The air inside the stadium grew thicker with each passing minute.
Germany controlled possession —but they couldn't break through.
Ecuador's wall held strong,dense and aggressive.
Mateo felt the bruises blooming on his legs,felt the burn in his lungs.
Yet he refused to bow.
"There's always a way," he told himself."You just have to find it."
42nd Minute
Germany won a throw-in near midfield.
Ritter quickly tossed the ball to Lukas,who immediately returned it to Mateo.
Three Ecuadorian players charged toward him like hunters sensing blood.
Trap.
But Mateo had seen it coming.
He didn't wait.
A lightning-quick flick behind his own standing leg — a deft backheel —slipped the ball into space behind the collapsing defenders.
At full sprint, Jonas burst into the gap,snatching the ball and charging down the right flank.
The Ecuadorian defense scrambled desperately,but the geometry of their line had been broken.
Jonas lifted his head, saw Mateo charging into the box,and curled in a low cross.
Mateo's instincts took over.
One touch to kill the ball —another touch to shift it left —and with defenders lunging at him,he fired low and hard into the bottom corner.
GOAL!!!!
Germany 1 - 0 Ecuador
Right before halftime.
A dagger to the heart.
Mateo pumped his fists toward the German fans,his teammates swarming him with roaring celebrations.
Inside his mind, the System chimed:
[Goal Scored.][Quest Progress: Overcoming Rough Defense — 80% Complete.]
As he jogged back to midfield,he glanced toward the Ecuadorian bench.
He saw their coach shaking his head.He saw their players glancing nervously at each other.
They had thrown everything at him.And still, he had broken through.
The halftime whistle blew soon after.
Germany walked into the tunnel with the lead — battered, yes,but undefeated.
And Mateo?
He wasn't satisfied yet.
"One goal isn't enough," he thought coldly."I want to bury them."
Halftime: Inside the Locker Room
Coach Schuster kept it short:
"Stay compact.Pick your moments.And when you see blood,finish the kill."
The team roared their agreement.
Mateo sat there, catching his breath,feeling the fire burn brighter inside him.
He knew the second half would be even more brutal.
Ecuador would not die quietly.