As Kay entered the locker room, he noticed Guardiola standing near the door, wearing his sunglasses and cap, observing quietly.

The kids filed in after him, too preoccupied to recognize the disguised legend. Kay took a deep breath and began his speech.

"Alright, everyone, listen up," Kay started, his voice firm.

"Our performance in that first half was very poor. Except for Taylor and Aiden towards the end, we were not playing like a team. If we had executed our training tactics, we would be leading right now. I saw plenty of spaces we could have exploited."

He paused, letting his words sink in. "But now, things might change. The Giants will likely play less offensively in the second half because they're tired from pressing us so hard. This is our chance to turn things around."

Kay's tone softened, transitioning from critique to encouragement. "You've all worked hard for this. Remember the drills, remember the communication. We can do this, but we need to stay focused and give it everything we've got."

As he spoke, Kay could see a change in the players' demeanors. Confidence started to return, and their heads lifted. All except for Mark, who still looked troubled.

Realizing he had no choice, Kay made a difficult decision. "Mark, I'm going to make a change. You need to clear your head and be ready if we need you later, and don't think too much about what happened in the first half, surely we will win."

Turning to Taylor, Kay continued, "Taylor, be prepared. You'll be going back in, but not right away. I need you fresh and ready to make an impact."

Taylor nodded, understanding the strategy. With the team now visibly more motivated, Kay concluded his speech.

"Let's go out there and show them what we're made of. Play smart, play together, and remember, we're a team. Now, let's get this done!"

The room echoed with a chorus of determined voices as the players readied themselves for the second half.

Kay glanced at Guardiola, who gave a slight nod of approval showing his agreement to what Kay had said.

Kay announced the substitutions to the team. "Noah will stay in, and James, you're coming in for Mark," he said firmly. The kids nodded, understanding the changes. As they were about to head back onto the field, Kay pulled Michael aside.

"Michael, listen to me," Kay said, looking into his eyes. "You're a key player in this second half. Stay focused. We need you at your best."

Michael nodded, determination gleaming in his eyes.

The players entered the field, greeted once more by the relentless chants of "5, 5, 5, 5" from the Giants' fans.

This time, however, Kay noticed something different. The shouts no longer seemed to affect his players. They held their heads high, ready to fight.

Kay thought, 'Now we could win.'

As the second half began, Kay quickly realized the challenge they were up against.

Leo had changed almost half of the team, leaving only the goalkeeper, Carlos, Silva, and Luiz on the field.

This new lineup was fresh and ready to maintain the same intense pressure and attacking strategy from the first half.

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Kay's heart sank momentarily. These substitutions meant that the Giants could continue their aggressive play, pressing and attacking relentlessly which could affect Kay's plan.

When Kay saw the substitutions made by Leo, he quickly called Michael over and decided to change him as well. Michael looked bewildered.

Michael out, Jake in.

"But you just told me I was a key player," he said, confusion and disappointment in his eyes.

Kay leaned in, his voice calm but urgent. "Trust me, Michael. This is part of the plan."

Leo glanced in their direction and smirked, confident in his own strategy.

The second half kicked off with a fierce attack from the Giants.

Kay watched attentively as the new Giants' players exhibited the same intensity and skill as their predecessors.

It was clear to him now: this was the hallmark of a big academy like the Giants; they had a deep bench with players of equal caliber ready to step in.

As the minutes ticked by, Kay analyzed the gameplay carefully. Despite the fresh legs and relentless pressure, he noticed something crucial.

The overall performance of the Giants wasn't quite as cohesive and dominant as in the first half.

Key players like Carlos, Silva, and Luiz weren't pressing with the same ferocity as before. They were likely conserving energy, trying to play all the match.

Ten minutes went by without any major incidents, just a few attacks here and there.

In the 36th minute, the Giants launched a ferocious attack that electrified the stadium.

The Giants' right winger skillfully maneuvered the ball past James with a clever step-over and sprinted down the right side.

He looked up and saw Luiz making a diagonal run towards the penalty area, tightly marked by Aiden.

The winger sent a pinpoint cross curling into the box, where Luiz managed to outmuscle Aiden just enough to get a head to the ball.

The header glanced off Luiz's head with precision, aiming for the top corner of the net.

Ethan, the Eagles' goalkeeper, reacted with lightning speed, leaping to his left.

The ball seemed destined for the back of the net, but Ethan's fingertips managed to graze it, altering its trajectory just enough to send it crashing against the crossbar.

The ball ricocheted back into play, falling to the feet of Carlos Mendes, who was lurking inside the box.

Carlos seized the opportunity, unleashing a powerful volley towards the goal. The shot rocketed through a forest of legs, but Ethan, now back on his feet, executed a miraculous second save.

He dived to his right, parrying the ball away with an outstretched hand, sending it spinning out for a corner.

The crowd erupted into a cacophony of cheers and gasps, applauding Ethan's double save.

The Giants' players exchanged frustrated glances, knowing they had come agonizingly close.

As the Eagles' defenders regrouped, Kay seized the moment to call for a substitution.

Kay brought on Taylor and Michael, pulling them aside for a brief yet intense pep talk.

"You two need to bring us the win. It's time to use our secret weapon; the L-shaped attack," he instructed.

He locked eyes with Michael, seeing the fire and determination burning brightly.

Michael nodded, fully understanding the weight of the moment and the importance of the upcoming play.

Before Michael stepped onto the field, Kay pulled him aside and whispered urgently, "Try to position yourself between Carlos and Silva. They don't have the stamina to press as sharply as the others."

The match progressed to the 40th minute. James gained possession and swiftly passed the ball to Noah.

Noah, noticing Michael's run behind Carlos, quickly relayed the ball to Aiden, who was advancing down the right wing.

Aiden positioned himself parallel to Michael. Before the Giants' players could close in, Aiden made a quick pass toward Michael.

Silva, determined to intercept, dashed toward Michael. But Michael, without even taking a touch to control the ball, delivered a blind pass toward the Giants' goal.

Silva caught off guard, turned just in time to see Taylor sprinting with impressive speed toward the ball. The Giants' goalkeeper, realizing the danger, charged out to intercept.

The crowd held its breath as Taylor and the goalkeeper raced toward the ball.

At the very last moment, the goalkeeper reached it, clearing it away just a second before Taylor could make contact.

Kay watched the scene unfold, his heart pounding. Although the attempt didn't result in a goal, he was immensely proud.

Michael and Taylor had executed the L-shaped attack flawlessly on the first try, creating a near-goal opportunity.

When Leo saw this attempt, he was confused about how a player under 10 could play this wonderful pass without even looking.

See you in the next chapter ...

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