Saturday night marked a hugely exciting moment for me – my first match behind the camera working as a matchday photographer. And, if it was goals that I had been hoping for, I was certainly not left disappointed. A dominant Real Madrid side brushed aside Alhama CF in a commanding 5-0 victory in Liga F Moeve at the Estadio Alfredo di Stéfano, to secure their seventh successive win in all competitions and extend their unbeaten run to 12 games.
Although manager Pau Quesada fielded a heavily-rotated side, Real Madrid still proved to have far too much firepower for their opponents. Silvia Cristóbal, Lotte Keukelaar, debutant Iris Santiago and Linda Caicedo all found the net in the second half, adding to an Alba Santamaría Coleto own goal which had put Los Blancos 1-0 up at the half-time interval, to continue their pursuit of league leaders Barcelona.
I felt a mixture of both excitement and apprehension as I checked my camera settings for the umpteenth time before the game, unsure of quite what to expect over the duration of the next 90 minutes. However, once the action started – despite the freezing cold temperatures – I was totally focussed and captivated by the match that was unfolding in front of me, taking photos at every opportunity to try and capture the perfect shot. I very quickly gained a greater understanding of the difficulty involved in being a sports photographer. Football, like many other sports, moves quickly and a certain moment in a game will never happen twice. Being able to tell a story through photographs is something that only an extremely talented percentage of people are able to do, and the attentiveness required by such individuals so that they never miss that key moment is a skill which I have a far greater appreciation of having now experienced it first-hand.
It was truly special to have been able to experience the beauty of football from an entirely different perspective, and to have been given the opportunity to do so while watching some of the most talented players in women’s football. Being able to hear instructions being shouted from the touchline, or desperate appeals to the referee from the players on the pitch, was unlike something that I had ever been able to experience as a supporter in the stands. My first time as a matchday photographer has created memories that I will treasure forever and has only made me more inspired and determined to fulfil my dreams as a sports journalist.
Real Madrid Lineup: Misa; Eva Navarro (subbed for Silvia Cristóbal, 46'), Rocío, Andersson, Yasmim; Toletti (subbed for Däbritz, 15', subbed for Sheila García, 73'), Bennison; Keukelaar, Pau C. (subbed for Caicedo, 63'), Weir (subbed for Athenea, 46'); Iris Santiago
Alhama CF Lineup: Elena Aldaria; Zumárraga, Castiñeyras, Correa, Santamaría (subbed for Toro, 81'); Quintero, Jiménez Navarro; Belén Martínez (subbed for Estefa, 74'), Saez (subbed for Ramos, 46'), Astrid Álvarez (subbed for Miñano, 56'); Gestera (subbed for Mariana Díaz, 56')