The Franklin Match: Bleeding Goals

The second half starts out with a bang. As predicted, the Franklin team quickly wins possession and storms into your half, ready to replicate the success of their first half. This time, however, your team has a sense of purpose. You play compact at the back, shutting down their attack, while Daphne and Jack at the front are constantly weaving between the lines of their defense, ready to make a run the moment an opportunity arises.

The first attempt your team makes doesn’t quite work out. Jason hoofs the ball up far and Jack sprints after it, but though he beats the defender, the ball goes out the side before he can reach it. It’s a good try.

Unfortunately, it’s not enough. On the throw-in, they assemble a lightning quick attack down the wing. You try stopping the winger, closing down on her fast, but she makes a fast move to the side, faking you out, and crosses the ball right into the box. A striker sticks his foot out and it’s enough to get the ball into the goal.

“Fuck,” you mutter under your breath, pissed at your poor performance.

“Chin up,” Charlie says, giving you a fist-bump. “We’ll get ‘em on the next one.”

The next ten minutes pass by without much action. You tighten up more defensively, giving the opposition no chances in. Your strategy pays off. They start getting sloppier, and that finally gives you the opening that your team’s been looking for. Katie’s the one to find the angle this time, playing out a long ball to Daphne. She sprints ahead, dribbling the ball with breathtaking speed, two defenders hot on her heels, but it’s clear that this is going to end up becoming a one on one. Their keeper sprints out of the goal in a last ditch attempt at defense. He’s large, low to the ground, ready to dive whichever way the ball goes. Instead, Daphne chips the ball high, and you struggle to hold in laughter as you watch the goalie throw his hands up in desperation. He’s tall, but not ten feet tall. The ball arcs neatly over him and rolls into the goal.

“Nice pass,” you call out to Katie, and she gives you a thumbs up as your team celebrates.

The happiness doesn’t last. Not five minutes later, and a thunderous shot from one of their midfielders is barely stopped by Keegan. The ball goes out for a corner. They play it short, transitioning into the kind of gameplay that they’ve been practicing all game long. None of you were expecting it, though, and the moment’s confusion is enough to get the ball to one of their strikers unmarked. Keegan makes a dive for the ball, but there’s only so much that he can do. It slips past his fingertips and ends up in the back of the net.

Time is slipping away, and a two goal comeback is looking less and less likely. As the minutes close down, you eventually realise that it’s out of grasp. You’ve been run down ragged by all the action of the game, and there’s no way that you can chase down the balls that you’d need to make a big play. It’s all you can do to hold on.

By the time the final whistle is blown, it’s almost a relief. 1-3 to the Franklin team. The loss stings, but at least it’s over now. Finally, a chance to catch your breath.

Maybe I should work out more, you find yourself thinking.