Pain!

Team D looked utterly defeated after Benjamin's stunning free-kick.

Their frustration was evident, especially in Lars, who couldn't hide his irritation. He'd been outplayed in this game.

He glared at Benjamin, who was jogging back to his half with a smug smile.

Lars' fists clenched, his face twisting with a mixture of anger and helplessness. He had been unable to stop Benjamin, and it was getting under his skin.

Benjamin, jogging back to his half sensed the hostility and smirked back at Lars. He wasn't intimidated but instead, he was now more determined than ever to widen the gap on the scoreboard.

He felt a sense of satisfaction in riling up his opponent and could feel the momentum shifting in their favor, there was no reason to ease off the gas.

He met Lars' glare with a calm smirk, a gesture that only deepened the sting.

'Let him glare,' Benjamin thought, his heart still pounding from the thrill of the goal. 'I'll just score again.'

The restart of the game brought an intensity that bordered on reckless. Team D feeling desperate to claw back from the brink of humiliation began pressed hard.

Their tackles became more aggressive, skirting the line between physicality and foul play. It was clear they were rattled, trying to make something happen, but it played right into Team A's hands.

Team A was unfazed, keeping the pressure high as they dominated possession.

In the 42nd minute, Team D earned a corner kick, a rare chance for them to turn the tide.

Benjamin watched as the ball curled into the box, but it was too weak, easily defended by the defence and caught by Luka just outside the 18-yard box.

The ball came bouncing out towards the edge of the 18-yard box. He controlled it with a deft touch, scanning the field for options.

Luka saw his opportunity.

His eyes locked onto Benjamin, lingering in the center of the pitch, just before the halfway line.

Three of Team D's defenders were spread thin at the back, and Luka didn't hesitate. He launched a long pass, the ball skimming the ground as it rolled toward Benjamin.

The ball rolled across the pitch, gathering speed.

Benjamin took off, sprinting to meet it. Just as he approached, one of Team D's defenders rushed toward him, looking to close him down.

Without thinking, Benjamin executed a feint. He opened his legs, feinting a touch, and let the ball slip underneath both his and the defender's legs, leaving both himself and the defender in a dead sprint.

He spun to his right, leaving the defender chasing shadows, unable to stop his momentum.

The defender, caught off guard stumbled, he couldn't stop his run as Benjamin smoothly darted around him, leaving him stunned.

Benjamin quickly caught up with the ball still rolling in front of him a few feet ahead. He could feel the rush of adrenaline as he sprinted forward, the crowd's noise blurring in his ears.

With a glance up, Benjamin saw Lars and another defender closing in fast from his right side.

Benjamin made a split-second decision, he kicked the ball a few paces ahead, counting on his speed to outpace his pursuers.

His heart raced, legs pumping as he surged forward, barely brushing past the two defenders, who lunged after him in vain. His eyes focused solely on the ball.

In seconds, he reached the edge of the 18-yard box, the goalkeeper rushing out of his 6-yard box, leaving the goal vulnerable and attempting to narrow the angle.

Benjamin's mind screamed for a chip. 'Chip him,' he thought.

It was instinctive, just like the kind of moves he'd practiced hundreds of times. But just as he readied himself to execute the shot, he felt a sudden force collide with his legs from behind.

The impact was brutal.

The world flipped as he was sent crashing to the ground, the rough grass scraping against his skin.

Pain exploded in his left leg.

His breath left him in a painful gasp, and for a second, everything went black. Nothing but searing, unbearable pain radiating from his knee.

'No... Not this... Please, not again,' he thought, panic creeping in. Tears welled up, but he forced them back.

'Pain.'

It was the only thought he could register. His leg throbbed with a searing intensity, radiating up his body. He clenched his fists, trying to breathe through it, but the pain only grew sharper.

'I can't cry,' Benjamin thought, fighting the tears that pricked his eyes.

But the pain was relentless, and his breath hitched. It felt like his leg was on fire. His hands reached instinctively for his left leg, but the slightest touch made him grit his teeth in agony.

On the sidelines, Coach Jansen was frozen in place. His heart dropped, his pulse quickened, and his worst fear realized.

He cursed himself for not subbing Benjamin off earlier. He had considered pulling Benjamin out earlier, but he hadn't. Now, the consequences of that decision stared him in the face.

The doctor's warnings flashed through his mind, and now he feared the worst. He rushed to the edge of the field, eyes fixed on the motionless figure of Benjamin.

The referee's whistle blew furiously, the game stopped and players gathered around the fallen Benjamin.

Concerned voices reached his ears, but he couldn't focus on anything except the sharp pain coursing through his leg. He curled in on himself, clutching his knee, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Team A looked concerned, while Team D's players stood awkwardly, their aggression now tempered with guilt.

Lars, stood over Benjamin a few feet away, his face unreadable and expressionless. He wasn't pleading his case or apologizing. He looked like he held no remorse, no regret for the horror he had just committed.

He simply stood there, unmoved, while the referee approached pulling out the red card from his pocket with a decisive motion and waved it in Lars' direction.

The decision was clear, but it didn't change the damage already done.

Lars didn't react, simply turning on his heel and walking off the pitch, his exit as cold as the foul he had committed.

The medics rushed onto the field, immediately attending to Benjamin. Coach Jansen followed close behind, his face pale with worry.

Benjamin, still on the ground, fought to keep his emotions in check. The pain was overwhelming, and the thought of his injury flaring up again filled him with dread.

'I can't be out,' he thought desperately, blinking through the pain. 'Not again.'

Benjamin's mind was a swirl of thoughts. He could barely register what was happening around him. All he could feel was a sharp and throbbing pain.

The medics stabilized his leg and began to lift him onto a stretcher. Benjamin closed his eyes, fighting back the tears. His teammates gathered around him, their expressions a mix of anger and concern.

"We've got you," Luka said, his voice low and full of sympathy. "Just hold on."

Benjamin nodded, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay calm, even as the stretcher carried him off the pitch.

The game continued without him, but for Benjamin, everything seemed distant, muffled. His mind spun, not just from the physical pain but from the fear of what this could mean for his future.

His leg throbbed, but worse than the physical pain was the sinking realization that his journey might be far from over, but not in the way he had hoped.