The end of the match

As the match entered the final minutes, the tension in the stadium was palpable. The referee raised his hand, signaling five additional minutes of stoppage time. 

The fans held their breath, knowing that anything could happen in these last moments. 

Now it was Watford's turn to press hard for a winner. Starlight FC had switched to full defense, blocking every path to the goal. 

Watford kept pushing forward, but Kay's team stood firm, determined to hold onto the draw. 

In the 93rd minute, Starlight managed to break out on a counterattack. Anouar sprinted down the field with the ball, but he was all alone. 

None of his teammates had caught up, and before he could make anything of the play, Knight quickly chased him down and snatched the ball away. 

The minutes dragged on, and as the clock reached the 96th minute, Watford was awarded a corner kick. 

It was their last chance to steal the victory. The stadium buzzed with excitement as both teams, including Watford's goalkeeper, moved into position for the corner. Everyone knew this was the decisive moment. 

Hughes stepped up to take the corner, delivering a high, curved ball toward the near post. 

Knight and Stuart both leapt into the air, but the ball glanced off Knight's head, spinning toward the far corner of the box. 

Turner and Watford's goalkeeper, who had charged up the field, both jumped for it. The goalkeeper, taller and with the advantage of reach, got his head to the ball first. 

But the header was poorly timed. The ball flew awkwardly above the crossbar, far from the goal. 

Watford's goalkeeper, clearly not used to heading the ball, buried his face in his hands in frustration. It was a wasted chance. 

The referee blew the final whistle, signaling the end of the match. The score remained 2-2. 

Kay breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they had survived Watford's final push. His team had fought hard and held on, securing a valuable draw against the strongest team in the league. 

Kay made his way toward Busquets, his mind still racing from the intense match. 

Busquets, spotting Kay approaching, smiled warmly and extended his hand. There was a look of respect in his eyes now. 

"That was a great match," Kay said, shaking Busquets' hand. "Honestly, it's been the toughest match I've ever had." 

Busquets chuckled, shaking his head. "I underestimated you at the start, Kay. Now I regret it. You proved me wrong. With a team like yours, managing to hold us off and score twice? I'm sure you'll be in first place on the ranking next month." 

Kay felt a little embarrassed by the praise. "You dominated most of the game, though," he said, humbly. "The score doesn't show the full story. After your second goal, I didn't know what to do. The equalizer wasn't my plan. The players figured it out on their own." 

Busquets smiled again, this time with a bit of admiration. "That's because of your hard work. You've trained them well enough that they could think on their feet. That's a sign of a good manager, Kay." 

They shook hands once more, a gesture of mutual respect. Then, with a final nod, the two managers turned back to their teams. 

Kay walked towards his players, who were gathering to celebrate the hard-fought draw, smiles and laughter filling the air. 

But just as he was about to join them, Kay heard a familiar sound. Ding! 

A notification from the system. Then he opened the system curiously to check the message. 

- - - 

Hidden quest: Complete five consecutive matches without losing. 

Reward: Unlocking "Players' nationalities" icon 

- - - 

When Kay saw the notification and the request he felt a small pang of regret, instead of feeling proud. 

'If only we had won today', he thought. Winning five matches in a row would have brought an even bigger reward, something much more satisfying. 

The thought lingered for a moment, but Kay quickly pushed it aside. He knew the team had given everything they had, and even the draw was stolen in the last moments of the match. 

As he looked at the screen, he noticed a new icon glowing faintly in the corner. It was his reward from the system. 

He opened it to see what he had earned. Just then, Desmond passed by Kay, giving him a nod as he walked past. Out of curiosity, Kay checked Desmond's stats. 

To his surprise, there was something new. In the top left corner of Desmond's profile, where it listed his nationality, it now read: 

- - - 

Nationality: England, Nigeria 

- - - 

As Kay finished checking his system reward, he noticed Mr. Collins and Coach Daniels standing on the field, watching him. 

He knew he hadn't fulfilled the exact promise he made to them at the restaurant, so as soon as he reached them, he spoke up. 

"I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise," Kay began, lowering his head slightly. "I said I would bring us a win." 

Mr. Collins chuckled softly and shook his head. "You didn't promise us a win, Kay, you promised us a match we would never forget. And you absolutely delivered on that. Stealing a draw from the top team in the league? That's something I never imagined." 

Kay looked up, surprised. Mr. Collins continued, "I never thought I'd see the day where Starlight FC would push Watford to defend, while we attacked. There were moments in that game where we had them on the back foot. It was something special, Kay." 

Kay opened his mouth to respond, but Mr. Collins gently interrupted him. "No need to say anything. Just be proud of what you've done." 

Mr. Collins' words filled Kay with pride, but what he said next caught him off guard. "If you had your certificate, Kay, I wouldn't hesitate for a second. I'd make you the manager of this team." 

Kay blinked in surprise and instinctively glanced at Coach Daniels, who was standing beside them. 

He felt a bit uneasy, wondering how Daniels might react to such a bold statement. 

But Coach Daniels laughed, breaking the tension. "Don't worry, Kay, if that day ever comes, I'd gladly step aside and become your assistant. You've got something special, and the team knows it." Daniels said with a grin. 

Kay was overwhelmed by their praise. He wasn't sure how to respond, so he just smiled and said quietly, " I am proud of your testimony. " 

After the celebrations on the field, Kay made his way toward the stands, clapping as the fans chanted, "Starlight! Starlight!" Their energy filled the stadium, and while they cheered for their team's hard-fought draw, Kay's heart was heavy. 

Each clap of his hands wasn't just a celebration; it was his silent goodbye. The fans didn't know this was his last match with the team. 

They only knew that Starlight had brought in a young manager, one who didn't yet have his certificate, and that he would soon leave. They weren't aware this moment had arrived. 

As Kay turned his back to head toward the tunnel, one fan's voice pierced through the noise. 

"It's his last match with the team!" the fan shouted, and the words rippled through the crowd like wildfire. In a matter of seconds, the tone of the chants shifted. 

"Thank you! Thank you! We will not forget you!" the fans now shouted in unison. 

Kay, taken aback by the sudden wave of gratitude, stopped in his tracks. He turned around to face them one last time. 

Their voices were filled with emotion, and Kay raised his hand, waving back in appreciation. 

It was a moment he would carry with him forever. After a final wave, he turned again and walked into the tunnel. 

When Kay reached the locker room, he found the players in the middle of their own celebrations. 

But as soon as he entered, the mood shifted. The room fell silent, and all eyes were on him, knowing what was coming next. 

Kay cleared his throat and smiled and began his last speech with the team. 

See you in the next chapter...