Trial Match

As the game settled, Leon found himself in a tactical battle with Charlie. Charlie was relentless, constantly closing down space, his Current rating of 70 reflecting his consistent effort.

Leon, with his own Potential: 92, Current: 72, used his vision and quick thinking to stay a step ahead, often releasing the ball just before Charlie could tackle him.

Midway through the first half, the red team broke the deadlock. Leon won a crucial tackle in midfield, dispossessing Charlie with a perfectly timed slide.

He immediately looked up, seeing Ethan making a darting run into the space Leon had created. Leon threaded a pass that sliced through the blue team's defense.

Ethan, with his nimble feet, took a touch, then another, dancing around a bewildered defender. He then slotted a perfect pass to Marcus, who had positioned himself expertly in the box.

Marcus didn't hesitate, unleashing a powerful shot that left the goalkeeper with no chance.

Red Team 1 - Blue Team 0!

The red team cheered, a burst of energy erupting from them. Marcus ran to Ethan, high-fiving him. Leon gave a satisfied nod. The goal was a direct result of exploiting the blue team's defensive gaps.

The blue team, stung by the goal, pushed back. Liam, their speedy winger, became a real threat, his runs down the flank causing problems for the red team's defense.

Leon saw his Current rating subtly increase to 73 as he grew in confidence.

Byon, on the other wing for the red team, was locked in a fierce battle with his marker. He tried a few flashy dribbles, some working, some not.

Leon saw his Current rating fluctuate, dropping slightly when he lost the ball, rising when he made a successful run. He needed a good moment.

Just before halftime, Leon received the ball near the halfway line. He looked up, seeing Byon waving frantically on the right wing, having finally shaken off his marker. Leon hit a long, diagonal pass, curling it high over the blue team's midfield.

The ball dropped perfectly for Byon. He took a magnificent first touch that killed the pace, setting himself up to run. He sprinted, leaving his defender in his dust. Byon reached the byline, looked up, and instead of crossing, he pulled off a daring move.

He cut inside, faked a shot, and then, with a quick turn, slotted the ball between the legs of the blue team's charging centre-back. He was through!

Byon was one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He took a moment, composed himself, and then calmly passed the ball into the far corner of the net.

Red Team 2 - Blue Team 0!

Byon let out a joyous yell, sliding on his knees in celebration. The red team swarmed him, patting him on the back. Leon ran over, a huge grin on his face. "Unbelievable, Byon! What a finish!"

"Told you I'd get one!" Byon puffed, a triumphant look in his eyes. Leon saw his Current rating leap to 75, a new high for him. Confidence, Leon realized, was a powerful booster.

The halftime whistle blew soon after. Coach Miller called them over, his expression unreadable. "Good first half, red team. Blue team, you need to show more fight. Second half, same intensity."

As they got some water, Leon noticed Coach Miller talking to Mr. Davies, the Aston Villa scout, on the sidelines. They were both looking at the red team, occasionally glancing at their clipboards. Leon wondered what they were saying.

The second half began, and the blue team came out with renewed vigour. Charlie became even more relentless in midfield, his Current rating now a steady 71, his determination clear. Liam continued to torment the defense with his speed.

Leon found himself defending more, breaking up attacks, constantly aware of the numbers above his opponents, anticipating their moves. He made a crucial block on a powerful shot from Marcus, the blue team's new striker, sending it wide for a corner.

Then, a moment of brilliance from the blue team. Liam received the ball on the wing, dribbled past two defenders with dazzling speed, and whipped in a low, dangerous cross. It found Charlie, who had made a late run into the box. Charlie struck it first time, a clean, powerful shot that flew past the diving goalkeeper.

Red Team 2 - Blue Team 1!

The blue team roared. The pressure was back on. Leon felt the intensity of the game ratchet up several notches. This was what real competition felt like. The remaining ten minutes were a frantic back-and-forth, both teams desperate for another goal.

Leon made several key interceptions, his vision proving invaluable. He tracked back, helped the defense, and even launched a couple of counter-attacks, trying to find Byon or Ethan in space.

The final whistle blew, a welcome sound that signalled the end of the exhilarating trial match. The score remained 2-1 to the red team. Players slumped onto the grass, exhausted, but with a sense of accomplishment.

Coach Miller walked to the center circle. "Alright, lads, excellent effort from both teams. That's it for today." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the trialists. "We'll be in touch."

As Leon and Byon walked off the pitch, wiping sweat from their brows, they passed by Mr. Davies, the Aston Villa scout. He stopped them, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.

"Fischer. Byon," he said, his voice as curt as ever.

"Good effort today."

He then looked directly at Leon. "We liked what we saw, Fischer. Very impressive vision. We want you to stay for the next phase of trials. Starts next week. We'll be in touch with details."

Leon's heart soared. He had done it! He had made it through the first cut! He glanced at Byon, his face a mask of anxious anticipation.

Mr. Davies turned to Byon. "Byon, your pace and skill are undeniable. You showed glimpses of real talent. However..." He paused, and Byon's face fell slightly. "We need to see more consistency in your decision-making. We'd like to invite you back for a final day of assessment, alongside a few others, in two weeks. This will be your chance to really show us you can play at this level, day in and day out."

Byon's shoulders slumped for a second, then he looked up, a determined glint in his eye.

"Yes, sir! I'll be there!"

Leon felt a pang of mixed emotions. He was thrilled for himself, but his heart went out to Byon. "Two weeks, Byon," he said, clapping his friend's shoulder.

"That's plenty of time. We'll train every day, work on your decision-making. You've got this."

Byon managed a small, hopeful smile. "Yeah. Yeah, we will. This isn't over."