The morning was was cool. A smooth and cool morning on Saturday. The sun arose normally. Everything was normal for Neto. He wondered why seeing that day would decide his fate. He wore his green gear telling himself that he would put in his best wherever he found himself; whether as GK, defender, midfielder or even striker.
By the time he got to the stadium, other Team O members were already around. Andol asked them if they were ready. Neto finally bought hand gloves, but as he put them on, Canco told him not to bother. "You know this isn't driving me anymore. Go play in and leave the goal keeping to me."
This was a late miracle for Neto. "Thank you man", he said. They stepped into the pitch and saw him leaned in a sleek manner, Samba Hyodou. Neto felt a tingle up his spine." It is time to show me what you got kid. Let's see if my choice was nice or you're just a lucky kid", Saba thought, looking at Neto.
Samba was glad to announce that they had come to the final stage of the tryouts. He urged everyone to put in their best for the match.
Neto took deep breaths.
And the match kicked off. Samba's team began kickoff playing a 3-1-2 formation. As usual, he and Jolar were up front while Andol was in the middle. Jolar passed the ball to Samba, who passed to Andol, whom passed to the back-three.
The cycle continued and before Neto knew it, a shot was fired above him. As he watched the movement of the ball, he saw Samba ahead of him. He ran towards Samba, pressuring him, but it was clear that Samba had better physique. Samba took the shot, but Canco saved the ball.
He passed it Neto, and Samba closed in for a match up, blocking his kicking routes. Samba didn't budge and before Neto knew it, he was slide-tackled by Andol. The tackle took the ball towards one of his team mates, who returned it to Samba. Samba had a clear line of goal from his angle, 15 yards away from the post. Canco, Dogo and Neto came to obstruct the shot, but Samba chipped the ball over them and scored, 20 minutes into the game. Match score: 1-0
Team O kicked off. Andol passed to Shroder on his right. They planned to play a possession game, but Steve maintained that if they didn't score, they won't win.
The pass came to Steve, and Samba matched up with him quickly. Steve intended using step overs to avert Samba, but Samba tackled him, and began pacing down the RW. He was one –on –one with Canco and cleared the ball over the post.
It was a goal kick for Team O. The pass came to Steve, who began pacing down to be marked by Andol. Alexis came to support him, but Steve tried going it alone, and cost Team O a foul, and free kick against them.
Team Y's players were looking for good places to receive the cross. Samba took the free kick down to his GK, who passed it to Samba along the center-pitch line. Samba began picking up his paces, dribbling Steve and Dogo.
Neto stepped backwards. As Samba outwitted Steve and Dogo, he took the shot. Neto, who read Samba's moves already leaped to his right to clear the ball, but it slowly curved from his reach. "I reacted too fast", he realized. The ball went towards Andol, who headed the ball into the post. Match score: 2-0 (42 minutes)
"This can't be happening. So this is Samba of I.land", thought Neto, looking at Samba.
Alexis passed to Shroder; both began using one two's. Seeing Michael, Alexis crossed the ball for Shroder, who already ran in. Shroder trapped it on the right wing, and passed it to Steve. Michael was in an unmarked position on the left wing, but instead of passing to him, Steve went it alone to be slide tackled by Andol.
Andol passed the ball to Samba. Steve matched up with him, and he nutmeged him. Alexis came forward to slide the ball, but Samba "Ronaldo-chopped" him, kept on moving, and gave a hard kick through Shroder's legs.
The three players recovered and regrouped round Samba to the right edge of the penalty box.
Samba housed the ball, controlling the ball with a firm grip. He found a space under Shroder's arm and took the shot, but Neto deflected it to his right. Jolar was already there.
He trapped the ball, but was opposed by Alexis. Samba signaled a through pass, and Jolar gave it to him. Neto had already stretched his legs to block it, but Samba noticing this, body-feinted him, letting the ball nutmeg Neto.
Samba was now one-on-one with Canco. He took the shot again, but the ball went out.
It was a goal kick for Team O, Canco took the shot, but Samba jumped, stealing the ball and ran through Team O taking the shot out.
Canco passed the ball to Neto. Neto passed to Shroder. Andol stole the ball, passed to Samba, who sent it to Jolar, and back to Andol. He lofted the ball over Jolar, and he sent a through ball for Samba.
It was a one-on-one with Neto. Neto asserted the situation. Rushing at him would just be stupid. It is clear that he is the fastest and the best dribbler in I.land, Neto assured. He put a leg forward to fake a tackle, but Samba got away from the body-fake, taking the ball to the left. He took the shot which hit the bar, and deflected to Andol.
Andol intended to shoot, but feinted Neto and passed to Samba. Dogo was already on Samba, so he easily dispossessed Samba, sending the ball hard-ground, in, but Jolar trapped it and took a direct shot at post. GOOOOAAAALLL!!!!!!Match score: 3-0
Halftime
Neto sat on a bench with his eyes covered with a towel. He began to think of a lot of things concerning the match and a lot about his own life. What is parents told him, what Aunty Garcia told him and much more, "Damn it. Am I that bad? They are going through me with body feints, nutmegs, banger shots and I can't do anything ", He thought, taking himself off the bench in a sitting position. In an inquisitive position, he looked up the light bulb and wondered how they would win the match being 3 goals down.
"Is that it?" Neto wondered. The guys were arguing among themselves, most especially at Steve, who was being a stingy brat.
"Guys I think I got it", Neto said.
Shroder in Italian, "I'm listening". "You are Italian", Michael exclaimed, "Thumbs up for the right answer. What were you expecting I am?" Shroder asked." Russian", Neto answered.
With his teeth gnashed, "Why does everyone think I'm a Russian? Is it because of the moustache?"" Very much", Alexis said ," So you were saying kid."
"The team revolved around Samba, Jolar and Andol, but mostly around Samba", Neto said, "But we can't stop Samba, but we can neutralize those passes he needs". Alexis snapped his fingers," The wingers." Exactly", Neto said." Perhaps captain's choice wasn't shabby", Alexis commented.
2ND HALF
Everyone began Neto's play plan and it worked out perfectly. Alexis was with Jolar, Shroder handled Andol while Steve and Michael were up front. Every pass to Samba was neutralized and his touches reduced from a rate of 85% to 5%. Because of this, he drew w a bit towards his teammates.
Later the pass came to Samba. Neto sighted the wingers pacing forward and monitored their eye coordination with Samba. Samba dribbled Michael and passed to Jolar on the right. Jolar expected to receive the pass, but Neto intercepted the pass and sent it out. Samba threw the ball in. Neto watched his eyes, as he signaled Andol. He threw the ball fooling everyone for a pass to Jolar, to Andol for a clean finish, but Neto appeared clearing the ball in. Alexis trapped the ball, pacing down and was being pressured by his opponent.
He sent a through ball to Shroder, who passed to Steve. Michael was open towards right side of the post, signaling for a pass. Steve took the shot from the outside the penalty box. The ball went out.
It was Team Y's goal kick. The goal kick came to Samba. He urged his teammates to keep the game a clean sheet. They used passes, outwitting Team O, whom wouldn't budge.
Neto gazed and noticed Team Y's formation – how they formed a square round Samba." How didn't I see this sooner?" He thought," There, for Samba". He rushed towards Samba, intercepting the ball.
The ball came to Shroder; he crossed it to Alexis; he volleyed it and Team Y's GK deflected it, leaving an open space for Michael to score. Match score: 3-1 (58 minutes)
Samba kicked off, dribbled Team O players and arrived at Neto. Neto stepped back, some thought said,"To your left"; his nerves reacted, blocking the pass from to Samba and cleared it in. Alexis met the ball and Steve stole it from him, moving alone, but was tackled again, not before Alexis stole the ball away and increased their goal count. Match score: 3-2(63 minutes)
Samba chuckled, 'You think you are the only one with wits, lil defender". He told his team mates to go in while he waged back.
They kicked off and Neto's team was able to keep up with the opposition, but Samba read Alexis's movements and stole the pass to Shroder. Since Neto had studied his movements, he waged back to see what Neto could do for players he barely saw play.
He crossed the ball in for a Team Y defender, who trapped the ball going at Neto. Neto faked a tackle while the defender shot, but it was still within Neto's range. Neto tried to clear the ball, but missed, but luckily Dogo was behind him. He cleared it towards Alexis, who finally delivered unto Steve, a pass, but as anticipated by Samba, was denied back to Alexis. Alexis fake shot Samba," That's what you get cap. Now were are even". He passed to Michael, who scored to even the odds. Match score: 3-3 (85 minutes)
Steve feeling so left out decided playing aggressively. Samba's team picked up pace with another formation, where Samba was in the goalie position. Team Y played with no goalie. There were 5 minutes remaining to game over and Team Y were not making any chances available.
Alexis urged everyone to stay back to receive whatever was coming before Steve rushed out, chasing everyone and cost them a foul. Andol took the shot to the bottom left corner. Canco had no chance of saving it, but luckily, Neto back heel stopped it and cleared it.
Team Y regained control and possession of the game, "Where is Samba?"Neto wondered. Jolar got the ball and crossed it to the right with so much zeal. The ball was going out. Everyone wondered why he did that, and that was when Neto realized that Samba put himself in the goalie position just to find space towards the post. He appeared out of nowhere and took the shot; Neto's back-heel went up, deflecting the shot. "What is wrong with this guy and his hyperactivity?"
Since there was nobody in, the ball returned for Samba. Matchup: Samba vs. Neto. Samba said," Let's see what you're made off". "Gladly", Neto said
He didn't wait for his teammates, he just paced down towards Neto. Neto was thinking of what to do and decided to fake-tackle, but Samba saw ahead and got pass him with a nutmeg; Neto reacted with a back leg, but Samba forced it through and took the shot.
Neto slid and saved the ball, sprinted forward and launched the ball for Alexis and Shroder. The duo outwitted their opponents with one-two's. Arriving the left side of the penalty box, Shroder back passed it to Michael, but Steve intercepted the ball. He took the shot, but it struck at woodwork, deflected and was immediately headed by Alexis into the post. Match score: 3-4
Team O won the tryouts. They were so excited they won. Next, the 4 pro players discussed among themselves and decided 4 instead of 3 would be chosen. Samba parted everyone, encouraging them to keep pushing forward. He announced the 4 selected would be Michael for his good team play and positioning, Jolar for his discipline, cooperation and passes. Neto was chosen for rapt analysis and hyperactive ball reaction, and Dogo was chosen for good defending.