the best road. I look forward to seeing their integration with our veterans. We need to work as a team, and all 12 games are important. The play can be physical.”

Rookie Aigles Bleus head coach, Younes Bouida, is looking forward to beginning his first AUS season. “I am very excited, it is great to begin on our home turf and be able to connect with the staff and the players, who are arriving from different areas,” Bouida said. “We have created a group dynamic; we are like a family, and we are having fun. I hope our play will reflect this on the field in our first game. The exhibition games were used to up our intensity, to offer everybody a chance to play and to see their degree of preparedness. We tried some game tactics and evaluated some strategies. We have a united group with variety, including a number of rookies willing to play and live a great adventure with the Aigles. The veterans will show the road and the leadership.”

Striker Jean Michel Dako is in his fifth and final season in the Aigles Bleus. “We have a very good team and we are working hard under coach Younes, who is getting us ready,” Dako said. “I predict very interesting games this season. To qualify for the playoffs, we must play with aim, with passion and as a team. That is the way to win. We have very good cohesion and it shows in our practices and preseason games. There is a lot of inner team competition and that reflects on our performances. We want to qualify for the playoffs from the first games. We need to play all games as if it was our last. No matter the score, we have to give our all in each game as if we face the best team in the world.”

The public is invited to attend both games. The Aigles players will be introduced before the Friday games.
 


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