The Breakthrough
The second half roared to life, Inter U15s hammering AC Milan's defense with relentless attacks. Luca shifted on the bench, his fingers digging into his warmup jacket as Nico misjudged a clearance, the ball pinging dangerously close to their goal. The scoreboard still read 1-0, the 55th minute ticking by, and Milan's backline was fraying. Coach Rossi's whistle cut through the chaos. "Cappetta! Warm up!"
Luca sprang up, heart slamming against his ribs. He jogged along the sideline, stretching his legs, flexing smoothly, knees holding firm. The system stayed quiet, but his focus sharpened, *Iron Will* locking it .
In the stands, Emily clutched Gianpiero's arm, whispering, "He's going in!" Sophia perked up, muttering, "About time," while Gianpiero nodded silently, eyes fixed on his son. "Good luck, Luca," Emily called, voice lost in the crowd's din.
At the 57th minute, Rossi waved him over, clipboard in hand. "Left wing, Cappetta. Relax and play like you have in training. You've got this." Luca nodded, jaw tight, nerves buzzing but his determination burning hotter.
He shed his jacket, stepping to the touchline as the ref signaled the sub. Paolo trudged off, sneering, "Don't choke," but Luca ignored him, boots hitting grass.
The crowd's roar washed over him as he took position, Inter's corner sailing in. Matteo headed it clear, and the ball rolled loose. Luca watched for two minutes, tracking the flow—Inter pressing, Milan scrambling. Then, at the 60th minute, it happened. A sloppy clearance from Inter's corner landed at his feet, open space stretching ahead like a promise.
He took off ,his newly improved speed propelling him, the ball glued to his foot. The first defender lunged; Luca shifted, confidence surging, and blew past.
Twenty yards out, the last defender squared up. Luca grinned, dropping two rapid *Stepovers* in full flight. The defender bit, lunging the wrong way, and Luca was through, only the keeper left.
Ten yards. The keeper charged, arms wide. Luca faked a shot ,perfectly masking his intent and the keeper tripped, sprawling. An empty net yawned. He slotted it home, cool and precise.
The stands erupted—*"Wow! Wow!"*—cheers crashing like waves. Gianpiero leapt up, disbelief flashing across his face, shouting, "That's my boy!" Emily screamed, Sophia whooped, "Holy crap, he did it!" On the pitch, Matteo roared, sprinting to Luca, the team piling in, slapping his back.
"Insane, Cappetta!" Matteo yelled, grinning. Luca panted, adrenaline surging, a nod his only reply. The scoreboard flipped: 1-1, 62nd minute.
Milan smelled blood. Inter faltered, and Matteo took charge.After creating chance after chance, at the 75th minute, he lofted a perfect ball over the top, his vision full on display. Luca timed his run, trapping it with one touch and sending in a low cross finding a teammate unmarked. The striker tapped it past the scrambling keeper. 2-1.
The final whistle blew at 90, Milan victorious. Luca stood, sweat-soaked, chest heaving, as teammates mobbed him. Coach Rossi approached, a rare half-smile breaking through.
"Told you to play your way, Cappetta. Good shift." In the stands, Gianpiero hugged Emily, Sophia snapping a photo, all beaming.
The system chimed as Luca trudged off.
**[Task Completed: Seize the Moment]**
-Objective: Impact the match decisively as a substitute.
- Reward: 500 points, +3 Shooting.
Total Points: 0 → 500
Shooting: 56 → 59
Luca showered later, steam clouding his grin. Bench start, game-changer finish. Paolo's taunts echoed hollow now.
His family's pride, Matteo's trust,Coach Rossi's nod—it all clicked. Tomorrow's run would greet him, eggs sizzling, Sophia grumbling, but tonight, he'd proven it. He belonged.