CHAPTER 3: IT'S ALL SQUARE NOW!!
The balls often used in matches before this were often faded, worn out or mud stricken all over, but yet this one seems to glow a bright red, splotches of yellows edged to its sides and black lines run across it splitting and merging at various intervals. They really went all out for this one, huh. (Probably for the scout)
Some of you might be wondering why I've suddenly taken a liking to the tournament ball, some might have already guessed it but I'll say it all the same, at the 63rd minute in the opposition's 18 yard box that very ball can be seen twirling in beautiful arcs right before me….
The start of the second half was a great one from the way things had been going before that, the ball was knocked around in our half and then in the opposition's half, opportunities were hard to come by seeing as the opposing side were playing defensively.
The match soon after turned into a battle between counter-attacking plays and possession plays and it all came to head 63 minutes into the match.
The ball rolled along the space between the centre back and the right back, although the pass in and of itself was lack-lustre the next pass was not to be underestimated, a beautiful curling pass straight to the centre of the attacking midfield and right on my shabby boots.
The trap was excellent, the follow up... Even more mesmerising.
The ball rolled across the green grass with some splotches of dirt, flurries of feet dancing in a wild and untamed manner though one feet danced through the scurries in a graceful art that left trails of beauty in its wake, the ballspun left, right and left again and not long later I had been pushed to the right part of the pitch with the ball still at my feet.
It takes only a glance for me to pick out a pass... Well it would've been harder to miss with how blatantly Charlie keeps waving but with time running out and how expensive our chances are I turned to the only other player available... Diego. (Centre forward)
I cut the ball back with a little mix of a fake and some body movement sending my pursuer sliding harmlessly away and before more aggressor could think of following I turn the ball to my weaker left foot 'though if you ask me it isn't much weaker than my right'
I give it a little nudge at the 90 degree angle while placing my inner foot under the ball.
As expected my skill didn't fail me, the angle of the pass met with the elevation to make an excellent through ball right into the area of uncertainty and also over the defender in front of Diego leading to where everyone recognizes as the back of the net.
Our home crowd (which is much less of a crowd and more of a tangled up students, teachers and a few parents) enthusiastically got to their feet, cheering for that beautiful header the team displayed.
Diego's celebration was a bit weird swinging his arms around as he ran to the corner flag but in the end you couldn't blame him, even he didn't think he'd score such a killer.
We all gathered around him taking our time to get a few slaps in before the coach reminded us not to get complacent, with the score still tied and the game approaching its end it could still go either way.
The opponents passed the ball around as the match restart, a swing by their famous left back was once again all it took to see us on the back foot, the ball went straight out to the overbearing no 9 who was grinning ear to ear as he fired the ball towards goal, the ball wasn't a twisting one...
It wasn't a curling one...
It was straight, and by straight I mean a bullet. It went past the helpless hands of the goalie who was surprisingly able to even dive in the first place.
The ball was almost perfect....
Almost
It was a wonderful pass and would have led to an even more wonderful goal.... If there were no post in football, but since there was, that's where the ball landed recoiling into the feet of our skipper and as he turned around looking to pick out that one pass, his eyes shone
It was our turn.