"From the onset who would have thought these two teams will be going neck to neck with goals." Said one of the commentators. "Westminster F.C came back from a match we thought they wouldn't recover from. And now, F.C. Cerceda are level–four goals apiece. four, four."
"Well, well, well… they crawled out of the box they trapped themselves in. Now this match is getting interesting, Two giants going all out."
On the pitch, the intensity was suffocating. "Schaefer with the ball–he passes it into midfielder Tanner Michael. Tanner pushes forward, looking to shoot—oh my word! Cerceda goalkeeper stretches—Corner."
Ooh!!!
The goalkeeper's block sent a ripple through the crowd. Fans leapt to their feet, substitutes rose from the bench, arms half-raised, ready to celebrate, what would have been a goal. Among the substitutes sat a young player who had joined the senior team just three months earlier. He had shown great promise in the youth academy, and this was his first senior match. Unlike his teammates, the youth player wasn't standing like the rest of his teammates. He was staring at the grass, as his chest tightened.
A hand on his shoulder snapped him back to reality, "you are you okay mate" a teammate asked, noticing the youths nerves.
The youth player nodded, quickly, though his heart was hammering against his ribs..
Then a shout cut through the noise "Winston… Winston c'mon—prepare to go in"
Winston Daley was the youth player who recently got signed to the senior team of Westminster F.C. He actually joined the youth league straight out of high school. And stood out as the only player who truly shined in the under twenty youth academy. With the senior squad plagued by senior strikers injuries, Winston was pulled from the reserves as a last resort. Hoping to prove himself, Winston let out a heavy sigh as the coach instructions from the touchline.
Erm
When Winston stepped onto the pitch at Centre forward position, the coach adjusted the formation. into the one that will make Winston assist the senior forward–the senior pointing at Winston signalling to press the midfielders
The F.C. Cerceda's midfielders had been passing with calm efficiency, but fatigue showed—only a few fresh substitutes remained active on the field.
Winston pressed aggressively.
Startled, a Cerceda midfielder misplaced his pass. A Westminster F.C. defender reacted instantly, lofting a through ball into the senior striker who was onside, he trapped the ball forward, he shot the ball on his fourth touch
Clang!... Off the post
Every Cerceda defenders turned as the rebound dropped straight into Winston's path, who was coming in to support. He rushed in, swung his leg too hard and the ball sailed high over the crossbar.
Damn should have trapped it first
Winston shook his head in disappointment. He hoped that this was gonna be his first goal, His eyes drifted to the towering billboard eighty-eighth minutes played
F*ck.. you're useless, Eighty-eight minutes and I still haven't scored. The team worked so hard, we need this win to qualify for the Champions league.
The game restarted, and Winston pressed even harder, forcing a foul. The crowd responded, cheering his effort. Fueled by adrenaline, Winston intercepted a pass meant for the central midfielder. He surged forward, ignoring the senior striker calling for the ball in open space, Winston cut left, attempted a Marseille turn, but a defender stepped in and stripped him clean. F.C. Cerceda took this chance to counter instantly. The defender lobbed the ball into the open space left winger who triggered the ball into a cross position and whipped the ball into the Cerceda striker took the opportunity to leap higher than exhausted defenders.
Thwack!
"GOALLLLLL"
Winston turned to see the senior striker who was shaking his head in disappointment, and when he glanced over at the bench—the coach spoke quietly to his assistant. The game went on, the Westminster players were exhausted until the final whistle they ended losing the game to Five to four.
After the match, the coach addressed the team. They were given two days off before resume training..
"Next time pass the ball, this is not a one man show" the senior striker snapped at Winston. "You cost the team a spot into the championship title, we would have won that game if you just played your part of assisting." Winston said nothing. He gathered his stuff and went into the showers.
When the club bus dropped them off at their Westminster stadium. The assistant coach pulled Winston aside. "The gaffer likes your energy, Winston, but you're raw, your touch is heavy, and your passing isn't at senior level yet. You have fire in you. I talked to the gaffer and we decided to send you back to the under twenty-one team. To find your rhythm, work on your stamina, and we'll check up on your progress."
"Where can I improve, coach?" Winston asked. "I want to be featured in the first team again."
" Ball control needs work—you lost possession too often. Your passing was easily intercepted, master these basics in your training, and your stamina and pace lacked sharpness.. That is why the defenders took advantage of that. Still, overall—we were impressed. On other things I suggest you master the basics first, work on them one by one, again we were impressed."
"Thank you, coach." Winston said. "I appreciate the opportunity to taste how the senior team plays."
"Rest well." the assistant coach added. "Use what you learned today in your next under twenty-one league."
"Don't worry about next time we will be keeping taps on your progress, after every match or training." the assistant coach added. "Make sure you rest well— your under twenty-one matches are coming up."
Winston nodded and left, as he was about to exit the stadium building a familiar car was waiting for him. "Dad?" Winston said, surprised. "I thought you were working."
"I wanted to pick you up before heading to work," his father replied. I watched your game. I'm proud of you."
"But we lost," Winston said quietly "I missed a goal. I wanted to score on my first senior appearance."
"Don't beat yourself up," His father said. "It was your first appearance, I'm sure you will get your second chance again."
The cold night wind coming from the window hit Winston who saw football fans from the opposite team were celebrating in the street, he wish it was his team fan who were the one celebrating
Next time I will score goals, and I'll improve and I'll win the championship.
Drifting into sleep. Winston remembered how it all began–playing football at a young age, he started kicking the ball when he was eight years old when his father bought him the ball on his eighth birthday. And from then on he never stopped playing football. He then went to play for his high school until he graduated from high school, then he joined a local team and that team referred him to Westminster F.C. under 19. Winston got lucky when he was called to join the senior team Injuries had opened a door, and tonight he had stepped through it.
His father nudged him awake as they arrived home. Even though he was exhausted to the point that his muscles were making it hard for him to move. Not wanting to make his father late to work, Winston said his goodbye when he entered his sister who was coming down from her room. "Mom, he's home! Why are you walking so slow?"
Winston did not want to answer his sister. "Tell mom I am going to sleep I am too tired" Winston went to his room throwing his bag on the floor and threw his body into his bed and drifted to sleep..