The match raged on.
Every second on the clock felt like a battle.Every breath burned in Mateo's lungs.
USA wasn't letting up —they pressed, harassed, and countered with merciless precision.
But Mateo's mind was clear.
Focused.
Burning with one thought:
Find the crack.Break them open.
30th Minute
Germany won a throw-in deep in their own half.
The ball bounced toward Mateo.
A glance.A heartbeat.
He noticed something others missed:
The American right-back was slightly out of position,caught drifting too high.
A gap.
A weakness.
Without hesitation, Mateo flicked the ball sideways to Ritter,screamed for a quick return,and when it came, launched a long diagonal pass across the field.
A soaring, arcing beauty of a pass.
Jonas, the Bayern academy winger, sprinted into the space Mateo had seen.
He took the ball in stride,burst down the wing,and sent a wicked low cross into the box.
There — arriving like a thunderbolt —was Lukas.
He slid in,met the ball cleanly,and smashed it into the bottom corner.
GOAL!!
Germany 1 - 0 USA!
The stadium exploded with noise.
The German bench jumped in celebration.
The American players stood stunned —caught by a flash of pure vision and execution.
Mateo pumped his fist, heart thundering.
Inside his mind, the System chimed:
[Assist Registered.][Match Rating: 8.3 — Side Quest Completed.][Reward Earned: Silver Skill Box.]
As his teammates mobbed Lukas in celebration,Jonas pointed across the field at Mateo.
"That pass," he mouthed, shaking his head in awe.
The commentators were equally impressed:
"González saw that gap before anyone else even knew it existed.What a mind. What a player!"
35th Minute
USA, wounded but proud, pushed back hard.
Their pressure increased.Their tackles grew fiercer.
But Germany now had a rhythm.
And Mateo was the conductor.
He slowed the tempo when needed.Accelerated when he saw an opening.Directed teammates with sharp hand signals and short commands.
It wasn't just skill.
It was leadership.
It was command.
Inside the System, a new notification flashed:
[Temporary Title Activated: "Field General."]
+5% to all Teammate Coordination Stats during match.
Mateo barely noticed.
He was locked into the game,mind moving two, three steps ahead.
He wasn't just playing anymore.
He was controlling the battlefield.
45th Minute
The halftime whistle blew.
Germany led 1-0.
The players jogged toward the tunnel, breathing hard but heads high.
Mateo wiped sweat from his brow,glanced up at the night sky above the stadium,and smiled grimly.
"One half done."