Starlight FC VS WatfordFC (3)
In the 52nd minute, Kay decided it was time to make a crucial adjustment. He called Desmond over to the sidelines and quickly explained his new plan.
"Desmond, I need you to push forward, forget your usual position for now. I want you to press Mason from the left side; don't give him any room to breathe. He's quick with his mind but not with his body. Use your strength; play physical. Mason might be smart, but he's not as strong as you." Kay instructed.
Desmond nodded, understanding exactly what Kay was asking. He knew his job now was to disrupt Mason's flow and prevent him from passing his key passes.
Three minutes later, in the 55th minute, the opportunity came. Knight intercepted a pass from Antony, and after a series of quick exchanges, the ball ended up with Mason.
Just as Mason received it, Desmond sprang into action. He closed the distance quickly, not giving Mason the time he needed to execute his usual fake pass.
Mason tried to feint to the right, setting up to switch the play as he had done so many times before. But this time, Desmond was ready.
He anticipated the move and pressed Mason aggressively, using his physicality to unsettle him.
Mason, caught off guard by the sudden pressure, stumbled slightly, and Desmond seized the moment. He lunged forward, cleanly stealing the ball from Mason's feet.
With the ball now at his feet, Desmond quickly looked up and spotted Anouar. He passed it to him with precision, knowing that speed was of the essence.
Anouar, seeing the opportunity, didn't hesitate. He launched a long pass down the left flank where Harper was already sprinting, ready to exploit the space.
Harper controlled the ball effortlessly, his speed taking him past Watford's right back.
With one last push, he made a run toward the corner of the field, scanning the box for teammates. He saw his chance and whipped in a low cross, aiming for the heart of the penalty area.
But Watford's defense was alert. Their center-back read the play well and managed to intercept the cross, clearing the ball out of the field before it could reach Starlight's attackers.
The ball sailed over the line, and the referee's whistle blew, signaling a corner kick for Starlight FC.
Kay clapped his hands from the sidelines, pleased with how his adjustment had worked.
Desmond's aggressive pressing had disrupted Watford's rhythm, and now they had a chance to capitalize on the corner kick.
Sam carefully placed the ball on the corner spot, his heart pounding with anticipation. He stepped back, took a deep breath, and focused on the crowded box ahead.
With determination, he struck the ball, sending it in a beautiful curve toward the center of the box.
Dragan, Starlight's towering striker, locked eyes with the ball as it soared through the air.
He leaped into the air, challenging Knight Watford's defender for the header. Both players soared, but Dragan's timing was perfect.
He connected with the ball first, sending it rocketing toward the goal. The crowd held its breath as the ball hurtled toward the net.
But Watford's goalkeeper reacted with lightning speed. In a split second, he flung his leg out, making a miraculous save.
The ball ricocheted off his foot, barely staying out of the goal. A Watford defender quickly cleared the ball away from danger, sending it far up the field, and the chance for Starlight was lost.
Despite the missed opportunity, Kay was happy with this opportunity as it would build the player's confidence to score another goal.
The match continued, and a few moments later Kay noticed a significant change on the field.
Since Desmond had begun disrupting Mason, Watford's dangerous attacks had sharply decreased.
The tactic was working, and Kay could see the frustration building in Watford's players.
In the 60th minute, Starlight had another promising chance. Harper received the ball on the left side and sent a low cross toward Anouar, setting up for another attempt for the Crossfield Strike.
The plan was to catch Watford off guard by executing the tactic from a different position, hoping to create the same magic that had led to their earlier goal.
Anouar positioned himself perfectly, ready to unleash a powerful shot. But as he prepared to strike, he realized Knight was already there, blocking his path. Knight had read the play, anticipating the move.
Anouar still took the shot, but it deflected off Knight's legs, the ball bouncing harmlessly away from the goal.
Kay watched from the sidelines, his mind racing. He was impressed, by Busquets' ability to adapt so quickly.
He had expected Busquets to catch on to the Crossfield Strike eventually, but not so swiftly, and certainly not on the first attempt especially that it was played now from another side and by different players.
This showed just how skilled and intelligent Busquets was as a manager, able to read the game and counter-tactics almost instantly.
In the 72nd minute, the match took an unexpected turn. Mason, Watford's clever defensive midfielder, received the ball in the center of the pitch.
With a quick glance, he played a precise pass into the space on the right side, where Starlight's defense had been luring Watford throughout the match.
Kay, observing from the sidelines, was momentarily confused as he saw Hughes, who usually operated on the left, receive the ball on the right.
This was the first time Hughes had ventured into that space, and instead of controlling the ball, he expertly passed it with one touch, sending it to the far right wing, near the touchline.
Kay's eyes followed the ball, and what he saw next left him stunned. Sprinting down the line to collect the pass was none other than Enzo Pereira, Watford's Brazilian left winger.
Kay immediately realized that Watford's wingers had switched positions, a tactic that caught Starlight completely off guard.
Pereira, with his trademark flair, collected the ball and faced Harper, Starlight's left-back.
Pereira performed a sudden step-over, his foot gracefully sweeping over the ball, tricking Harper into shifting his weight the wrong way. With a burst of speed, Pereira cut inside, leaving Harper trailing behind.
As Pereira drove into the box, Stuart moved in to challenge him. But Pereira, showing his class, faked a powerful shot with his right foot.
Stuart, anticipating the strike, lunged in to block, only to find himself outmaneuvered.
Pereira quickly shifted the ball to his left foot, creating space, and then unleashed a curling shot aimed at the far corner of the goal.
Ben, Starlight's goalkeeper, reacted quickly, diving to his left. His fingertips brushed the ball, but the force of the shot was too much to stop completely.
The ball deflected off his hand, slowing down, but unfortunately, it rolled directly into the path of Watford's right winger, who was now positioned on the left after the switch.
When Turner saw the ball going to the right winger, he tried to prevent him from scoring so he tried to cover the goal with his body.
See you in the next chapter...
- - - - Author's note - - - - -
Hey everyone!
It looks like Kay's facing some challenges in his first match, feeling a bit behind the opponent. Now that Busquets has switched his wingers, do you think Kay can turn things around and win the match? Can he find a solution to the current situation? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!