Starlight FC VS WatfordFC (4)
Ben, Starlight's goalkeeper, reacted quickly, diving to his right. 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.
The winger didn't hesitate. With a simple but precise touch far from Turner, he guided the ball into the open side of the net, putting Watford in the lead, 2-1.
The Watford players erupted in celebration, while Kay stood on the sidelines, processing the sudden shift in the game.
The switch in the wingers' positions had caught Starlight off guard, and Pereira's skillful play had broken through their defenses.
Kay knew that this was a crucial moment in the match, and he had to think quickly to find a way to respond.
Kay stood on the sidelines, frustration building inside him as he watched Watford's wingers continuously switch positions, creating havoc for his defense.
His team, Starlight FC, had been forced into a defensive stance, struggling to contain the relentless attacks. Time was ticking away, and the score remained 2-1 in favor of Watford.
Kay racked his brain, trying to come up with a solution to stop the switch of the wingers, but nothing came to mind.
Every move seemed to end with the same result; Watford dominating possession and Starlight just trying to hold on.
It was a dangerous strategy. Kay knew they would eventually concede another goal if they continued like this.
Suddenly, a new idea came to him. Instead of sitting back and defending, why not take the risk and go on the attack?
Busquets, Watford's manager, surely expected them to stay defensive, especially after Watford had taken the lead.
If Kay could catch him by surprise and switch to an attacking style, it might throw Watford off balance. It was risky, but at this point, there was little to lose.
In the 79th minute, Kay made his decision. He stood up, waved his arms, and called out to his players, "Push forward! Let's attack now! We're not sitting back anymore!"
His players, who had been mostly defending for the last ten minutes, looked energized by the sudden change.
They shifted into an attacking formation, moving up the field with more aggression.
Busquets, who had been standing confidently near the touchline, noticed the sudden switch.
He had assumed the match was under control after Watford's second goal, and that Starlight would continue to defend until the end.
But now, Starlight was pushing forward, trying to find an equalizer. Busquets frowned and quickly reacted.
He told his team to fall back into a more defensive formation, as he wanted to secure his one-goal lead.
Wary of the Crossfield Strike tactic that Starlight had used to score earlier, "Don't let them apply the Crossfield Strike! Press outside the box, don't give them any space!" Busquets shouted to his players.
Kay saw Watford pull back and defend; he was satisfied with this. Even though his team hadn't yet scored, they had forced Watford to defend instead of continuing their attacking dominance.
Now, Starlight could play with less risk, as Watford was no longer charging forward as aggressively.
Starlight FC was now pressing hard, attacking relentlessly as they searched for an equalizer.
Watford, on the other hand, had dropped back, defending with nearly every player except Pereira, who lingered near the halfway line, ready to seize any chance for a counterattack.
Kay knew that if his team lost possession, and Watford managed to break out quickly, it could be the end of the match. He could feel the tension rising, each minute passing bringing them closer to defeat.
Starlight tried once again to execute the Crossfield Strike, the tactic that had worked earlier, but Watford was ready for it.
Mason and Hughes were quick to close down Anouar and Sam, pressing them hard and preventing any clear shots at goal.
It was now the 85th minute, and the score was still 2-1 in favor of Watford. Kay stood on the sidelines, his eyes scanning the field, when he noticed something.
Anouar was talking to Dragan, gesturing with his hands, explaining something quickly. They seemed to be planning something.
By the 88th minute, time was running out. Stuart, calm under pressure, passed the ball to Harper on the left.
Harper made a quick run down the wing, pushing forward with urgency. As Watford's defenders moved to block his path, Harper spotted Anouar and delivered a sharp, fast pass toward him.
It was Anouar who had asked for the ball, even though the last few attempts to break through had failed. Kay watched closely, wondering what Anouar had planned.
As Anouar received the ball, Hughes rushed out to press him, just as he had done earlier. But this time, Anouar didn't go for the shot.
Instead, with a quick and delicate touch, he changed the path of the ball with the tip of his foot, sending it soaring just above Watford's defensive line.
The ball arced perfectly, and Dragan, who seemed like he had been waiting for this exact moment, broke free from the defenders. He timed his run perfectly, staying onside as the ball dropped in front of him.
Without hesitation, Dragan launched a shot with one swift motion, striking the ball before it even touched the ground.
The stadium seemed to hold its breath as the ball flew with incredible speed toward the goal. Watford's goalkeeper didn't have time to react.
The ball blasted into the back of the net with such force that the keeper couldn't even follow it with his eyes.
The referee blew his whistle, signaling the goal. Starlight FC had equalized in the 89th minute, and the fans erupted into cheers.
Kay let out a breath, his heart pounding with excitement and relief.
The score was now 2-2, and Starlight FC was back in the game, thanks to the brilliant combination between Anouar and Dragan.
After scoring the equalizer, Dragan was overcome with emotion. He took off his shirt and sprinted toward the stands, celebrating wildly with the Starlight FC fans who were cheering at the top of their lungs.
His teammates ran after him, joining the celebration, but as the excitement settled, the referee approached Dragan, holding a yellow card in the air.
Dragan knew the rules; taking off his shirt meant a yellow card. He bowed his head respectfully, accepting the card without argument. He knew it was deserved, but the joy of the goal was worth it, especially at that time.
As the players returned to their positions on the field, Kay called out to them, gathering their attention.
"Defend for the rest of the match!" he instructed firmly. He knew that pushing Watford any further wasn't realistic.
The physical gap between the two teams was showing; his players were tired, and he could see it in their movements.
Watford, on the other hand, still looked sharp, especially with players like Mason and Pereira leading their attacks.
Kay knew that Busquets wasn't the type of manager to settle for a draw. He would throw everything into attacking during the final minutes, and Kay had to prepare his team to survive that.
"They're going to come at us, we just need to hold them off." Kay thought.
Seeing the exhaustion in his players, Kay made some crucial substitutions. He called over Jamie to replace Antony, who had worked tirelessly but was running out of steam.
Then he took out Riley and Harper, who had both been vital in defending and attacking from the flanks but were clearly worn out.
Fresh legs were needed, and Kay knew Jamie and the other players could help secure the defense.
See you in the next chapter...
- - - - Author's note - - - - -
Hey everyone!
Starlight FC just scored the equalizer! Do you think they can hold on to this score, or will Watford FC find a way to steal the victory with another goal? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!