The second half got off to a quiet start. Despite Xavier's emphasis on playing good football, Charles Patterson played pretty stale. They mostly retained possession with their defensive players and didn't go forward for the first five minutes or so.
Their risky play style almost cost them. Woodbridge International caught them in possession and went on a counterattack. Fortunately, Andy was up to the shot that resulted from the counter, keeping the score at one-nil.
**55'**
Ten minutes after the second half began, Alexis finally got his first touch of the game. David Archer got the ball in the middle of the field and sent a through ball to Alexis, who was already making a run.
Alexis got the ball on the width of the final third and had a bit of space to run into before he found himself face to face with the Woodbridge International right-back.
James saw the situation at hand and made an overlapping run behind Alexis. The left-back thought that Alexis was going to release the ball to James and followed his movement. Alexis, however, moved the ball into the space in front of him.
Without any real obstruction, he made his way to the final third. He looked up, trying to find someone free to cross the ball to. After a brief scan, he didn't really see anyone, so he continued pushing the ball into the box.
As soon as he entered the box, he was confronted by the left center-back. He thought of taking him on, but there was another player waiting for him. He did the only smart thing and pushed the ball forward. Alexis and the center-back sprinted towards the ball, with Alexis just managing to get to the ball ahead of the center-back and sending a low right-footed cross into the box.
Joshua Dennis twisted and turned his way past the center-back marking him and met the low cross on a half-volley. Unfortunately, the ball skied over the post after making contact with his leg. The goalkeeper heaved a sigh of relief.
[What a chance for Charles Patterson to double the lead. What a run from the right by Alexis Butcher. James O'Riley just drew away the defender to give Butcher that bit of space to run into. Butcher didn't waste it, just sending that low cross into the box. Joshua Dennis did well to escape from his marker, but he really couldn't get the ball into the back of the net.]
[Great play all around from Charles Patterson. Alexis Butcher was fantastic to get the cross in. Joshua Dennis did well to get to the ball, but he couldn't keep it down. Woodbridge International will be sure to take this as a wake-up call. They'll want to play better and try to get the equalizer as well.]
"Fuck," Alexis muttered under his breath. He wiped off a bit of sweat that had formed on his forehead. If Joshua Dennis had scored the goal, then he would have accomplished the mission that the system gave him. He had to get himself a goal involvement before the match finished. The chance he created was the first time he had gotten the ball in the second half. Something told him that it wouldn't get better.
**57'**
Woodbridge International was on the attack. Their keeper played a long ball to their right winger. The right winger met Archie and tried to dribble past him. Unfortunately for him, though, Archie managed to get a leg to the ball and knocked it in front of David. David immediately fired the ball to the left, and Trey got the ball.
Woodbridge International's right-back sped towards Trey in an attempt to pressure him to lose the ball. Trey, however, was calm in the face of the pressure. With his back to the full-back, he flicked the ball between the full-back's legs. He sped after the ball and found himself moving into a lot of space behind the right-back.
Woodbridge International's defensive midfielder tried to cover the space and ran towards Trey, jumping in with a slide tackle. Trey stopped the ball and cut back, making the defensive midfielder slide into nothing.
Trey looked up and saw Joshua free in the box. He wasted no time and floated a cross into the box. The cross didn't get to its intended target, though. Woodbridge International's center-back rose highest and cleared the ball.
Alexis was in the right place at the edge of the box to receive the ball. As soon as he got the ball, a Woodbridge International player was rushing towards him. Alexis did a chop to move to the outside. The Woodbridge International defender wasn't fazed and followed his movement. Seeing this, Alexis performed another chop, this time cutting to the inside. The Woodbridge International defender could not keep up and could only watch as Alexis moved past him.
Alexis's first reaction as he moved into the box was to find someone to cross the ball to. When he looked up, however, he realized that there were little gaps of space between where he was standing and the goalpost. He pushed the ball forward a bit, then set himself up for the shot. His left leg connected nicely with the ball, and he sent his shot towards the post.
Woodbridge International's goalkeeper dove towards the ball at full stretch, but Alexis's shot bent past his hand and dipped sharply to slot itself in the top of the far corner.
[Goalll! What a goal by Alexis Butcher. The substitute latched onto a loose ball from Trey Hamilton's cross into the box. He cleverly beat his marker and probably had his head up to find a cross, but he decided to take the shot, and what a shot it was, what a goal it was.]
[Beautiful goal, beautiful little bit of trickery there from Alexis Butcher. He slotted it into the top corner, and there really was no hope for Woodbridge International as soon as the ball left Alexis's feet. Strength, precision, and finesse.]