The match resumed and Hull City did not back down. They kept pushing forward, trying to claw their way back into the match. Their midfielders and forwards pressed harder. They tried shots from outside the box, quick combinations down the flanks, and crosses into the box. But Birmingham's defense remained alert.
Time ticked on. The intensity stayed high.
In the seventy ninth minute, Birmingham won the ball in their own half again. This time it was Fred who cut off a lazy pass and quickly passed it forward to Nicolas. The right winger did not wait. He put his head down and started running.
He sprinted from the halfway line, using his pace to glide past the Hull City left back. Now in the final third, he glanced up once. The box was filling. He needed to cross.
He whipped in a low pass. Not too powerful. Just enough to find someone.
Sam made a smart run into the box. The defenders followed him.
At the last second, Sam dummied the ball. He let it run past him.
The dummy worked. The defenders were caught off guard.
Valen arrived at the edge of the box. He adjusted his feet and took the shot. His body was composed. His left foot swung through the ball cleanly. The shot bent into the bottom corner of the far post. The goalkeeper dove, but it was too late.
Three nil.
Valen jogged to the side, pumped his fist, and pointed to Sam. The two met halfway and high fived.
James had a wide grin on his face.
The rest of the game passed without any more goals. Hull kept trying, but they were tired. The third goal had killed their rhythm. Birmingham stayed disciplined, defended well, and managed the game until the final whistle.
When the match ended, the players came off the pitch. Some of the Hull boys dropped to the floor. Some clapped in frustration.
Birmingham's players walked to the bench. Some smiled, others looked exhausted. James pulled Valen aside.
"Now that's what I want to see," James said while patting Valen's shoulder. "I meant what I said earlier. That was impressive. You made a difference. Keep this up and we'll be seeing a lot more of you."
Valen nodded, trying to hide the smile creeping onto his face. "Thanks coach."
James gave him a thumbs up and moved on to speak with the other players.
Valen sat on the bench for a moment, catching his breath. His shirt clung to him, damp with sweat. His pulse was starting to settle.
Sam came over and sat next to him.
"You were solid out there," Sam said. "Great finish. You made it look easy."
Valen chuckled. "You made it easy with that dummy. I thought you were going to shoot."
"So did the defenders. That's why it worked," Sam said, smirking.
They sat quietly for a few seconds, just watching the others.
"It felt good, didn't it?" Sam asked.
Valen nodded. "It really did."
"Keep this up," Sam said, standing up and stretching his back. "You're going to get more chances. And when you do, make them count."
"I will," Valen said as he got to his feet.
The team started heading to the locker room. Valen took his time. He soaked in the atmosphere. This was his first competitive appearance in years. And it went better than he could have hoped.
After changing and saying goodbye to a few teammates, Valen left the stadium. The sky was starting to darken, but the streets still held the warmth of the day.
He walked home with a bag over his shoulder and a lightness in his step. His muscles were sore, but his heart was full.
While he was on his way to his house, he heard a familiar notification in his head.
[Ding! Host has completed his mission]
[Match rating: 8.1]
[Reward: +1 randomly attributed stat point]
[Ding! Accelaration stat updated]
[Will Host like to see his stats?]
"Yes"
[Ding! Downloading host's stats]
[Name: Valen Alarcon]
[Age: 17]
[Preferred foot: Right]
[Weak-foot: A+]
[Club: Birmingham City U-18]
[Attributes:]
[Speed: B]
[Acceleration: A- (B+)]
[Pace: B+]
[Dribbling: C]
[Shooting: B-]
[Passing: C]
[Control: A-]
[Crossing: C]
[Physicality: D+]
[Overall Player Rating: 61]
[Overall Player Potential: 79 (upgradable)]
[Skills: Stepovers
[Titles: Nil]
[Awards: Nil]