With most UCL students only ever knowing wins in the football Varsity, and the University already having taken the title as 2026 Varsity winners, morale was understandably high at kick-off in the SkyEx Community Stadium.
Within the first ten minutes of play, a yellow card had been given to KCL, and loopy attempts to score demonstrated the intentions of UCL who wanted to keep possession of the ball in KCL’s half of the pitch.
Yet, the first 45 minutes of play were quite evenly matched, with King’s having three decent opportunities to score.
An attempted goal by KCL's number seven provided a bit of anxiety at the UCL-supporting end of the pitch when he found himself unmarked in the box. But, expressing more brute power than actual control, he booted the ball outside of the posts.
Goalkeeper David Wolch reassured TeamUCL fans, proving to be impenetrable by preventing two on target kicks from going into goal.
Supporters felt confident that they could rely on the safe hands and coordination of the keeper to ensure that the score would not tick over in KCL’s favour.
At half time, the scoreboard remained unchanged at 0-0. Considering the form that UCL has been in this year, KCL should have been proud that they were able to keep the score level. A draw would have basically been a win for the Strand football team.
Second half
The energy had shifted after half time, and UCLFC appeared more hungry for a goal. This was assisted by the vocal UCL half of SkyEx chanting classics like “I’d rather go to SOAS than to K*ng’s.”
After Bradley Hodge was awarded a free kick that challenged the KCL goalie, the boys in purple were able to mount some pressure by threatening to score.
Although a bit back and forth with repetitive corner kicks, hope to score was snatched from UCL fans when McAvoy was intercepted by a KCL defender before being able to have a shy at goal.
Then, after another corner, Alex Ben Hamadou gave the skipper another opportunity to score, though this was ultimately posted high of the goal.
Yet the relentless questions being asked by the UCL players signalled a change in the air. UCL were hungry for a goal, and something was bound to happen.
As the clock ticked over into extra time, this came to fruition.
Extra time
A pass from Osman Khan allowed the captain to kick the ball straight into the back of the net and maintain his impressive 100% record of scoring Varsity matches.
Both Darwin Nunez and Jeremy Bentham would have been proud to see the score go to 1-0.
McAvoy told The Cheese Grater, “It was pretty spectacular, to get the match winner late on in the game.”
The team became noticeably more animated for the last 20 minutes and saw them playing more freely due through the reassurance of the scoreboard finally favouring UCL. Within minutes of the goal we had all been waiting for, Ayrton Patel almost doubled UCL’s score, through a nice link of passes between McAvoy, Romeo Mimouni, and Patel, yet ultimately missed the goal by a few yards.
UCL’s admirable drive was ultimately rewarded when the whistle blew at full time.
It was a relentless and scrappy game. Despite there not being the flow of goals that one would prefer in a Varsity match, the emotional rollercoaster of the game meant that spectators had their eyes glued on the pitch till the end. The intensity arguably made the win even sweeter.
A heroic team effort from UCLFC, this victory was no easy feat.
A signing off message from McAvoy “Thanks King’s. Same again next year.”
Yet again, London bleeds purple.
The Cheese Grater's player of the match goes to Romeo Mimouni. He was dubbed as one to watch going into this game, and the winger certainly proved himself worthy of that title. Mimouni’s signature cruyff turn allowed UCL to have dominant possession in the KCL half of the pitch, and he was also great at getting the crowd fired up.
Additional reporting by Harry Doyle