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Playing 2 Remember (that we’re still not very good) (9 May 2018)

Date: 09/05/2018
Duncan Lewis, Main Solicitors, Playing 2 Remember (that we’re still not very good)

The highlight of the sporting calendar has been and gone again. Duncan Lewis Solicitors participated in the London Play 2 Remember Tournament on 15 April 2018, to commemorate victims of genocide and support its survivors as well as promote togetherness through sport.

In preparation for the tournament, we bragged about playing two friendlies beforehand, confident that this would result in unprecedented teamwork and fitness. It soon became apparent that we were wrong.

This year the team was made up of strikers/goalhangers, Toufique Hossain and Jamie Bell; the ‘combative’ Oscar Frandsen, who switched his cycling lycra for a football top and an old pair of Toufique’s football boots; the incredibly Scottish Lewis Smith, who was pumped up having drunk a litre of Irn Bru before the game; confusingly another tall Lewis (Kett); Phil Armitage, who increased the number of Middlesbrough born players to two; the enthusiastic Tamara Smillie, wearing a CD Palestino football shirt; midfielder Amardeep Singh; and goalkeeper Sadat Ahmed, who filled in for the previous goalkeeper, Raja, who still hasn’t recovered from his injuries sustained at this tournament two years ago.

We fancied our chances when first opponents BID announced in their team bio that they were a mixture of experienced players and those who had never played before. However, when we glanced over during our warm up – which involved hoofing the ball into the goal - to see our opponents doing an intricate series of pass and move, we realised that we may be in trouble.

In the end we managed to fight our way to 2-2 draw. After Toufique had given us the lead, BID fought back as the game came to a close. However, a poked shot by Lewis Kett managed to find its way in the corner of the goal to ensure that honours were even.

In the next match we found ourselves up against the Young Humanitarians. This was a very tough match but our defence somehow managed to stay firm against a very solid team, and Toufique created a couple of moments of magic at the other end. Fortunately, new discovery, Oscar Frandsen, demonstrated the ability to run and tackle, stopping our opposition from breaking through. A hard fought 2-0 victory put us in a strong position.

Going into the final group game, we knew that a single point would be enough to secure us a position at the top of the leader board. We did not get that point. We managed to grind our way to a 1-0 defeat against the very strong Team Sudan. Despite needing the point, we weren’t really able to get the ball far enough up field to trouble Sudan’s goal.

Still, Team Sudan went onto to win the whole tournament, so there was no shame in losing narrowly to the Champions.

Then, onto the semi-finals of the secondary tournament, we were matched up against Diversity United. We were able to fight our way to a 1-1 draw, with Toufique once again proving to be a potent goal scorer, despite clearly coming up to his retirement age. It came down to penalties which the Duncan Lewis team convincingly netted each time, with one save from Sadat proving enough to send us through to the final.

Could we go one better than last year, pairing up with the Young Humanitarians Team that we had beaten early in the tournament?

No.

After rattling the crossbar very early on, a couple of goals by the Young Humanitarians put them beyond sight. Beaten finalists again.

Despite the disappointment, we are proud to have been invited to play once again. The range of causes represented was impressive and it was humbling to meet and play with such a talented and interesting array of teams. The Play 2 Remember tournament exemplifies the wonderful power of sport to bring diverse groups of people together; even though we try to beat each other on the pitch.

We will be back next year (if they still want us).

Jamie Bell, of the Public Law department at Duncan Lewis, gives us a glimpse of what the London Play 2 Remember tournament is truly all about - encouraging togetherness through football. Jamie joined our team in representing Duncan Lewis in the annual five-a-side football tournament, put on to remember survivors of genocide. The London Play 2 Remember tournament was established in 2014 by Football for Hope, Peace and Unity (FHPU), alongside other community outreach groups. Any money raised at the event was put towards FHPU’s work with vulnerable migrants and refugee groups.

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