On the day of the challenge match, Kay arrived early at the training ground, as he did every day.
He had developed a habit of arriving half an hour before the players, using the quiet time to prepare mentally and review his strategies.
Half an hour later, the players began to trickle in.
Once all his players had arrived, Kay gathered them for a final pep talk.
"Today is our chance to prove ourselves. We've trained hard, and we have a plan. Trust each other, play confidently, and give it your all. Remember, teamwork and determination will win this match."
The players nodded, their expressions serious and focused.
With all the players present, the match began. Anouar's team had the ball first, and Coach Daniels served as the referee.
Daniels presented the rules; the match would be fifteen minutes without changing fields, 5 VS 5, small field.
As Daniels blew the whistle, Anouar passed the ball to a teammate. Anthony immediately sprang into action, sprinting towards the player with high speed.
The opponent quickly passed the ball, but Antony was relentless, pressing multiple players in rapid succession, which could make you think that there are numerous Antony in the field not only one.
Antony's intense pressing forced the opposition into hurried decisions.
Despite Antony's speed, one of the opponents managed to dribble past him and began an attack.
However, just as the opponent dribbled the second defender, Antony outpaced him and reclaimed possession of the ball.
Anthony quickly passed the ball to Sam, who, with Anouar closing in to press him, returned it immediately to Antony, exploiting the space on the flank.
Antony surged forward with remarkable speed, facing the last defender.
Without hesitating, he executed a perfect dribble, bypassing the defender.
Nearing the goal, Antony noticed a teammate making a run.
Before he could think of anything he remembered Kay's order to make a pass just as he was near the goal and to not think a lot.
So Antony passed the ball to his teammate without hesitation. The pass was precise and timely.
The teammate received it and, with a single, controlled touch, sent the ball into the back of the net.
The goalkeeper, who was focusing on Antony, was caught off guard, and the defender, still recovering from being dribbled, was too late to intercept.
The substitute team erupted in celebration, this early first goal would improve their confidence to win.
The match resumed with Anouar's team taking the kickoff. As soon as the ball was in play, Antony sprang into action, pressing aggressively just like before.
This time, however, Anouar anticipated the move. Shielding the ball with his body, he managed to ward off Anthony's challenge and launched a long pass towards his attacking teammates.
The ball found its target, and the player in possession began an aggressive run towards the goal.
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Sam, recognizing the threat, positioned himself directly in the player's path, effectively blocking his advance.
As Sam held his ground, a second attacker exploited the space left behind and made a run towards the goal.
Anouar, observing this development, saw a clear scoring opportunity and felt certain they would capitalize on it.
To his dismay, the player with the ball chose not to pass to the open teammate but instead attempted to dribble past Sam.
Despite successfully evading Sam, the player's progress was abruptly halted by a defender who executed a perfectly timed sliding tackle to clear the ball.
Anouar's frustration was palpable; he understood that continued selfish play would menace their chances of winning.
Anouar watched as the ball rolled to Sam, and he quickly moved to press him, knowing Sam's tendency to lose possession under pressure.
To Anouar's surprise, Sam deftly controlled the ball, turned his body smoothly, and delivered a long, accurate pass toward Anthony.
Anthony's pace allowed him to control the pass effortlessly, and he immediately engaged in a step-over to beat the first defender.
Nearing the goal, Anthony looked for a teammate to pass to but found no one available.
Faced with this predicament, Anthony hesitated. Instead of driving forward and attempting to score, he turned to search for support, inadvertently giving the defender enough time to recover and close him down.
Meanwhile, Sam was being closely marked by Anouar, leaving him unavailable for a pass.
Realizing his options were limited and feeling the mounting pressure, Anthony decided to take a shot.
He performed a small feint to create some space from the defender, then aimed and struck the ball.
Unfortunately, his shot lacked precision and sailed wide of the goal, far from posing any real threat.
After halftime passed, Kay's team continued to dominate, relentlessly attacking while the other team continued to lose balls.
Anouar, recognizing the pattern in Kay's tactics, noticed that the offensive play heavily depended on Sam and Antony.
To counter this, he decided to mark Sam closely and instructed another player to shadow Antony, effectively cutting off their primary avenues of attack.
As another offensive push began, Kay's team advanced with the ball. This time, Sam received the ball and tried to maneuver forward, but Anouar stood firmly in his path.
Anticipating that Sam would attempt to pass to Antony in the open space, Anouar positioned himself to block the passing lane.
This move successfully disrupted Sam's intended play, leaving him with limited options.
Anouar then moved in to press Sam aggressively, forcing him to consider passing the ball back to the defender.
Sam appeared ready to concede and pass the ball backward.
Just as Anouar relaxed, expecting a retreat, Sam executed a quick turn and deftly dribbled past Anouar. The unexpected move left Anouar stunned.
This newfound confidence in Sam was a result of the sustained pressure Kay's team had applied throughout the match, gradually boosting his self-assurance and reducing his intimidation by the principal team.
With Anouar behind him, Sam surged forward, seizing the opportunity to drive the attack.
His earlier hesitation replaced by determination, he scanned the field for Antony, who was now closely marked but still managed to create space with his speed.
Sam's daring dribble had created a moment of disarray in the defense, giving him a crucial opening.
Sam pushed the ball forward, skillfully navigating through the midfield.
As Sam advanced, he noticed a defender closing in on him, he executed a quick pass to a nearby teammate, who then relayed the ball to Antony.
Antony, using his pace, managed to create a slight gap between himself and his marker.
Antony, receiving the ball in a promising position, charged towards the goal. He took on the last defender with a series of quick feints.
The defender, now wary of Antony's speed and dribbling ability, hesitated momentarily.
Seizing this chance, Antony burst past him and found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
As the goalkeeper rushed out to challenge Antony, Antony made a clever pass back to Sam.
With the goal wide open, Sam took a confident shot and scored the second goal for Kay's team.
Five minutes later, Kay's team scored again. This time, a well-coordinated play saw the ball pass swiftly between the players, ending with a powerful shot into the net by another substitute.
The score was now 3-0, and the outcome of the match seemed inevitable.
As the match drew to a close, Kay's team sealed their victory with a fourth goal. This time, Antony, using his incredible speed, managed to outpace the defense and deliver a precise cross into the box.
One of his teammates met the ball with a powerful header, sending it past the goalkeeper and into the net.
The final whistle blew, and the score stood at 4-0, marking a resounding victory for Kay's team.
See you in the next chapter ...
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