During the U19 season, Mohamed Ahmed and Alex Darby have built a strong relationship both on and off the pitch. They shared experiences like training sessions, tournaments, and more. This has helped them become a key part of the U19 squad. Now that their time at Northwood is ending, they must prepare to face each other in NCAA soccer.
Ahmed is heading to Clarkson University, while Darby is committed to Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Both colleges compete in the Liberty League, meaning they will face each other many times. Two friends are soon to be rivals.
Ahmed is an exciting player with a game built around creativity and an incredible work rate. As a winger, he is exceptional at taking players on and showing flair in the wide areas of the pitch. His skills and technical ability are great, but his separator is his work rate, both defensively and offensively. Offensively, he is constantly making runs and always moves away from his defender. Defensively, he tracks back well and is strong in his duels. No matter what minute of the game it is, Mohamed is always running, making him a defender’s worst nightmare.
Darby is a completely different player. His playstyle is less about flair and more about tempo and composure. He dictates the game with his technical ability, developed through his time in football environments in both Dubai and Singapore. Darby brings international experience to the U19 Black Rock squad and a powerful sense of maturity. One thing that separates him is his set-piece ability. Darby is a master at free kicks. He scored a free kick in the Las Vegas tournament a couple of months ago that reminded people of Declan Rice from Arsenal. All these traits will help him stand out when he plays at the college level.
What makes this story interesting is that both players know each other’s games well. Having played in the same team, they know each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and habits.
This friendship-to-rival situation is common in Northwood. More examples of this include the upcoming rivalry between Hamish Riddell and Noah Moodey, and between Ashton Khory and Tziyon Morris. These examples show how unique college soccer is and how it can bring people together even if they attend different schools.
For Ahmed and Darby, the next chapter ahead is huge. It will be an opportunity for both to prove a point and show that they can compete at the college level.
